Ocotillo Dead or Alive... First thing about Ocotillos is that they are NOT as tricky as you think, they just need to be understood. Ocotillos as well as other desert plants use their energy very wisely, because wasting it while you live in the desert could result in an untimely death. The first concern of the Ocotillo is to take all energy and put it into a new root system to assure survival. Second would then be the leaves. The leaves are not needed for photosynthesis but do give a boost of energy. Keeping the leaves requires a lot of energy for the plant as well. Once the root system has started and the first leaves appear they may still drop as soon as they come on. The more established the roots become the longer the leaves will stay on. This process can take 60 days to one year. As long as the canes are flexible and have some green the Ocotillo is ALIVE. Give them a fighting chance before deciding the worst and having to start all over again.

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