Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens

Photo of the tall stalks of an ocotillo with small green leaves following a rain

Ocotillo is one of the most striking plants in the desert, especially when its bright flamelike red flowers appear. It is hard to find examples of this shrub that are less than six feet tall. Many grow to 20 feet. After a rain, no matter the time of year, the Ocotillo is covered with dense green leaves. Within a few weeks, the leaves turn red or yellow, and fall off.

Family: Ocotillo.

See also:

Ocotillo thorns
Ocotillo Leaves (Green)
Ocotillo Fruit and Flower

Photo of hundreds of ocotillo tipped with red flowers at Ocotillo Flat in Coyote Canyon
Ocotillo in Bloom, at Ocotillo Flat in Coyote Canyon