Other forms: ocotillos
An ocotillo is a spiky desert plant with bright reddish-orange blossoms that resemble long tubes. You can find ocotillos growing in the Southwestern United States and Mexico.
For many months of the year, ocotillo plants look like tall, dead, spiky shrubs, their bare, gray stalks covered in sharp spines. But when conditions are wet enough, ocotillos sprout small, bright green leaves — and in the spring, they bloom brilliantly. An ocotillo in full flower is a bright spot in the desert landscape that's particularly popular with pollinating insects and hummingbirds. The word ocotillo comes from Mexican Spanish and Nahuatl, meaning "little torch."