€37,10

🌱 Morphology
Xerophytic, semi-succulent, and drought-deciduous shrub with a very characteristic appearance. Numerous long, narrow, and almost always sparsely branched stems arise from a common base, reaching approximately 2–6 m in height. In large specimens, dozens of stems can develop, forming an open, vase-shaped structure.

The stems are green when young and later develop a grayish, rough, and fissured bark. They feature numerous spines of foliar origin, up to about 4 cm long, as the petioles of the leaves on the long stems harden and remain as thorny structures.

The leaves are small, fleshy, simple, and alternate, ranging from elliptical to obovate in shape. They appear clustered on small lateral shoots located at the base of the spines. The plant can lose its leaves completely during dry periods and regrow them rapidly after rainfall. Under favorable conditions, it can repeat this process several times a year.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Family Fouquieriaceae. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern and western Mexico, ranging from California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas to various Mexican regions. Kew places it mainly in desert and dry shrubland biomes.

It inhabits the Sonoran Desert, Mojave Desert, and especially the Chihuahuan Desert, generally on rocky slopes, sandy or stony soils, and very well-drained terrain.

Its drought strategy differs from that of a cactus: the stems are moderately succulent and photosynthetic, while leaves are produced only when water is available. The Fouquieriaceae family is considered morphologically intermediate between xeromorphic shrubs and plants with truly succulent stems.

❄️ Temperature
USDA Zone 8b–11b. It tolerates minimum temperatures of approximately −10 ºC, and can withstand temperatures near −12 ºC occasionally in well-established specimens kept dry. Oregon State University places the species in USDA 8, and various specialized US sources agree on an approximate hardiness of 10 °F, equivalent to about −12 ºC.

Cold resistance decreases in young plants, those recently transplanted, or those subjected to winter humidity. In cultivation, it is recommended to keep it very dry during cold episodes, as the combination of low temperatures and damp tissues significantly increases the risk of damage and rot.

☀️ Lighting
Indicative DLI PAR: 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹.

It requires very high light levels and responds especially well to direct sun. Intense radiation favors compact stems, a well-defined architectural structure, and proper leaf production after rains.

In cultivation, it should be progressively acclimated to direct sun when coming from protected conditions.

💧 Growth cycle and irrigation
Winter dormancy outdoors on the Iberian Peninsula plateau. Its water strategy is one of the most extraordinary characteristics of the species. It does not necessarily maintain leaves throughout an entire season: it produces them rapidly when water is available and loses them when drought returns. It can even produce and lose several generations of leaves in the same year if rainy and dry episodes alternate.

Because of this, it behaves as an opportunistic xerophyte, capable of becoming active quickly when water is available.

During the growth period, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry out completely before the next watering. If it retains leaves and there is active growth, it can be watered when the substrate is completely dry.

During drought periods and when it loses its leaves, irrigation should be drastically reduced. In winter, especially at low temperatures, it is recommended to keep it practically dry.

The temporary absence of leaves does not necessarily mean the plant is dead: it is a normal adaptation to reduce transpiration when water is no longer available. Under appropriate conditions, it can quickly produce new leaves after rainfall.

🌸 Flowering
The flowers appear grouped in dense terminal inflorescences located at the ends of mature stems. They are tubular, approximately 2 cm long, with a striking scarlet to orange-red color, and clearly stand out above the branches.

Flowering usually occurs after rains and mainly during spring and summer, although it can also appear in autumn if rainfall is sufficient. In its natural range, it can begin approximately between March and May and continue through the summer.

The flowers are especially important for desert fauna and are visited by hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. After flowering, it develops trilocular capsules with winged seeds that facilitate wind dispersal.

🌿 Nutrition
During periods of active growth, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended, applied after watering. This can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering before and during the formation of inflorescences.

It is not recommended to fertilize when the plant is leafless, dormant, or subjected to low temperatures.

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.

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