A succulent, not a cactus, the firestick plant (pencil cactus or Euphorbia tirucalli) The firestick plant is also known as pencil cactus, stick cactus, fire plant, pencil plant, and “sticks on fire,” according to photos. The succulent has orangey-red stems that appear to be on fire, with clumps of pencil-like stems.
The flamestick plant (Euphorbiaceae) is a small succulent that grows like a shrub. Its cultivar, ‘Fire sticks,’ is a little pencil cactus that grows to be extremely tall. Its beautiful stem color makes it a very decorative plant for adding beauty to any garden or landscaped area.
During the winter, when the color is at its most intense, the firestick plant (pencil cactus or Euphorbia tirucalli) has reddish orange stems. Firestick plant bushes resemble sea coral because of their fast development and mostly red hues. Little branches 0.27″ (7 mm) thick on the shrubby succulent.
The pencil plant (firestick plant) isn’t a kind of cactus, despite its popular names (pencil cactus or firestick cactus). Firestick plant has tiny oval leaves, unlike cacti. The botanical family of cacti does not include firestick plants. Cacti are in the botanical family Cactaceae, whereas firestick belongs to the succulent family. You should always handle the firestick plant with care because it contains a toxic milky sap.
How to care for a firestick plant: It’s simple to grow the firestick cactus. Bright sunlight, warm temperatures, and low humidity are ideal for the firestick plant. Make sure the plant is in a soil that drains well. Only when the soil gets dry should you water the plant.
The firestick plant succulents care guide is a thorough resource. It’s necessary to understand about the cactus-like plant’s toxicity before looking at how to water, propagate, and develop it.
The Firestick Plant Is Poisonous
You should handle the pencil cactus with extreme caution since it contains a poisonous white substance that’s harmful to dogs and cats. If animals consume the irritant sap from the pencil plant, they will vomit and experience mouth irritation. You should keep your animals safe from being exposed to these ‘fire sticks.’ if you have any at home.
The Firestick Cactus Causes Extreme Skin and Eye Irritation
Human beings may be severely impacted by firestick plants. Euphorbia tirucalli toxic latex sap, according to studies, may severely irritate the skin and eyes. According to some accounts, come into touch with the firestick’s poisonous sap may cause severe illnesses in certain circumstances.
The most common issues are caused by unintentional exposure to the deadly milky latex. Skin or eye discomfort, oral burning, and gastrointestinal symptoms are examples of complications.
Pencil Cactus (Firestick Cactus) Safety Precautions
When handling firestick succulents, always wear protective gloves, clothing, and goggles. Children could inadvertently chew on the fleshy stems, so it’s important to keep them away from them. Also, when propagating a firestick, wear gloves and protect your eyes from sap splashes.
If the succulent stems are broken, the plant’s irritant sap oozes out. You may get severe dermatitis if the white latex gets onto your skin. Because of a severe allergic response, some people might experience anaphylactic shock. When the toxic white sap gets into the eyes, it may cause blindness in the worst cases.
Many individuals avoid growing the plant indoors because of its poisonous sap. The huge shrubby succulent can create a stunning colorful landscape element in a garden, notwithstanding concerns about the toxicity of the firestick plant.
Firestick Plant Hardiness
Firestick plants thrive in USDA zones 10 – 12 and can withstand temperatures as low as 25°F (-4°C). Temperatures as high as 100°F (37°C) are tolerated by hardy succulents. It has a ideal temperature range of 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 21 degrees Celsius).
Firestick Plant (Pencil Cactus – Euphorbia Tirucalli) Care
Let’s look at how to cultivate a thriving firestick plant in more detail. Bright light, sandy soil, and waterediting are the three primary care suggestions for creating firesticks.
Pencil Plant Light Requirements
Firestick plants need between four and six hours of bright light every day to thrive. In your yard, grow firestick succulents in the brightest location. The lovely leaves turn yellow in the summer, then brilliant red in the fall and winter, thanks to plenty of sunlight and heat.
Firestick potted plants must have as much light as possible since they are growing indoors. For the best results, place the succulents by a south or west-facing window. Turn the plant pot so that the firestick plant gets enough light every month to ensure even growth. It’s helpful to keep in mind that these “sticks of fire” aren’t plants that flourish in low-light settings.
Firestick Plant Soil
The sandy soil and excellent drainage required by firestick plants. A cactus soil mix that does not hold water is the optimum growing medium for firestick succulents. You can improve drainage for your succulent “fiery sticks” by working in perlite to the planting site if necessary. Firestick plants are suited for rock gardens alongside other types of succulents because they thrive in rocky, infertile soil. Container gardens in your yard can also include ‘sticks on fire.
A combination of cactus mix and perlite is recommended for growing firestick plants in containers. Cactus potting soil and perlite should be combined in equal proportions. Water should drain quickly from the growing pencil cacti soil. Firestick plants don’t need a particularly rich growing medium, in general.
You should have no trouble caring for your succulent firesticks as long as drainage is good and it doesn’t retain too much moisture.
How to Water a Firestick Plant
Watering a firestick plant when the soil is dry is a succulent. The temperature and season determine the frequency with which you water your pencil plant. Watering a firestick plant every one to two weeks during a hot, dry summer may be necessary. You should hardly ever water your plant in the winter.
Between watering, firestick plants must dry out. Overwatering the plant is one of the worst things you can do. If the succulent is watered when the soil is still moist, this may occur. A drought-tolerant plant, remember the firestick cactus. Not watering it enough is preferable to watering it too often.
Always thoroughly wet the soil when watering a firestick plant. Roots are adequately hydrated with this watering method. However, before watering the plant again, you must remember to wait until the soil has dried out. For watering succulent plants outdoors or indoors, the soaking and drying technique is required.
Occasional rainfall throughout the spring and summer months may mean you don’t have to water the succulents if you have firestick shrubs flourishing in your yard. However, if your firestick plant develops wrinkly, brown pencil-like stems, you may want to water it.
Pencil Plant Temperature and Humidity
Between 50°F and 70°F (10°C and 21°C) are ideal conditions for firestick plants. The firestick succulents must develop in temperatures of at least 30°F (-1°C) to be able to tolerate some frost. Firestick succulents may grow even in hot, dry environments when it’s 100°F (37°C).
You may safeguard the plants from severe cold if you reside in regions that get frequent frost in the winter. To help the succulents survive, cover them with frost cloths or use a mini greenhouse. In the fall and winter, it’s a good idea to keep firestick cacti outside to appreciate the lovely crimson foliage of pencil twigs.
Firestick plants like a dry, arid environment, as do most succulents and cacti. As a result, you don’t need to humidify the air while growing indoors or outdoors. To keep the plant thriving, simply make sure there is adequate air circulation.
Firestick Plant Growth Rate
The growth rate of young firestick plants is fast at first, then gradually slows as the plants mature. A firestick shrubby tree can reach a height of up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) when cultivated in gardens or containers.
Fertilizing a Firestick Plant
If they are fertilized at all, firestick plants are hardy and require little attention. These tough pencil succulents can grow in most environments and thrive on poor soil. Fertilize your plant once a year in the spring with a weak, diluted houseplant fertilizer if you want to give it a nutritional boost.
It’s important to keep in mind that over-fertilization and insufficient watering can both be harmful to its development. By properly lighting your succulent, sandy soil, and occasionally watering it, you should discover that it thrives without feeding.
How to Prune Pencil Plant
Pruning is seldom required for firestick succulents. When dead leaves appear on the firestick plant or to control its size, you only need to trim the plant’s foliage once. Instead, cuttings for propagation may be obtained by snipping stems. Remember to wear protective gloves and eye protection whenever you touch a pencil plant.
A milky sap will seep out when you slice the leaves. The firestick plant gets its name from the irritating latex substance that it produces, so make sure none of it comes into contact with your skin. Here are some guidelines for safely pruning a pencil plant:
- Wear thick rubber gloves, goggles, and make sure there’s no exposed skin before you begin.
- Remove dead branches with sterile pruning shears.
- To lower the plant’s height and encourage bushy growth, prune branches from the top of the plant.
- To prevent the poisonous sap from seeping out of the ends, chop the stems and spray them with water.
- Dispose of all cuttings in a sealed plastic bag unless you’re taking them for propagation.
- Remove the toxic white sap by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting all equipment.
Firestick Propagation
Using stem cuttings, you may easily grow a pencil plant. Put on gloves and goggles to protect yourself from the cuttings of a pencil cactus. To prevent sap from bleeding, dip the end of the stalk in water. Let the firestick lie dormant for a few days before planting in succulent soil to harden up.
Cuttings from pencil plants root quickly and produce a new succulent in just a few weeks. Cutting the end with a callus ensures successful pencil plant propagation, according to this propagation tip. Soil moisture caused by root rot in your new plant is prevented by allowing the cutting to dry for many days.
Care of pencil plant cuttings
To make sure your new firestick cuttings root properly, there are a few steps to follow. Protecting your skin and eyes from the toxic sap is first and foremost. Second, to guarantee successful propagation, the cuttings must first dry out. Plant the cuttings in tiny pots with a soilless medium to assist develop a new pencil plant grow.
Keep the cuttings in dim lighting and mist them to keep them moist. gradually increase brightness and decrease misting over the next few weeks. You can take care of the firestick plant as usual after you’ve established the new cuttings.
Pests Affecting Firestick Plant Growth
Mealybugs, spider mites, and aphids are some of the householdplant pests that can affect firestick plants. Fortunately, the poisonous pencil succulents are avoided by most pests. It’s always helpful to be aware of the typical indicators of a plant bug infestation.
To get rid of pests from firestick plants, use insecticidal soap or neem oil. Pests are usually not a problem for a healthy firestick plant. You may notice mealybugs leaving traces of fuzzy white droplets on the pencil-like twigs if over-watering has caused root rot. Spider mites may be visible on the bushy succulent if you notice webbing.
Diseases Affecting Pencil Plant Growth
IfFirestick plants are watered too often, Euphorbia tirucalli is susceptible to root rot. Proper watering of your pencil plant will help to prevent succulent illnesses. If there are any indications of moisture in the soil, never water the plant. To avoid roots from sitting in soggy earth and rotting, always allow the earth to dry.
Things to Consider Before You Plant Firestick Plant
Toxic plants like firestick succulents may cause severe skin, oral, and eye irritation. Because of their toxicity, most people do not keep ‘sticks of fire’ as houseplants. Succulent plants should not be used as border plants or around places where children or animals may easily enter them in the yard.
Growing firestick plants in pots is another option to consider. Succulents with hairy leaves grow quickly, quicker than other succulents. They have a fast germination rate, resulting in frequent repotting and the possible exposure to milky poisonous latex.
Common Problems Growing Firestick Plant (Euphorbia tirucalli) Outdoors or indoors
How to know if a firestick succulent is getting too much water
The succulent stems of an over-watering firestick plant droop. Unsightly gray or brown colors may occur on the fleshy stalks if they lose their green, red, or yellow hues. Don’t water your over-watered pencil plant until the soil dries out to help it recover. Succulents may need to be repoted in fresh, sterile potting soil in severe cases.
Why is my firestick plant turning brown?
Sunburn is frequently the cause of brown pencil stems on a firestick plant. Even though the sunflower plant needs up to six hours of sunlight every day, scorching heat may scorch the leaves and branches, turning them brown. If the pencil plant receives too much direct sunlight, provide it with some shade.
Is it safe to grow a pencil plant indoors?
Keeping a firestick plant indoors is generally not recommended. While pruning a poisonous succulent, be extra cautious. In addition, the caustic white sap may get onto the skin or eyes of youngsters or animals, causing severe discomfort.
Why is my firestick plant dying?
Over-watering a pencil plant, like cacti and succulents, is usually fatal. Excess moisture in the roots manifests itself as mushy stems, discolored leaves, and drooping growth. To avoid a firestick plant from dying, follow the watering instructions.