Ocotillos and Verdins

This has been a banner year for ocotillos in the Sonoran desert. They started blooming a couple of weeks ago, and have erupted into full orange color. That’s Fouquieria splendens, for all you science types!

Their nectar attracts a variety of insects, making them a favored landing spot for the small olive yellow birds, the verdins (Auriparus flaviceps.) Look for verdins visiting all kinds of flowering plants throughout the summer and fall.

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Ocotillos in bloom

It is mid-April and the ocotillos are in bloom in the Sonoran desert, a great sight to see.

These plants can leaf out several times a year after rains, but they only bloom once a year, the blossoms providing food for a variety of insects and birds.