Fouquieria splendens

Fouquieria splendens
Fouquieria splendens
Ocotillo during the monsoon season near Gila Bend, Arizona
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Fouquieriaceae
Genus: Fouquieria
Species: F. splendens
Binomial name
Fouquieria splendens
Engelm.

Fouquieria splendens Engelm. is a desert plant of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Common names include ocotillo, desert coral, coachwhip, Jacob's staff, and vine cactus, although it is not a true cactus. For much of the year, the plant appears to be an arrangement of large spiny dead sticks, although closer examination reveals that the stems are partly green. With rainfall the plant quickly becomes lush with small (2-4 cm) ovate leaves, which may remain for weeks or even months.

Individual stems may reach a diameter of 5 cm at the base, and the plant may grow to a height of 10 m. The plant branches very heavily at its base, but above that the branches are pole-like and only infrequently divide further, and specimens in cultivation may not exhibit any secondary branches. The leaf stalks harden into blunt spines, and new leaves sprout from the base of the spine.

The bright crimson flowers appear especially after rainfall in spring, summer, and occasionally fall. Flowers are clustered indeterminantly at the tips of each mature stem. Individual flowers are mildly zygomorphic and are pollinated by hummingbirds and native carpenter bees.

Contents

Cultivation

Ocotillos near Palm Springs, California.

Planting ocotillo can be done the year around with care. Ideal ocotillo plants have been grown from stem cuttings or from seed. Transplanting large bare-root plants has marginal success. They should be planted to the original growing depth and, as with cacti, in their original directional orientation. The original south side of the plant, which has become more heat and sunlight-resistant, should again face the brighter, hotter southern direction. If their direction is not marked, success is again limited.

Ocotillo plants prefer well drained sandy or gravely loam soils with light to moderate amounts of organic content. For caliche subsoil, break a hole through it so the plant has adequate drainage.

Sunny, open, unrestricted locations and those where surface water does not collect are ideal for ocotillo.

To help prevent a newly transplanted ocotillo from falling over or blowing down in a storm, large stones may be placed over the root area instead of staking, which often scars the stems. Leave two to four inches space around the trunk. Some degree of growth set-back is to be expected. Properly transplanted, however, this native plant will reestablish itself fairly quickly.

Transplanted ocotillo plants require irrigation to become established, but once established, they can survive on 8 inches of rainfall per year.

A well-balanced fertilizer at half strength will help ocotillo to grow faster. This will usually stimulate plant growth and vigor. However, do not apply fertilizer to newly transplanted plants. When using any fertilizer, apply it evenly to the soil surface over the rooting area and water well into the soil. Do not risk overfertilizing; this plant is adapted to harsh conditions without added fertilizer.

State plant protection laws are enforced; contact the state Department of Agriculture for specific regulations, restrictions, permits, penalties, etc. before digging and moving any cacti, agaves, ocotillos, yuccas, or other protected species. Purchased plants should be from a reputable source.

Uses

  • Individual ocotillo stems are used as poles as a fencing material in their native region, and often take root to form a living fence.
  • Owing to light weight and an interesting pattern, these have been used for canes or walking sticks.
  • Flowers are collected, dried, and used for herbal tea.
  • Fresh flowers are used in salads and have a tangy flavor.

Species

Three subspecies are accepted by some botanists:

  • Fouquieria splendens subsp. splendens Engelm.
  • Fouquieria splendens subsp. breviflora Hendrickson
  • Fouquieria splendens subsp. campanulata (Nash) Henrickson

References

See also


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Fouquieria splendens — im kalifornischen Coachella Valley. Systematik Kerneudikotyledonen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Fouquieria splendens —   Ocotillo Ocotillos cerca de Palm Springs …   Wikipedia Español

  • Fouquieria splendens — puošnusis meketis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Meketinių šeimos vaistinis augalas (Fouquieria splendens), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Fouquieria splendens angl. ocotillo; vine cactus šaltinis Valstybinės lietuvių kalbos …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Fouquieria splendens — ID 35424 Symbol Key FOSP2 Common Name ocotillo Family Fouquieriaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AZ, CA, NM, NV, TX Growth Habit Shrub Duratio …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Fouquieria splendens — noun desert shrub of southwestern United States and Mexico having slender naked spiny branches that after the rainy season put forth foliage and clusters of red flowers • Syn: ↑ocotillo, ↑coachwhip, ↑Jacob s staff, ↑vine cactus • Hypernyms:… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Fouquieria splendens Engelm. ssp. splendens — Symbol FOSP2 Synonym Symbol FOSPS2 Botanical Family Fouquieriaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Fouquieria splendens Engelm. — Symbol FOSP2 Common Name ocotillo Botanical Family Fouquieriaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Fouquieria — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda ? Fouquieria Fouquieria splendens Clasificación …   Wikipedia Español

  • Fouquieria — diguetii Systematik Eudikotyledonen Kerneudikotyledonen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Fouquieria — Taxobox name = Fouquieria image width = 240px image caption = Fouquieria splendens (Ocotillo) regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Ericales familia = Fouquieriaceae familia authority = DC. genus = Fouquieria… …   Wikipedia

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