Ocotillo, << `oh` kuh TEEL yoh, >> is a shrub that grows in the deserts of Mexico and southwestern United States. It is also called candlewood, coachwhip, and vine cactus.
The ocotillo plant stands 6 to 25 feet (1.8 to 7.6 meters) tall and has many long, spiny stems growing out from its base. After moderate to heavy rains, the stems bear leaves and bunches of scarlet flowers. But in the dry season, they stand bare as dry spiny sticks. Ocotillos make good hedges that are hard to pass through.
