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ROC #343460

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accentArizona NativePet FriendlyPollinator Plant

Ocotillo

Fouquieria splendens

Ocotillo

An unmistakable desert icon whose thorny canes erupt with fiery red-orange blooms that hummingbirds cannot resist.

Cold hardy to around 10°F, USDA 9-11; native across Chihuahuan, Mojave and Sonoran desert.

AMWUA Notes

Native and extremely drought tolerant; drops its leaves to conserve water and needs no irrigation once established.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Established plants need no irrigation; water a new transplant every 1-2 weeks the first spring to trigger leaf-out, then wean off. Overwatering rots the roots.

✂️Pruning

Remove only dead canes at the base; never shear—the natural fan of canes is the form.

🌱Fertilizing

Not necessary.

🛡️Pests

Virtually pest-free once established.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Drought-deciduous, leafing out after rain and dropping leaves in dry spells; fully frost hardy with brilliant red-orange spring flowers for hummingbirds.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Sharp-draining rocky or decomposed-granite desert soil; lean

💧Drainage

Needs sharp, fast-draining soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.

🌰Propagation

Bare-root canes (keep original orientation) or seed

📐Spacing

8-10 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Shallow, non-invasive roots; thorny canes make a good barrier away from walkways and pools

Placement Tips

•Use as a living fence, barrier or sculptural specimen.
•The thorny canes make a good security planting away from walkways and pools.
•Plant bare-root canes keeping their original orientation.
•Sharp drainage is essential.

Features

Striking silhouetteRed-orange spring bloomsHummingbird magnetCarpenter bee attraction

Best Uses

SpecimenBarrierWildlife garden

Ecological Value

Attracts

carpenter beeshummingbirds

Companion Plants

Saguaro

Saguaro

Carnegiea gigantea

The towering icon of the Sonoran Desert, providing critical habitat for birds and nocturnal pollinators alike.

Very Low Waterfull sun

Red Yucca

Red Yucca

Hesperaloe parviflora

One of the toughest and most rewarding desert plants, sending up arching coral-red flower spikes that hummingbirds adore.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

Brittlebush

Brittlebush

Encelia farinosa

An iconic Sonoran Desert native with silver foliage and bright yellow daisy flowers that support bees, butterflies, birds, and mammals.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

Chuparosa

Chuparosa

Justicia californica

A large Sonoran Desert native shrub with fragrant orange-red flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in winter and spring.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

Quick Stats

Water NeedsVery Low (Xeric)

Sun Exposurefull sun

Mature Size12 ft H × 10 ft W

Growth Rateslow

Maintenancelow

HardinessUSDA 9-11

FoliageDeciduous

Drainagesharp, fast-draining

Bloom SeasonSpring

Bloom ColorRed-orange

Litter Levellow

Thornsmedium

Native RegionChihuahuan, Mohave, and Sonoran Deserts

Design Styles

desert modernnative habitat

Include in Your Project

Love Ocotillo? Our landscape team sources from wholesale nurseries and can incorporate it into your design.

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Use this care guide to maintain your Ocotillo. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.

Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.