Fouquieria splendens

Common Name: Ocotillo, Coachwhip
Oˊodham Names: Melhog Audio Flower: Hiosig Audio
Group: Succulents － Desert, Desert Grassland, Chaparral (lower)

Description

Fouquieria splendens has a short trunk that opens into a funnel shaped assembly of canes having photosynthetic bark. The canes have a sparse covering of inch long spines that form axils where leaves emerge after a good rain. In May, large racemes of orange to red bullet-shaped flowers emerge from the tips of the canes. It grows on coarse, gravelly, or rocky soils between 1500 and 4000 ft elevation.
Ocotillo is used for fencing by the Tohono Oˊodham. The cut, buried stems often root creating a living fence. The flowers can be soaked in cold water to make a refreshing beverage.

Classification

Kingdom Plantae － Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta － Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta － Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta － Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida － Dicotyledons

Subclass Asteridae

Order Solanales

Family Fouquieriaceae － Ocotillo family

Genus Fouquieria Kunth － ocotillo

Species Fouquieria splendens Engelm. － ocotillo

More Information

USDA Plant Profile and Map