Pronounciation: Al-loo-WAH-dee-uh pro-KER-a

Hardiness zones:
Sunset 13, 17-24
USDA 9-11 (lower elevations of Arizona and southern California only)

Landscape Use: Textural and form accent, focal point, xeriscape gardens, patio or atrium containers, raised planters (when plants are young).

Form & Character: Sprawling when young to ultimately upright, spiny, imposing, wild, visually dominant, unusual, excellent novelty xeriscape plant.

Growth Habit: Drought-deciduous, perennial succulent shrub with thick, water-storing stems. As an adolescent shrub it will grow an 'entanglement of stems' that in time will be superceeded by one or more dominant upright stems to up to 30-feet tall! With age, it takes on an arborescent, tree-like appearance.

Foliage/Texture: Pairs of ephemeral, green succulent oval to round leaves to 2-inches long, often deciduous during dry periods. An abundance of symmetrically arranged, gray stipular spines to 0.5-inch long are along stems that are gray-green to bone white in color; medium coarse texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Dioecious, when reproductively mature female plants grow terminal stem clusters of yellowish to whitish-green flowers, fruits insignificant.

Seasonal Color: Flowers are seen from late February through March and on rare occassions during September.

Temperature: Heat tolerant, but freeze (below 32^oF) intolerant.

Light: Partial shade from western sun is best when young, full sun when mature.

Soil: Fast-draining soils are best.

Watering: Needs regular summer landscape irrigation in Phoenix, but soil must be allowed to dry in-between waterings. During winter, no supplemental water is needed.

Pruning: Minimal pruning is required so long as adequate landscape space for its asymmetrical, natural growth habit is provided.

Propagation: Easy using young, terminal vegetative stem cuttings. Difficult by seed because of dioecious growth habit.

Disease and Pests: Root rot if drainage is poor.

Additional comments: Madagascar ocotillo is an odd-looking plant that will cause many to say, "What is that?" Although bearing a close resemblance to the North American ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), it is not taxonomically related. Madagascar ocotillo may be grown for many years as a container plant.