You can check to see if your ocotillo is alive by adding water to see if sprouts leaves or by scrapping the stems to see if there is any green tissue. Photo by Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star/Jan. 21, 2003ย
Q: I would like some info about our probably dead ocotillo.
We have lived in our house for three years now. The ocotillo is in mostly shade and although it was in bloom the first year we moved in, since then there has been no green and no feathers on top. Is this ocotillo dead? I have read in your column that these plants can go dormant for a few years but have we now passed the time for regeneration? Are there any tests we can do to determine life or death? And if it is dead, what can we do about it or with it?
A:ย The best way to determine life in an ocotillo is to give it some water. Desert plants like this will appreciate water every two to three weeks in the summer and it should leaf out in response to irrigation. You can also lightly scrape the stems to see if there is any green tissue below the surface. That is a sure sign of life. If you decide it is dead you can leave it alone, pull it up, and/or replace it with another, your choice. Some folks buy ocotillo fencing made of these stems and they occasionally take root. So you could chop it into sections and make your own.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed toย tucsongardensage@gmail.com
