Ocotillo Patch ~ Joshua Tree National Park

Ocotillo Patch is one of many interesting roadside scenic areas to be found along Pinto Basin Road. This attraction is a few miles south of Cholla Gardens, which is another great example of the local flora. Ocotillo are sometimes referred to as being cactus, but this plant does not display many notable succulent characteristics. Ocotillo is pretty much a species of its own and it certainly is well adapted to the Mojave Desert environment.

Just like with berry bushes, Ocotillo have intimidating thorns that cover the long tall stalks. These plants take water conservation to an extreme, because they can look dried up and dead during years of extreme draught, yet after a brief rainstorm tiny green leaves will appear. Ocotillo produce red flowers during the spring season that add a pretty color to the sun bleached desert terrain.

Ocotillo certainly are an interesting desert plant to marvel over and the many nicknames for this plant have plenty of stories to tell. The big roadside patch actually is small in numbers when compared to just how many of these tall plants can be found in the Pinto Basin. In fact, after identifying these plants, they will certainly be noticed during the rest of the day. Joshua Tree National Park is a showcase of the Mojave Desert environment and the roadside Ocotillo Patch will certainly provide a little learning experience when doing the tour!