Donald M. Jones / Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) singing from atop a flowering Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), southern Arizona

Jack Dykinga / Ocotillo cactus (Fouquieria splendens) in desert landscape strewn with rod lava rock, Cabeza Prieta Mountains in the distance, dawn, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, USA

Jack Dykinga / Ocotillos (Fouquieria splendens) amongst flowering Mexican Poppies (Eschscholtzia mexicana) on east facing slopes, Sonoran Desert National Monument, Arizona, USA

Tim Fitzharris / Opuntia (Opuntia sp) in Chihuahuan Desert landscape, Big Bend National Park, Texas

Tim Fitzharris / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) flowering, Joshua Tree National Park, California

Richard Herrmann / Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) female with Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), Anza-Borrego State Park, California

Rolf Nussbaumer / Scott's Oriole (Icterus parisorum) female feeding on blooming Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Scott's Oriole (Icterus parisorum) male feeding on flowering Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Scott's Oriole (Icterus parisorum) female feeding on flowering Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Blue-throated Hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae) male feeding on flowering Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) female feeding on Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) Chisos Basin, Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, West Texas, USA

Doug Wechsler / Ocotillo plant {Fouquieria splendens} in leaf and flower following the rains, Organ Pipe cactus NM, Arizona, USA

Jack Dykinga / Ocotillos (Fouquieria splendens) after summer rains, amongst Velvet-pod mimosa (Mimosa dysocarpa) in the grassy foothills of the Atascosa Mountains, Coronado National Forest, Arizona

Nigel Bean / Ocotillo plant {Fouquieria splendens} in leaf following the rains, Sonoran desert, Arizona, USA

Nigel Bean / Ocotillo plant {Fouquieria splendens} in leaf following the rains, Sonoran desert, Arizona, USA

Philippe Clement / Desert spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister) climbing Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens). Saguaro National Park, Arizona, USA

Philippe Clement / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) flowers and thorns. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, USA.

Philippe Clement / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) in flower. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, USA

Philippe Clement / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) in flower. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, USA

Philippe Clement / Desert spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister) climbing Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens). Saguaro National Park, Arizona, USA

Philippe Clement / Sonoran Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura hemilopha macrolopha) basking on Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) cactus. Arizona, USA. (Native to Mexico). Captive.

Philippe Clement / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) in flower. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, USA

Philippe Clement / Ocotillo {Fouquieria splendens} in bloom and Saguaro cactus {Carnegiea gigantea}, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, USA

Patricio Robles Gil / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) landscape, Chihuahuan Desert, Sierra del Carmen region, Coahuila state, Mexico

Patricio Robles Gil / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) landscape, Chihuahuan Desert, Sierra del Carmen region, Coahuila state, Mexico

Patricio Robles Gil / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) landscape, Chihuahuan Desert, Sierra del Carmen region, Coahuila state, Mexico

Patricio Robles Gil / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and other vegetation, Chihuahuan Desert, Sierra del Carmen region, Coahuila state, Mexico

Patricio Robles Gil / Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) perching on dead Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) cactus branch, Sierra del Carmen region, Mexico

Patricio Robles Gil / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) growing along the Rio Grande River, Sierra del Carmen region, Mexico

Patricio Robles Gil / Opuntia (Opuntia sp) cactus in bloom, Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico

Tim Fitzharris / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) in bloom, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Chihuahuan Desert, Texas

Tim Fitzharris / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), Big Bend Ranch State Park, Chihuahuan Desert, Texas

Jack Dykinga / Close-up of colourful leaves and spines of an Ocotillo (Fouguieria splendens), leaves turn red in dry season after the wet season, Tinajas Atlas Mountains, Goldwater Range, Arizona

Jack Dykinga / Ocotillos (Fouquieria splendens) established on the Pincata Lava flow, dawn, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Reserve, Arizona

Jack Dykinga / Flowering Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) at sunrise, Cabeza Prieta Mountains, Cabeza Prieta National Wildelife Refuge, Arizona

Jack Dykinga / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) cacti silhouetted against a colourful sunset, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Reserve, Arizona

Rob Tilley / Ocotillo / Coachwhip / Jacob's Staff in flower (Fouquieria splendens) against the sky, Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Jack Dykinga / Solitary Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea)surrounded by Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and other desert plants, Sierra Pinacate, Mexico

Jack Dykinga / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) flowering with Teddy bear cholla (Opuntia bigelovii). Inactive lava flow in background, Biosphere Reserve of the Pinacate and Gran Desierto Altar, Mexico

Patricio Robles Gil / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and Brittlebush (Encelia californica), Sonoran Desert, El Pinacate/Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve, Sonora, Mexico

Tim Fitzharris / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and other desert vegetation Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

Tui De Roy / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) with a flush of green leaves after rain, Puerto Splendens, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico

Tim Fitzharris / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), Borrego Palm Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

Tom Vezo / Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) cactus, Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) Prickly Pear (Opuntia sp) cactus, and Cholla (Opuntia sp) cactus, Sonoran Desert, Tucson, Arizona

Konrad Wothe / Lucifer Hummingbird (Calothorax lucifer) female incubating eggs on nest in Ocotillo Cactus, Arizona

Konrad Wothe / Lucifer Hummingbird (Calothorax lucifer) female incubating eggs on nest in Ocotillo Cactus, Arizona

Konrad Wothe / Lucifer Hummingbird (Calothorax lucifer) female incubating eggs on nest in Ocotillo Cactus, Arizona

Tim Fitzharris / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and the Vallecito Mountains, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

Tim Fitzharris / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) cactus blooming during rainy season, native to Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts of southeast California and west to Texas

Konrad Wothe / Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) male perching on Ocotillo Cactus, Arizona

Tim Fitzharris / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) under stormy sky in front of Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas

Konrad Wothe / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) cactus in bloom, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

Tim Fitzharris / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) Greasewood (Sarcobatus sp) and Palo Verde (Parkinsonia sp), Arizona

Tui De Roy / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) in leaf from winter rains, Puerto Remedios, Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico

Patricio Robles Gil / Ocotillo plants {Fouquiera splens} Chihuahuan desert, Mexico

Patricio Robles Gil / Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) cactus along the Rio Grande, Big Bend National Park in the Chihuahuan Desert, Texas

Mark Moffett / Arizona Mantis (Stagmomantis limbata) on a creosote plant in Sonoran Desert near Tuscon, Arizona