A plant full of surprises, Fouquieria splendens (Ocotillo) is a very distinctive, upright shrub of vase-shaped habit with up to 100 long, thorny, wand-like, gray stems that rise and radiate from the crown. Small, fleshy, rounded, bright green leaves appear in response to rains and disappear with drought. With rainfall the plant quickly becomes lush with leaves, which may remain for weeks or even months. In the spring, attractive clusters of brilliant red, tubular flowers bloom at stem tips. The blossoms may also occur after summer rains. They are happily pollinated by hummingbirds and bees. Easy to grow, Ocotillo is great as a hedge, screen, living fence.

• Grows up to 8-20 ft. tall (240-600 cm) and 5-10 ft. wide (150-300 cm).
• Easily grown in well-drained soils in full sun. No additional water needed once established, but to retain leaves water twice a month during the summer. Drought tolerant.
• Great for desert gardens, Mediterranean gardens or as an impenetrable hedge.
• Virtually disease free and pest free. Deer resistant.
• Can be propagated by sticking cuttings in the ground.
• Native range is from the southern tip of Nevada south through the Mohave and Sonora deserts of California to Arizona and east to the Chihuahua Desert of New Mexico and western Texas; south into Mexico to the state of Durango