Ocotillo/Coachwhip

Driving up into the wilderness of Phoenix's South Mountain today, we were treated to beautiful views of the surrounding valley and distant mountain peaks, as well as a strange reef-like landscape of saguaro, barrel cactus and the Dr. Seuss-esque Ocotillos growing in a variety of trippy formations. Fouquieria splendens is also commonly known as candlewood, desert coral, and vine cactus, though it is not a true cactus. This plant is native to the American Southwest and Northern Mexico.

Coachwhip usually looks dead, with long, brown, spiny branches stretching into the air, but after a little rain, tiny leaves cover all available surfaces and the plant becomes quite lush for up to a month or more. Though the plant puts out a profusion of branches from the bottom, secondary branching is rare, and the long spindly branches look a lot like coral fronds swaying in the currents of a reef. The plants can easily reach over 10 ft high at maturity.

Stems of the plant have been widely used in the past for fence poles, and walking sticks and often branches are rooted in place to create a living fence. The crimson flowers have a tangy taste and are used fresh in salads or as a tea. Tinctures can be made of the fresh bark that can have been used for lymph-related health problems. Native peoples have added flowers and roots to bath water as a pick-me-up, or spread them crushed over wounds to promote healing and blood-clotting. The buds, flowers, and seeds of ocotillo are edible, but watch out for the spines, and make sure you have permission to harvest- this species is protected under Arizona Native Plant Law.