Ocotillo is a perennial grown for its red blooms, which open in indeterminate and return year after year. Notably, it shrugs off deer and shrugs off dry spells. Its indeterminate flowers are a real draw for hummingbirds and native bees.
Ocotillo — the short answer
Ocotillo: full sun, pH 6.1–7.8.
- Soil pH
- 6.1–7.8
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Ocotillo on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether ocotillo actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score ocotillo against your land's real conditions.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
No card required · your full report in seconds
What Ocotillo is
Ocotillo grows as a perennial and reaches around ten feet at maturity. It blooms red in indeterminate. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Ocotillo
Ocotillo does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6.1 to 7.8, on fast-draining ground.
USDA Zones
Data pending
Soil pH
6.1 - 7.8
Growable Ground Plant Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
excessive (dry/moderately dry)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
10 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant ocotillo in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Ocotillo prefers pH 6.1 to 7.8 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Harvest at its peak
Cut ocotillo blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Where Ocotillo thrives
Whether ocotillo thrives on a given site comes down to its soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates — the conditions that vary parcel to parcel.
What grows around Ocotillo
Growing guides for ocotillo
In rotation planning, ocotillo counts as a Other — beds recover best when other crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)
Related plants in perennial flower
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — ocotillo isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Ocotillo is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Your land is one point inside Ocotillo's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Ocotillo will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether ocotillo actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Ocotillo
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Ocotillo in my zone?
Zone data for ocotillo is being finalized. A Growable Ground report checks your parcel's full suitability against federal soil, climate, and zone data.
When should you plant Ocotillo?
Most growers plant ocotillo after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Ocotillo need?
Ocotillo needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Ocotillo need?
Ocotillo prefers soil pH 6.1 to 7.8, on fast-draining ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Ocotillo attract pollinators?
Yes — ocotillo's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for hummingbirds and native bees. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Is Ocotillo safe for pets?
Ocotillo is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)