photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
LynnH | all galleries >> Galleries >> ENJOYING ISOLATION / BIG BEND > Blooming Ocotillo
previous | next
2020 LynnH

Blooming Ocotillo

Big Bend Ranch S.P. Texas

Lucky us, we got to see the autumn bloom on the Ocotillo.
Normally, these plants look like dead rose canes, brown with lots of thorns. When there's enough moisture, small oval leaves about two-inches in diameter
will sprout from its brown stems. When the water dries up, the leaves will fall and the plant goes back to the dead cane appearance.
This process can happen four or five times a year depending on the amount of rainfall.

Ocotillo branches can reach heights up to 20-feet and live up to 60 years. Studies also indicate some could possibly be over 100 years in age.
Slender clusters of bright red orange, tubular flowers form at the ends of the stalks in the Spring and Fall.
In areas with abundant ocotillo plants it can look like a red haze is hanging just above the plants from a distance!

Sony Alpha α77 II
1/3200s f/8.0 at 60.0mm iso500 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Julie Oldfield29-Jan-2021 01:59
Gorgeous blooms. They are striking against the desert landscape. V
laine28-Jan-2021 01:21
A nice change to a dry desert landscape...how fortunate you were to find these. V
Carl Carbone27-Jan-2021 21:30
Very interesting! I had thought they might be flowers in the other photo, but the time of year made me think leaves. Nicely captured.
Walter Otto Koenig27-Jan-2021 17:51
A fine shot of the blooming Ocotillos. Nice with the mountain in the background. "V"
John Hamers27-Jan-2021 10:14
Great capture of these blooming plants. They stand out beautifully against the blue sky. !!V
globalgadabout27-Jan-2021 05:27
this is a good look at it, and that red jumps out against the blue sky...the crooked shape is so distinctive too..
Alan K27-Jan-2021 05:26
The colours and textures are very cool, all the better given how rare this sight is.
Helen Betts27-Jan-2021 05:05
Just beautiful with those red blooms, and nicely captured with the mountains in the background. V.