Fouquieria macdougalii
| Light | Full sun; the more the better for tight, compact growth |
|---|---|
| Water | Regular in warm growth, tapering to dry as it drops its leaves; keep dry when leafless and cool |
| Soil | Fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); large cuttings can be rooted |
| Toxicity | Not known to be toxic to cats or dogs |
Fouquieria macdougalii, the Mexican tree ocotillo, is a spiny, tree-forming succulent from northwestern Mexico that develops a stout, swollen, caudex-like trunk clothed in smooth green photosynthetic bark. Prized for that fat green base and its willingness to be kept small, it is one of the most popular members of Fouquieria for growing as a succulent bonsai.
Description
In the ground Fouquieria macdougalii grows into a small tree, but the feature that draws collectors is its base: a thick, tapering, often gnarled trunk that reads almost like a caudex, covered in waxy green bark that photosynthesises even when the plant is bare. From this rise slender, spine-studded branches that carry small, rounded leaves in flushes.
Like other ocotillos, it is drought-deciduous — it leafs out quickly after rain or watering and drops those leaves as things dry down, so the same plant can look lush and green one month and skeletal the next. Established plants produce showy tubular flowers in warm reddish-orange tones, held in clusters toward the branch tips and much loved by hummingbirds.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the thornscrub and dry tropical forest of northwestern Mexico, centred on Sonora and neighbouring states. It grows on rocky slopes and well-drained flats among other drought-adapted trees and shrubs, in a climate of hot summers, a distinct dry season, and warm winters that rarely see hard frost.
Cultivation
Fouquieria macdougalii is a rewarding, fairly forgiving succulent for a hot, bright spot. Give it as much sun as you can — full sun keeps the branches short and the trunk fat, while too little light produces lanky, sparse growth. Plant it in a very free-draining, largely mineral mix and be guided by its leaves: water regularly while it is in full leaf and actively growing in warmth, then taper off as it drops foliage and goes into rest. Keep it dry and above freezing through a cool winter. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
For bonsai and container growers, the naturally swelling base thickens faster in the open ground or a generous pot; branches take well to pruning, which encourages the ramified, characterful shape the species is grown for.
Propagation
Seed is the primary and most reliable method, sown warm on a gritty, well-drained surface; see Propagation — seed. Large, woody cuttings can also be rooted, though they establish slowly and need warmth and restraint with water to avoid rot — see Propagation — cuttings. Cutting-grown plants tend not to develop as fine a swollen base as seed-raised ones.
Common problems
- Rot — the usual result of a wet, airless mix or watering while the plant is leafless and resting; roots and lower trunk soften.
- Leaf drop — normal and seasonal; sudden bareness after cold or drought is the plant resting, not necessarily dying.
- Etiolation — too little light gives weak, stretched branches and a poorly developed trunk.
- Pests — watch for mealybugs and spider mites, especially on soft new growth under glass.
See also
- Fouquieria — the genus overview
- Bonsai · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — cuttings