Ocotillo
Fouquieria splendens
Calypte costae
Watercolor created from a live specimen observed at Ninety-six Hills near Florence, Arizona, USA on 19 April 1993.
Sponsored Links:
SHRUB: The unique and splendid form of the ocotillo is nearly as
characteristic to the Sonoran Desert as is the Saguaro Cactus. A dozen or more
arching spires, 3 to 5 meters long,
spring upward from a basal crown, inspiration for another common name: The
Coachwhip.
ARMED: The leaf petioles develop into very sharp 2 cm-long spines that
cover the branches. You can see this succession by examining young leaves near
the growing branch tip.
LEAVES: Spatulate leaves are drought and cold deciduous, re-growing two
or more times per year in response to ample rainfall and warmer temperatures.
Spongy tissue in the branches and root crown can store water. This allows
Ocotillos to remain green for many weeks following rain.
FLOWERS: Long, tubular, coral-red flowers are borne at the tips of the
branches and are favorites of Costa's, Black-chinned, and
Anna's Hummingbirds. Blooms appear mostly in March and May, but may be found at almost any time of year.
FRUIT: Dry capsules contain lightweight, winged seeds that are readily
dispersed by wind.
RANGE: Characteristic plant throughout the range of the saguaro, but
also ranging widely into higher elevations (up to 1500 m), westward into the
Mojave Desert as well as eastward into parts of the Chihuahuan Desert.
The arrival of White-winged Doves in the Sonoran Desert at the end of April coincides with the ripening of ocotillo seeds as well as the first really hot weather. These large birds alight on an ocotillo branch at the apex of its arch, then gently saddle down towards the limber and ever-slumping tip where the ripening seeds can be plucked from their capsules. Harris Antelope Squirrels, which are really ground squirrels ill adept at climbing, also ascend ocotillo spires to reach the same seeds. For both animals remaining perched on the branch becomes increasingly difficult as it wobbles about - each movement is amplified and the animal's attempts to extract the seeds scatter many of them to the ground. This interaction with seed predators over evolutionary time may partially explain the unique architecture of the Ocotillo.
Costa's Hummingbirds also hold a close relationship with the ocotillo. The flowers are an important source of nectar which the hummingbirds pollinate.