A Desert Observer: Ocotillo

Happy Cactus Monday! I took Claude's advice and tasted the fruit of my night blooming cactus. It was interesting but pretty bland. I think I will leave them for the birds and ants. They sure are pretty little fruits though. I think the night bloomer is done blooming for the year. I've tried to start it in several other areas so I'm hoping I have multiple night bloomers next year.

I think this is the last bloom of the season for my potted cacti. This was early October and they seem to be settling down now for the winter. I think I may have some winter bloomers in the bunch but so far not much going on.

I've had terrible luck with the Ocotillo that were planted in my yard when I bought my home. There were two huge Ocotillo in the big front area, that just fell out of the ground after a heavy monsoon rain a couple years ago. I have 4 small ones left- make that 3- as one is obviously dead. The other 3 don't look so great but I can't be sure. Anyone know what this is? The dead one smells bad, is obviously just rotten. These are not in an area where they get much water, but that shouldn't matter with these desert plants. This is the dead one in the next picture.

A close-up of the rotten smelly stuff coming out of it.

It is really nasty stuff. I'm going to have to get it out of there, and I'm not completely sure the other 3 don't have the same thing developing. Yuck!