Ocotilos look dessicated on the outside, but they are semi-succulent; it is more closely related to the tea plant and blueberries than to cactuses. It regenerates leaves after rainfall. They can be planted as garden ornamentals.
Names
The name ocotillo comes from the Nahuatl word ocotl meaning "torch".[5]
It is also known as buggywhip, coachwhip, candlewood, slimwood, desert coral, Jacob's staff, Jacob cactus, and vine cactus.[5]
Botany
Distribution of Fouquieria splendens in Mexico and the United States.
An ocotillo plant reaches maturity at 60–100 years,[7]:320 it grows to a maximum height of 10–15 feet (3.0–4.6m). It comprises of a clump of 40–75 straight and slender greenish branches covered with thorns;[7]:310 each stem may reach a diameter of 6 cm at the base.[8]:104 The branches have a rough bark,[8]:102 they produce small, ovate leaves 2–4 cm long directly from their sides.[7] With rainfall, the plant quickly becomes lush with which may remain for weeks or even months. 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.[citation needed]
Ocotillo can be planted year-round with care. Ideal plants have been grown in pots from stem cuttings and 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.[9]
Uses
Individual ocotillo stems are sometimes used as poles as a fencing material in their native region, and often take root to form a living fence.
Due to their light weight and interesting pattern, ocotillo branches have been used for canes or walking sticks.
Fresh flowers are sometimes used in salads and have a tangy flavor.
Flowers are collected, dried, and used for tisanes.
According to Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West (a book published in 1989 by Museum of New Mexico Press), a fresh barktincture can be made by chopping or snipping freshly removed bark into 1/2-inch pieces. It is said to be useful for those symptoms that arise due to fluid congestion and to be absorbed from the intestines into the mesentericlymph system by way of the lacteals of the small intestinal lining. This is believed to stimulate better visceral lymph drainage into the thoracic duct and improve dietary fat absorption into the lymph system.[10]
Bathing in water that contains crushed flowers or roots has been used to relieve fatigue.[10]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Ocotillo plant in Joshua Tree National Park
Closeup of leaves
Closeup of thorns in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
