Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Ocotillo
Ocotillo is the classic Arizona desert plant, a cluster of tall, spiny, whip-like canes rising from the base. Small green leaves appear after rain and drop when it dries out. In spring the cane tips carry clusters of red-orange flowers that hummingbirds visit. It grows slowly to about 10 to 20 feet tall and needs almost no water once rooted.
Best for: accents and focal points in desert yards, silhouettes against walls and sky, living fences and hummingbird gardens in full sun.
Its tall, upright canes make a strong silhouette in a desert yard. It grows slowly to about 10 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide.
Ocotillo canes are used as living fence posts and screens. For a planted grouping, space plants about 6 to 8 feet apart.
Clusters of red-orange flowers tip the canes in spring, and hummingbirds visit them. Bees work the flowers too.
Too much water rots the roots, so plant it where water does not collect. Its spines make it a poor fit beside walkways.
- Grouping or screen6 ft apart
- Open grouping8 ft apart
Plant it with the marked south side facing south. Water a new plant by spraying the canes and keep the soil barely moist, not soggy. It can look dead for months before it leafs out.
Once rooted, water about once a month in summer. It needs little or no water in winter. Too much water will kill it.
It grows leaves after rain or irrigation and drops them a few weeks after it dries out. The bare canes in between are normal.
Prune only dead or damaged canes, cut to the ground. Wear thick gloves for the spines.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is my ocotillo dead if it has no leaves?
Most likely it is fine. Ocotillo drops its leaves a few weeks after rain and leafs out again when it gets water, and new plants can look dead for months before leafing out.
When should I plant it?
Spring and fall are the usual planting times, and March through May is often recommended. Plant it with the marked south side facing south.
How do I water a new ocotillo?
Spray the canes and keep the soil barely moist, not soggy. Once rooted, water about monthly in summer.
How big does it get?
It grows slowly to about 10 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. Plant it where the canes have room to spread at the top.
How far apart should I plant ocotillo?
Plant them about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for you.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in spring, often from late February through May, and it can bloom again after heavy summer rain. Holding back water helps push it to bloom.
Does it attract hummingbirds?
Yes, hummingbirds visit the red-orange flowers, and bees work them too. Plant it where you can watch them from a window or patio.
How cold can it take?
It handles Phoenix winters and is hardy to about 10°F before serious damage. It needs no frost cover in the Valley.
Can I use it as a fence?
Yes. Ocotillo is used for living fences and screens. Plant it away from walkways because of the spines.
Ocotillo for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens, is a native plant of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts and a mainstay of Arizona desert landscaping. Below are the questions people ask most, from planting and why it can look dead to water, flowers, size and spacing.
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Why does my ocotillo look dead?
Ocotillo drops its leaves when dry and leafs out after rain, and new plants can look dead for months before leafing out. Keep spraying the canes and be patient.
When is the best time to plant ocotillo in Phoenix?
Plant it in spring or fall. March through May is often recommended for transplanting.
How do you water a newly planted ocotillo?
Spray the canes and keep the soil barely moist. Once rooted, water about monthly in summer.
How big does ocotillo get?
Plan for about 10 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. It grows slowly, so a larger size gives you height sooner.
How far apart do you plant ocotillo?
Plant them about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for you.
Ocotillo and hummingbirds
Its red-orange spring flowers draw hummingbirds, and bees visit them too. Plant it where you can watch them from a window or patio.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.