The Ocotillo (fouquieria splendens), a plant indigenous to the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts in the SW United States and Northern Mexico, is not a true cactus. The plant appears as an arrangement of large spiny sticks and may grow to over 30 feet tall. With rainfall the plant becomes quite lush with small leaves. Bright crimson flowers appear especially after rainfall in the spring and summer, and into the fall. The Ocotillo is especially prevalent in the Big Bend area of West Texas and provides a complementary display of color and form to the rugged landscape.
© Jerry Clark Photography
