Question
Can you start plant from cuttings of the ocotillo plant? if so, how would you start it?

Answer
Dear Diane,

There is some disagreement as to how easy it is to root an ocotillo, but it is possible.  this is what I'd recommend: After you cut off a branch, let it heal for a few days. Replant it about 3 to 4 inches into the ground. Pile up dirt around the stem (about 4 inches) so it looks like a stick coming out of a small mound.

Do not water the soil, but spray the stem with water every few days. You will notice that around each spine, the stem is green. As long as it stays that way it should be fine. After a month or so, if it roots, it should sprout leaves. When that happens, back off on the watering a little. After a year or so, you can get rid of the mound surrounding the base and should not have to water it at all. Good luck.

Maureen