Canon EOS R5 Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 IS II USM 1/250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100

Image by David Lennard

Ocotillo is found in all the deserts of the Southwest. Although this plant looks very much like a cactus due to its long spines and desert habitat, it is not a member of the cactus family. In the spring (April/May) hundreds of brilliant red tubular flowers crowd the ends of the branches, making it an important food source for hummingbirds. After spring or summer rains, the branches burst with leaves; the rest of the year, photosynthesis occurs beneath the grey bark of the stems. It is a very long-lived plant that can live up to 200 years.

A fresh bark tincture is the only practical way to prepare ocotillo. The tincture was useful for symptoms that arise due to fluid congestion. Other uses include the relief of fatigue by bathing in water which contains crushed flowers or roots. Many Indian tribes used the flowers and roots of ocotillo to slow bleeding of fresh wounds. Ocotillo is also used to alleviate coughing, achy limbs, varicose veins, and urinary tract infections. Gum resin from the bark was used for waxing leather and as an adhesive/waterproofing agent or varnish. Thorny stems are sometimes placed in the ground to provide living fences.

Hummingbirds are the plant's primary pollinator. And ocotillo flowers are a crucial source of nectar for the 10 species of hummingbirds that migrate through the Southwest from Mexico each spring.