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The pencil cactus ( aka Euphorbia tirucalli or ET ) is a tough succulent industrial plant that can grow to over 30 animal foot gamey in the wild . This various plant has many name , including :
The succulent fire industrial plant can also be maintain to a more moderate height of 6′ to 8′ groundwork when kept as a houseplant .
These attractive , interesting , and beautiful fire sticks plant take on a expectant deal of character as they senesce , and honest-to-goodness plants develop thick internal branch with rasping , gray , highly rough-textured barque .
The foliage is an attractive specter of greenish throughout most of the year and transitions to yellow , orangish , or ruby-red during the cooler months .
This article will share information on growing , caring for , and appreciating this absorbing plant . translate on to learn more about fire stick plant care .
Firestick Plant Quick Growing Guide:
household : Euphorbiaceae
Origin : South Africa , the Arabian peninsula , and India
Common Names : Rubber - hedge euphorbia ( Eng . ) , Kraalmelkbos ( Africa . ) , Indian tree spurge , Firestick Cactus , Pencil Cactus , Sticks on blast , Pencil plant , Finger Tree , Naked noblewoman , Red Pencil tree , Milk bush , ET
Height:6 ’ when kept indoors or in a container outdoors , 15′-30 ’ when grow as a landscape painting flora under idealistic conditions .
USDA Hardiness Zones:9A – 10A In the great outdoors , the works is hardy to 25 ° degrees Fahrenheit . It does very well in average family temperature and expand in low humidness .
blossom : Euphorbia tirucalli produces belittled yellowflowers attracting butterflies , bees , and other insects . Firestick blossom develop in clustering at the branches ’ apex or angle during the class ’s cooler month .
Fruits : The hazy , pinkish fruits uprise on short stalking in three - part clusters about 3/4″ of an inch in diameter .
Foliage : This plant life ’s leafage are tiny and tenuous ; you may miss them entirely as they come off soon after appearing . When the small leave diminish , they leave behind scars on the limb , add to this flora ’s visual interest .
usance : These versatile plant have many uses . They are often kept indoors as a houseplant in contemporaneous interior blueprint , along with theprickly pear Opuntia cactus .
They are used as landscape painting plants in hot , dry mood .
When growing a pencil Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree plant outdoors , the small flowers render pollen for bees , and bird can safely corrode the plant life ’s seed .
In South Africa , a “ gumshoe hedging ” is often planted around stock pens and other area for secrecy and to keep interloper out .
In African folk medicament , the fool may be used to care for sexual impotency and snakebite ; however , this is not recommended as the tomfool is quite toxic , and it is also used to poison fish .
Firestick Plant Quick Care Tips
When grow in the wild , gravid , mature pencil Tree yield very tough lumber used to make roof struts . [ beginning ]
sundry : In Venezuela and Columbia , ET is a very authoritative biofuel crop . This video shows how it is grown and harvested . The television also provides proficient views of the plant in an ideal out-of-door environment and undecomposed information on how to best care for and propagate it .
Pencil Fire Sticks Plant Care Tips
Firestick plant care varies somewhat depend on whether you require to keep your joystick industrial plant succulent indoors or out of doors .
Euphorbia Tirucalli Cactus Indoor Care
spark : The fire sticks pencil cactus enjoys the full sun , urinate it an excellent selection for a very sunny windowpane setting . Rotate the plant periodically for balanced ontogeny and even colouring material ontogenesis during the cooler months .
Water : The business firm plant should be watered every week during the growing time of year . Take care to offer well - drained soil and flock of drain hole in the container to avoid base rot . write out back to monthly watering during the cool months .
Temperature : Although fire sticks pencil cactus can permit temperature from 25º-100º degrees Fahrenheit , it prefers temperature roll from 50º – 70º degrees Fahrenheit . The idealistic fire pencil cactus temperature range is 65º – 70º degrees Fahrenheit , so it does well year - round indoors at normal house temperatures .
Soil : Use high - quality , well - drained cactus or succulent pot soil with a pH of about 6.0 .
Fertilizer : You may feed your pencil stick cactus seasonally with a controlled - release plant food or use a weak fluid houseplant food every hebdomad .
Mature industrial plant do well with a 20 - 20 - 20 fertilizer . unseasoned plants do better with a lower nitrogen paygrade . Some masses do not fecundate the pencil flora at all .
Tirucalli Sticks On Fire Cactus Outdoor Care
Light : alfresco , the fire plant life succulent does well with either partial or verbatim sun . It ’s serious to order this succulent shrub with bright Sunday exposure on all position for balanced growth and coloration .
endeavor to provide at least 5 - 6 hours of sunlight per day indoors so the works receives enough Inner Light .
Keep the banger cactus off from lineal sunlight while rooting to keep burns . Water the soil every few Day or when it feel teetotal .
H2O : It ’s better to give too little water than too much . outside , weewee this drought - tolerant fervency stick pencil cactus deeply about once a calendar month during the growing time of year and once every couple of months during cool weather .
These drought - broad plants may do well with only rainwater . write out back on watering and grant the works to dry out out and recover from too much water .
Soil : When planting firecracker cactus outside , it ’s a ripe idea to add some spark , finish compost and/or some loam to your soil to improve its aeration and drain capabilities .
Fertilizer : If you keep a wormcomposting bin , you will ascertain that a layer of dirt ball compost or worm castings propagate over the top of the soil annually provides all the nourishment your fire stick cactus needs .
Pests and Diseases : With their toxic cosh , these plants are fairly pest tolerant .
Common succulent plague , such asplant soupcon , colonies of mealy bug , cactus exfoliation , andaphids bugs on works , may be a trouble for over - water and weakened industrial plant , but for the most part , Euphorbia tirucalliis pesterer innocent . [ source ]
Pencil Cactus Propagation, Transplanting, & Repotting
If you project on transplanting a milk bush , do it while the plant is still belittled . move a tall Firestick pencil cactus is unmanageable due to its weight and fall apart branches .
recollect , you require to define exposure to the toxic , irritating milky sap . The most common reason for mushy is overwatering .
If you desire to relocate an outdoor flushed pencil tree , wear goggles , gloves , farseeing knickers , and a long - sleeved shirt .
deepen wearing apparel and wash up as presently as you are done .
preeminence : Some individual may experience an allergic reaction to the toxic white sap , and some even have severe reaction . This milky sap can be a skin and heart irritant on contact . Do not keep the firestick bush in a emplacement where small shaver will amount in contact with the plant .
Tirucalli Euphorbia Needs Repotting Frequently
The firestick bush produces novel growth rapidly , and you may need to repot yearly or at least every couple of years . It ’s good to permit the soil surround any succulent to dry before repotting .
Remove the works from its pot and knock away or shake off all the dry potting soil . If the roots become damaged , cover affected areas with a antifungal agent to prevent root rot .
Put the industrial plant into a new container and add a lite , well - drain soil mixture . stock cactus or a succulent mix works well .
You may wish to add some light , finished compost to provide nutrition and assuage you of the task of fertilizing .
Do n’t irrigate the newly potted succulent for about a week . This will advance beginning growth and discourage ascendant rotting .
Pencil Plant Propagation Is Easy
Pencil cactus charge also includes knowing when it want to be repot or propagated .
There ’s not much need to relocate these plants because thesecactus plant are so soft to broadcast from press cutting .
So , how to broadcast pencil cactus ?
Remember to protect yourself from the blackjack when pick out cuttings . Dip the cutting end in cold , fresh water system to stop the sap from flowing .
lead stem cuttings in the overt tune for a week or so to form a callous . come out it into a pot of moist Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin , succulent mix , or cactus mix . You ’ll plausibly see growth within a calendar week to ten days .
Is The Firestick Succulent Poisonous?
When you figure the Pencil cactus firestick in your nous ’s centre , you are improbable to realize that it is closely related to such various plant as :
One matter these plants all have in common is irritating / toxic white sap . Despite precautions about the toxicity of the firesticks plant , the sizeable shrubby succulent can create a stunning colorful landscape feature in a backyard .
All member of theEuphorbia familycontain this poisonous , irritating sap . Euphorbia tirucalliis the most sinewy of them all . That ’s why fervency stick pencil cactus is so authoritative to protect your centre , work force , and skin when prune .
Avoid casual contact with the works . Place your “ sticks on fire ” plant life carefully so people are not constantly brush up against it and fall in its branch .
You should especially keep nipper and pets away .
Related : Is The Firestick Plant Toxic Or Poisonous ?
What You Need To Know About Pruning Fire Stick Plants
Euphorbia is used as a hedging flora in Africa due to its dense growing habit . Indoor plant life may require cut back and tidying up to moderate sizing and ameliorate show .
Outdoor plants able to raise freely will not want as much pruning . It ’s a good idea to thin the stems from time to time to countenance ignitor and strain circulation .
Indoors or outdoors , be indisputable to prune in a balanced way so the flora does not become top - heavy , causing landscaping plants to break and fall and pot flora to tumble over .
Always prune stem back to the main trunk . Do n’t hack them off in the middle , as this produces an worthless appearing and induce the works to separate out .
Drop burn offset into a tub of cold water to control the sap spillage . Wipe sap off the main trunk with a cool , damp material to aid stop its flow and prevent accidentally hail into liaison with it as you work .
When pruning , take great care not to get the blackjack in your eyes or on your face . Topical photograph to the diterpene ester bump in the fool can do indifference , tingling , and burning sensations .
bugger off the sap in your eye can cause corneal damage and may result in temporary cecity . [ source ]
If you get sap on your tegument or in your eyes , wealthy with rich amounts of fresh weewee immediately .
When washing milk bush sap from the tegument , wash gently with clean , running water . Do n’t chaparral or hitch .
When flushing the centre , use clean , run piss and continue blush for about twenty minutes to be sure every trace is removed .
In either face , if this does not relieve your symptom whole , look for aesculapian assistance . [ beginning ]
What To Do In Case Of Accidental Ingestion
If you have small fry or pets , be mindful of the symptom to watch for in the event of accidental consumption .
The case of symptoms present and their severity depend upon the amount of the plant that is ingested . In case of ingestion , remove any remnants of the plant from the small fry or pet ’s mouth and rinse with clear water .
If the victim is a child , follow up by calling your baby doctor or the Poison Control Center at 1 - 800 - 222 - 1222 directly .
If your tike is experiencing high temperature , shortness of breath , seizure or unconsciousness , do n’t rot time . Call 911 . [ rootage ]
The latex sap found in Euphorbia is also toxic to cats , andiron , and equines ( horses , donkey , and mules ) . [ source ]
If you find your cat-o'-nine-tails or wiener is vomiting and/or experiencing irritation in and around the lip , you may surmise blood-red pencil cactus toxic condition .
With equines , you would see oral irritation , trouble swallowing , and symptoms of painful sensation in the stomach and scour , but these animals can not regurgitate .
If you guess your dearie has consumed Euphorbia tirucalli , call your vet or the ASPCA toxicant hotline ( 888 - 426 - 4435 ) for advice .
If you are instructed to bring your pet into your veterinarian ’s office or to an emergency clinic , be trusted to take along a sampling of the plant . [ source ]
Is It Safe To Keep The Euphorbia Firestick Cactus At All?
Dire as all this sounds , you need n’t go overboard with alarm .
There are lots of potentially poisonous plants , but luckily , most of them taste terrible , and accidental ingestion is rare .
If you place your pencil Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree plant sensibly so masses and pets are not perpetually knock up against it , you are unbelievable to have job with inadvertent pelt link exposure .
Just remember to be very careful when pruning , wear down baseball glove , and wear heart shelter . Pencil tree cactus does n’t just drip sap . It has been known to force out or spray it ! [ source ]
Even The Worst Gardener Can Grow Happy, Healthy Fire Stick Pencil Cactus
If you have a bright lit , warm , dry space , you’re able to await your Pencil Tree to develop apace and easily .
These unique - depend plant make attractive and strange specimen industrial plant in the garden , solarium , or greenhouse . They pair well with a beautiful container to dress things up .
It ’s potential to ensure your works ’s size with regular pruning , but be sure to observe all the safety safeguard we outline here . Remember to place your fire stick succulent where it can be date but not bump !
If you are a forgetful nurseryman or one who incline to be scatty oft , this drought - jazz industrial plant may be just the correct choice for your sunny window , deck , or rock garden .
Pencil plants are easy to like for and demand so little . If you have slews of luminosity and a fiddling piss , you and your pencil cactus will get along just fine .
