Ocotillo Cactus

Ocotillo Cactus

(It is not a real cactus, however, and has other names which include coachwhip and desert coral)

For much of the year this strange looking plant looks like a bunch of long, dry, gray sticks reaching from the ground toward the sky.  But in spring, especially during a rainy spring, tiny green leaves cover the canes and a beautiful orange flower adorns each tip, making these plants strikingly beautiful against the backdrop of the red desert cliffs.