Sonoran Native Plants Virtual Tour
Fouquieria splendens | Fouquieriaceae | ocotillo
Desert Ecology:
Hummingbirds are important pollinators, though nectar-stealing carpenter bees and verdins have been found to effectively pollinate. Antelope ground squirrels feed on flowers and seeds that fall to the ground.
Ethnobotany:
Native people, including the Seri, Cahuilla, Yavapai, Pima, Tohono and Hiá ced O’ohdam also consumed the flowers and nectar or used the flowers to flavor water. The Cahuilla used protein-rich seeds to make flour for mush or cakes In both past and modern times, ocotillo stems are used for fencing (sometimes as a living fence), house walls, and ramada roofs.
