I love these spiny not-a-cactus, green and leafy (but only when it rains) not-a-tree, gorgeously flowering Sonora Desert plants. Their sprays of orange-to-scarlet (each 1/2-1" long) flowers can be 10-12 inches long. It's sort of like Christmas in the desert when they start blooming! Ocotillo are also known by names such as flaming sword, jacobs staff, and vine cactus. They are the northernmost species of a group of similar plants which grown in Mexico. www.desertusa.com/nov96/du_ocotillo.html