The practical and medicinal uses of ocotillo

Laredo is just on the outskirts of the natural range of an interesting desert-dwelling plants species commonly known as ocotillo, or botanically, as Fouquieria splendens. The few specimens you might see around town in landscapes or on ranches were introduced to the area. Ocotillo is native to the northern and central Mexican states as well to the desert areas of southern Arizona, southern California, New Mexico, Nevada, and west Texas. If you were to drive a couple of hours into Mexico towards Candela, Coahuila, you would begin to see the plants in the wild just west or north of the Mesa de los Cartujanes (Cartujanos) and just north or west of Candela. That is about as close as this species ranges to Webb County, Texas. You can, however, find it growing in the wild out in west Texas. The Texas Monthly Field Guide Series book called A Field Guide To Wildflowers, Trees and Shrubs of Texas, by Delena Tull and George Oxford Miller, refers to ocotillo as "a bizarre desert shrub about 3-30 feet tall; vertical branches spiny, wandlike, emerging from rootcrown." What's not to like about this strange-looking plant? I, personally, have never seen a 30-footer, but that must be an impressive sight!
Anyway, ocotillo looks sort of like a fire-works display, especially during its brief periods of blooming after a much needed rain. Imagine someone setting off a whole package of green-colored bottle rockets at once. That's what an ocotillo looks like, just minus the sound effects.
Except for a short time after rains, ocotillo usually has no foliage. It conducts all its photosynthetic chores by way of its green-barked branches. It is also heavily armed with thorns, so few herbivores browse it, except maybe after a rain, when it has leaves for a brief period.
A unique thing that you can do with ocotillo is to make a living fence out of the branches. In and around Candela, ocotillo is called barda, which means fence or wall. In fact, in many rural areas of Mexico where it is found, fences are commonly made from it. It is a living fence because the branches of ocotillo are cut and stuck into the ground next to each other and eventually root and continue to grow, forming a formidable, impenetrable barrier. The top of the barrier can be trimmed to the desired height. This fence will even keep out rabbits, if the ocotillo is placed closely together. You can also cut a three or four foot section of a branch to carry for self-defense when out walking or jogging.
The Seri people of Sonora call ocotillo Xomjeziz, and use it to treat toothache, skin infections, and to wash clothes. The Mountain Pima of Arizona brew a tea with ocotillo bark and corn silk to treat pneumonia. The Tohono O'odham (Papago) use the thorns of the ocotillo to pierce their ears. The Apache people bathe in water containing the crushed roots or flowers to treat fatigue. The crushed roots and flowers are also placed on wounds to stop bleeding. The Mahuna people also use ocotillo tea as a "blood medicine." The Cahuilla, Tohono O'odham, and Yavapi people use the flowers in beverages, the fruits as a candy, and the stalks as building material. Among Native Americans and rural Mexicans, a tea made from the flowers is also used to treat cough. A tea or tincture made from the bark of the plant is used to treat hemorrhoids, varicose veins, urinary tract problems, and benign prostate enlargement. Soaking arms or legs in a tea made from the roots of the plant is used to soothe inflammation. The seeds, which can contain as much as 29% protein, are also ground into flour. In times past, the resin and wax from the bark was used to condition leather.
Aside from being a source of traditional indigenous medicine and building materials, ocotillo is also a heat and drought-tolerant landscape plant that requires little to no maintenance.
That will take care of this month. As always, consult with your physician or healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy. For questions or comments on this column, I can be reached at glorioso@netscorp.net.