Hi Daniel,

I'm from NC, too... went to school at UNC-Asheville.

I don't know if it will work, but either way, if it's a bare root plant, don't expect it to leaf out or flower the first season it's in the ground. It takes awhile for them to recover from the transplant...sometimes up to 2 years!

My advice is that you stop denying your wish to live in the desert, and just move here where you can plant all these cool plants. :) LOL. Seriously, though,good luck with the ocotillo! Let us know how it turns out!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ocotillo planting tips from

You could try it(heck, I'm growing sagebrush here in Arkansas)
but I know that fouquierias don't like winter cold/wet conditions at all! If your corner is hot and dry enough, and your soil is essentially pure gravel, you may be able to pull it off. Anything is worth trying, especially when you're trying to bring the West to the East.Good Luck!