The Ocotillo Cactus grows wild throughout Mexico and the southwestern United States. It is also called Coachwhip, Vine Cactus, and Octopus Cactus, because of the tentacle-like branches that sprout up from its crown root—sometimes as high as 30 feet. It is drought deciduous and usually withholds its foliage until immediately following a rainfall. With or without leaves, its bright crimson blossoms annually appear during the spring and summer, grouped into cone-shaped clusters that form on the tip of each branch. It has sharp, thorny branches that form an impenetrable barrier when planted in groups, and has become popular in the Desert Southwest as hedge growth.
Ocotillos propagate readily from seeds, or from both hard and soft wood cuttings. Rootball stems or cuttings soaked for a couple of days before planting will sprout quickly. The plants need well-drained soil with pH requirements from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline. After planting, watering is rarely required and is seldom recommended. Although this cactus species has an official hardiness rating from zones 8a to zone 11, it has been reported to thrive in zone 7a. It has become popular as a greenhouse plant in the northern regions where winter temperatures prohibit outside growth.