Illustration of ocotillo
ocotillo
noun
oco·ti·llo
ˌō-kə-ˈtē-(ˌ)yō 
plural ocotillos
: a thorny scarlet-flowered candlewood (Fouquieria splendens of the family Fouquieriaceae) of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico
Examples of ocotillo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wooly devil grows near drought-tolerant plants, including ocotillo, hedgehog cactus and creosote.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Feb. 2025
Tucson’s skyline and freeways lay 20 miles downhill from the ocotillos, mesquites and saguaros that ring the Santa Ritas.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 19 Dec. 2024
Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff Red flowers are starting to blossom on the tips of an ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
—Francine Kiefer, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 May 2024
Those big fat raindrops kiss the ocotillo, dance among saguaro spines and water our vast herd of lizards.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 16 Mar. 2023
The mountainous desert region is one highlighted by cactus flowers like the Strawberry Pitaya, the spiny ocotillo shrub, catclaw, desert marigolds, and the area’s namesake bluebonnets.
—J.d. Simkins, Sunset Magazine, 26 Apr. 2022
An easy half-mile walk on the wide, sandy Latigo Trail enters the preserve’s far west edge, passing under powerlines that curiously mimic look the long, slender stalks of native ocotillo cactus.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2022
Those findings align with the work of Jim Cornett, a consulting ecologist who has been studying ocotillo in the park since 2007.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2022
According to Texas Highways, visitors may also want to head approximately five hours north to pay a visit to Franklin Mountains State Park, home to the ocotillo, yucca, Southwestern barrel cactus, and Chihuahuan fishhook cactus.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2022
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Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Feb. 2025
Tucson’s skyline and freeways lay 20 miles downhill from the ocotillos, mesquites and saguaros that ring the Santa Ritas.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 19 Dec. 2024
Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff Red flowers are starting to blossom on the tips of an ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
—Francine Kiefer, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 May 2024
Those big fat raindrops kiss the ocotillo, dance among saguaro spines and water our vast herd of lizards.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 16 Mar. 2023
The mountainous desert region is one highlighted by cactus flowers like the Strawberry Pitaya, the spiny ocotillo shrub, catclaw, desert marigolds, and the area’s namesake bluebonnets.
—J.d. Simkins, Sunset Magazine, 26 Apr. 2022
An easy half-mile walk on the wide, sandy Latigo Trail enters the preserve’s far west edge, passing under powerlines that curiously mimic look the long, slender stalks of native ocotillo cactus.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2022
Those findings align with the work of Jim Cornett, a consulting ecologist who has been studying ocotillo in the park since 2007.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2022
According to Texas Highways, visitors may also want to head approximately five hours north to pay a visit to Franklin Mountains State Park, home to the ocotillo, yucca, Southwestern barrel cactus, and Chihuahuan fishhook cactus.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Ocotillo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ocotillo. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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