ocotillo Fouquieriaceae Fouquieria splendens

Leaf:Helically alternate, leafless most of the year but occur quickly following rains, small (2 inches long) oval to obovate leaves, entire margins, fleshy, occur in bunches, gray-green.
Flower:Very attractive, tubular 1-inch flowers occur in 10 inch narrow clusters at the ends of the stems.
Fruit:Capsule that splits open with three valves, seeds are very small, winged and dispersed by wind.
Twig:Canes with no side shoots (wand-like), each is heavily armed with numerous spines.
Bark:Scaly, gray, brown, with time becoming reddish and papery.
Form:Unmistakable, numerous twisted canes originating from one point on the ground and spreading outward with height, reaches up to 20 feet.
leaf flower fruit twig bark form map
Notes: