It has become a popular decorative plant worldwide. With smooth, succulent branches, this shrub can grow up to a height of 22 Feet (7 meters). Known by many names such as firestick plants, naked lady, and the milk bush, the pencil cactus is, in fact, a shrub or a small tree from the family Euphorbiaceae.Įuphorbia tirucalli, or the pencil cactus as it is commonly known, is native to Africa and is predominantly found in dry areas with black clay soil. You don’t want to risk getting sap in your eyes or mouth.The Pencil Cactus, contrary to popular belief, is not a cactus. Not only should you wear gloves when working with a Pencil cactus, but you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap after removing the gloves. The stems contain an irritating sap-like substance that oozes out of any cut or break in the stem. Pencil Cactus are very poisonous plants with a #4 toxicity level. PropagationĪ Pencil cactus is easily propagated using stem cuttings. Always wear gloves and a long sleeved shirt when pruning the plant to prevent the irritating sap from getting on your skin. PruningĪggressively prune a Pencil cactus to keep it looking full. Allow the soil in the pot to totally dry out before moving a Pencil Cactus to a new container. It needs a good size sturdy pot and may need to be re-potted every year or two. Pot SizeĪ pencil cactus grows quickly and becomes quite a tall plant. Use a quick draining succulent or cactus soil to prevent over- watering. Pencil cacti are susceptible to phomopsis which is a fungal disease that causes gray “wart like” growths on the stems and root rot due to over watering. Spray with my “Green Solution” (recipe in Glossary) Diseases In the winter, when resting, a Pencil Cactus prefers cooler temperatures around 50☏ (10☌). Likes warm temperatures between 65°-70☏ (18.3°-21.1☌) during most of the year. Fertilizerįeed at the beginning of spring and the beginning of summer with a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer at 1/4 the recommended strength. Pencil Cactus are very drought resistant, so when in doubt, do not water. Waterĭuring the spring and summer allow the top 50% of the soil to dry out before watering. Plant Care LightĪ Pencil Cactus plant requires very bright light and can even handle direct morning sun. This is a very different looking plant that I wouldn’t call beautiful and lush, but it is quite a conversation piece. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me to Your Cat: A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants. All parts of these plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children.

Although this is an easy care plant that just needs bright light and a little bit of water to do well, it does have a downside. A Pencil Cactus grows quickly and can reach a height of 10′-15′ outdoors and up to 6′ in an indoor container. The green succulent stems of a Pencil Cactus, which are about the width of a pencil, branch upwards in an almost geometrical pattern. This unique looking plant, native to Africa and India, is also referred to as Indian Tree Spurge, Naked Lady Plant, Aveloz, Milk Bush Plant, and Petroleum Plant. A Pencil Cactus, Euphorbia tirucalli, is not a cactus plant at all but rather a member of the euphorbia family like a Poinsettia.

Pencil stick cactus