Ocotillo Pruning Basics: Managing Height and Legginess Safely

How to Prune Ocotillo for a Compact, Attractive Form

Ocotillo naturally grows tall and leggy. Pruning encourages bushier growth and keeps it in scale with your landscape. The plant is exceptionally tough and responds well to cutting back.

Pruning Guidelines

• Cut individual canes to desired height; new growth emerges from the base and just below cuts.
• Remove entire canes at ground level if overly dense.
• Prune in late winter or early spring before active growth resumes.
• Keep cut ends dry for a few days to prevent rot—especially important in humid climates.

Transplanted Specimen Care

Your 15-ft ocotillo, transplanted a year ago and flowering, is well-established. Light pruning now will not harm it. Avoid removing more than one-third of total canopy in a single season.

Enjoy its sculptural form and vibrant blooms—ocotillo is a signature plant of the Southwest that thrives with minimal intervention.