Fouquieria splendens, commonly known as the "Ocotillo" or "Candlewood",  is a desert plant and semi-succulent. Most of the time it might look like dead sticks with spines on it to the casual observer. When you look up close you see the life with the green stalk and then all the sudden small ovate leaves will cover the stems and it turns in to something altogether different. 

Images are used for general reference only. The size, bloom state, leaf state (dormancy) and shape of each plant will vary.