firestick plant indoor care Pencil Cactus
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firestick plant indoor care

firestick plant indoor care Pencil Cactus

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Description

firestick plant indoor care Pencil CactusIntroducing the Pencil Cactus, botanically known as Euphorbia tirucalli Fire Sticks (also called Sticks on Fire), a striking succulent prized for its sea coral like appearance and vibrant, loosely branching pencil thin stems that develop brilliant shades of green, orange, and red. Native to Southern Africa, this unique succulent belongs to the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family, not the cactus family (Cactaceae), though it is commonly referred to as Pencil

Introducing the Pencil Cactus, botanically known as Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Fire Sticks’ (also called Sticks on Fire), a striking succulent prized for its sea coral-like appearance and vibrant, loosely branching pencil-thin stems that develop brilliant shades of green, orange, and red.

Native to Southern Africa, this unique succulent belongs to the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family, not the cactus family (Cactaceae), though it is commonly referred to as “Pencil Cactus” because of its cactus-like form and upright growth habit. It is also known by several other common names, including fire sticks plant, sticks on fire succulent, fire plant, red pencil tree, milk bush, and Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Rosea’.


When exposed to direct sunlight, the tips turn red, which is why they are also called firesticks.

This fast growing evergreen succulent can grow up to 30 feet tall and 10 feet wide, forming a thicket of brilliantly colored vertical stems with loose branches.

The unusual stems of this firestick plant, which are as thin as pencils, have a reddish-golden hue that becomes yellow in the summer and red again in the winter.

The pencil cactus flowers boast vibrant yellow, pink, or orange blooms in the summer and spring, making them a true showstopper in any garden.

The pencil cactus is extremely drought tolerant and hard to kill, and as a result, is a great, low-maintenance, easy-care plant for your home or garden.

You can grow your pencil cactus indoors year-round as a houseplant. If planting outdoors, it's best to do so in the spring when temperatures are warm and stable. This cactus grows faster than many other cacti, making it a striking addition to your garden or home.

If you cut your pencil cactus, be careful—the thick, white sap is toxic and can cause skin irritation, burns, or severe eye irritation if it gets into your eyes. While highly irritating, some cultures have historically used it in traditional medicine for treating growths like warts and tumors, though it is not safe for home remedies. Always wear gloves when handling the plant and wash your hands thoroughly if you come into contact with the sap.

When and How to Water Your Pencil Cactus 

This pencil cactus firestick plant can withstand droughts and doesn't need to be watered frequently to survive. Watering these perennial succulents should be done every 3–4 weeks or when the soil feels dry. Let the soil completely dry out between waterings, and if in doubt, give your fire plant a little more time before watering again.  Less water is needed for humid locations and indoor spaces. Pay attention to how the pencil cactus looks and adjust the watering accordingly.

Remember that succulents in the desert can go for weeks or even months without water, so water them sparingly during their rest phase and moderately during their active growing season.

Pro Tip

Most people like to see the red tips that give this Euphorbia tirucalli its firestick name. Note that it is stress that causes the tips to go red. So, the art is to stress the firestick plant a bit, but not too much. So, give it a lot of light and water it less than other succulents, so it is thirsty but not dying of thirst.

Overwatering can also cause the Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks' tips to turn red, but it can also lead to root rot and other problems. So, if your pencil cactus is not turning red in full sun, it's possible that it's not experiencing enough stress to produce the anthocyanin pigments or that it's receiving too much water.

Light Requirements - Where to Place Your Pencil Cactus 

Like most succulents, indoors, the Euphorbia tirucalli firesticks need bright, indirect sunlight to thrive, so choose the brightest area in the house.

Potted indoor pencil cacti require four hours of direct sunlight, which can be achieved by locating them on a sunny south or west-facing windowsill. 

If you are growing these firestick succulents outdoors, make sure that they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.

Partial shade may be tolerated as long as your pencil cactus gets the majority of the sunlight that it needs when it's planted outside. This succulent plant won't thrive if left in the shade for a long time. Its colors become more vibrant the more sunlight it receives.

In order to avoid sunburn, it is preferable to acclimatize your pencil cactus first before moving it outdoors or increasing the amount of sunlight it receives.

Optimal Soil & Fertilizer Needs 

The firestick Euphorbia is a succulent plant that likes very airy, porous, nutrient-rich soil with a pH of 5.5–6.5. Succulents require fast-draining soil that dries completely between waterings. Ideally, you want to use our specialized potting mixGo to soil cactus mix blend 1 gal 4 qt cacti succulent dirt compost growing media that contains 5 natural substrates and organic mycorrhizae to promote the development of a strong root system that helps your Euphorbia firesticks Pencil Cactus to thrive. 

When it comes to fertilizing your pencil cactus plant, it only needs a small amount of fertilizer applied once a year in spring. Cacti prefer a fertilizer with lower doses of NPK, with a maximum ratio of 5-10-5 that is higher in phosphorus than nitrogen.

Hardiness Zones & More 

When growing indoors as a houseplant, the Euphorbia firestick can tolerate temperatures between 65 °F and 75 °F. Your Euphorbia firestick plant performs well in temperatures above 30 °F. However, it can withstand temperatures below that, but only for short periods of time.

In the United States, the Euphorbia tirucalli is mostly an indoor plant, but if you live in southern Florida or Hawaii then you can cultivate it outdoors in USDA zones 10 -11.

Growing these pencil cacti in containers is the best option if you live in an area with harsh winters.

By doing this, you can bring your Pencil Cactus indoors during the winter or any time there's a chance of frost or snow. Normal house humidity is fine for this Euphorbia, but it prefers dry conditions. 

Wildlife - Euphorbia tirucalli Attracts the Following Friendly Pollinators

The Euphorbia tirucalli flowers attract a variety of pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, with their bright colors and sweet nectar. These pollinators play a crucial role in the ecosystem by helping to fertilize plants and promote biodiversity.

Butterflies
Bees
Hummingbirds
Lady Bugs
Multi Pollinators
Other Birds

According to ASPCA, the Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks' is mildly toxic to humans and pets. It can irritate the skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal tract. However, it is safe to touch as long as precautions are taken to avoid contact with the sap. Wear gloves when handling this plant to prevent any potential skin irritation.

How to Propagate Your Pencil Cactus

When it comes to pencil cactus propagation, one common method is through stem cuttings. Simply take a cutting from a healthy pencil cactus, let it dry for a few days, and then place it in well-draining soil. Another method is through division, where you carefully separate the offsets or side shoots from the main plant and plant them individually.

Key Takeaways

  1. The stems of firesticks are as thin as pencils (hence the name) and turn a fire-red in the winter.
  2. Euphorbia Firesticks is a stunning variety that changes color with the seasons, turning bright red or orange tips in cooler temperatures or full sun.
  3. This succulent has a rapid growth rate, reaching up to 30 feet tall when grown outdoors, with a branching, upright form.
  4. During the spring and summer, the yellow flowers bloom in clusters on the end of the branch, usually for just a few days.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the pencil cactus (Euphorbia Firesticks) is a unique and striking succulent plant that adds a touch of elegance to any space. With its slender, pencil-like stems and vibrant green color, this sticks-on-fire cactus can truly be a showstopper. However, it's important to remember that the pencil cactus is not a true cactus but rather a succulent. It requires minimal care, preferring bright light and well-draining soil. By providing proper pencil cactus care, you'll have a beautiful and unique Euphorbia firestick plant that will thrive for years to come. 

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Shop Queen
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 3
Dry mouth is miserable.
Size: 27 Count (Pack of 1)
The mouth lozenges for dry mouth were excellent at first, but I have dry mouth all day, and they started upsetting my stomach. I guess I was taking too many. Since I switched to the spry, I don't have a problem. I keep the a small bottle of the spray in my pocketbook, because I need it sporadically. It is probably different with each individual.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2026
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Rusky
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
Well researched, solidly faithful; undoes the harm of decades of scholars' attempts to debunk the Gospels
Format: Hardcover
Lots of reviewers have written great reviews, so this one will be fairly brief. Brant Pitre's books, this one included, are an example of what is best in the new scriptural studies emerging today. His research is solid and meticulous - no sloppiness here! - and he writes with a refreshingly strong Catholic faith. This book carefully and effectively undoes the harm of decades of scholars' attempts to debunk the Gospels. He very effectively rebuts 20th century scholars' claims that we don't know who wrote the Gospels, and that they were written so long time after Jesus' time on earth that they lack credibility as eyewitness, historical accounts. Step by step, with each chapter building on the next, Pitre shows the opposite to be true. Christians who have been disturbed by the debunkers will be strengthened, confirmed, and given much joy by this book. I've just purchased three more copies to give to friends - one of them a Catholic high school teacher and two, Catholic priests. But I think Christians of any denomination will welcome this book. Pitre's writing style is a joy to read: lucid, clear, and very easy to understand (even when I'm tired at the end of the day), without being annoyingly clever (as some popularizers can be) or pushy (as some apologists are). (I see Pitre as neither a popularizer nor an apologist; he is a scripture scholar who also is a fantastic communicator.) Without any attempt on his part to be "entertaining," Pitre has written a cliff-hanger - I couldn't put the book down! His insights - and now I'm speaking of the insights in all three of his books that I've read so far - Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, Jesus the Bridegroom, and this book, The Case for Jesus - are profound and deeply enriching spiritually. Although I've questioned a few of his insights, most of them have moved me profoundly, with a sense of wonder, and deep love and gratitude to Our Lord. Reading his books is, for me, a real form of prayer. I am looking forward to reading Jesus and the Last Supper (borrowed from the library to see whether I'll want to buy my own copy); this last book, per its reviewers, is aimed at a scholarly audience and different in tone from the three very accessible books I named above, but I'm expecting this book to be a treasure, too. In all of his books, Brant Pitre's lucid writing style, coupled with his solid scholarship, deep faith, and beautiful love for Our Lord, makes for a very special reading experience. I appreciate his respect for and great knowledge of Judaism, and the way he helps us to see the rich continuity between the Jewish and Christian faiths. Brant Pitre’s books are a real gift to us all.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2017
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M. L. Asselin
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 5
Who is Jesus: A Case for Jesus’ Divinity
Format: Hardcover
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Brant Pitre’s “The Case for Jesus.” The New Testament scholar’s contribution to Catholic popular literature on the identity of Jesus stands well above much of the plethora of material available to Christian readers today. Pitre (mostly) convincingly builds his case through careful, fact-based argumentation--even if one could draw different conclusions from the same evidence. What case is Pitre trying to make? In effect, he makes several cases leading up to his central point of who Jesus was and is. In the first part of this slim volume, he treats the authorship of the Gospels. In this matter, as in most of the book, his principle foil seems to be Bart Ehrman, a former Fundamentalist Christian-turned-apostate scholar whose popular works attempt to undermine the validity of the Gospels as meaningful historical documents and specifically the claim that Jesus is the Son of God. Contrary to Ehrman, Pitre argues for the traditional authorship of the Gospels. As two significant pieces of evidence, Pitre points out that even the earliest Gospel manuscripts and secondary references to the Gospels include the writers’ names by which we know them. The Gospels, then, were never really “anonymous.” This leads Pitre to challenge the scholarly consensus on the dating of the Gospels, and the more controversial hypothesis that Matthew and Luke were based in part on a hypothetical, now lost (and, as Pitre points out, never referenced) book of Jesus sayings denoted by scholars as the “Q” source. As for the so-called lost or apocryphal gospels, Pitre shows that they were never really lost, that most of them were known by early Christian writers, who regarded them as forgeries. In the case of the apocryphal gospels, then, even though the internal evidence suggests that they were written by the apostles to whom they were ascribed, the attributions were never accepted. Ehrman has argued that the apocryphal gospels were not accepted by mainstream or orthodox Christianity, but were embraced by the communities, such as the Gnostics, for whom they were written. In a way, Pitre and Ehrman aren’t in contradiction here, but they just interpret the data differently. In other words, if you accept that the Church Fathers are espousing the correct version of Christianity, then Pitre’s point stands; if you hold on to the view that the Church Fathers represented one view of Christianity among many, all to be regarded equally, then the criticism of the (orthodox) Church Fathers matters less. Pitre, while not dismissing the validity of literary criticism, argues for the historical value of the Gospels. He wants to treat the Gospels as biographies of Jesus. Their inconsistencies and apparent contradictions stem not, as Ehrman would have it, from a “telephone game”-like process of accretions and alterations over time, or even so much from the requirements of the communities for which they were written, as from the different perspectives and life experiences of their writers. Pitre notes the similarities between the Gospels and ancient Greco-Roman biographies in countering the ideas of Ehrman and before him, Rudolf Bultmann, in thinking of the Gospels as akin to folktales, fairy stories, and myths. Pitre stands for the literal truth of the Gospels as far as they will allow in part because two of the four Gospels tell us that they are true (Lk 1:1-4; Jn 19:35, 21:24-25). There’s a bit of circularity in that argument. The main case for Jesus that Pitre wants to make is for His divinity. The Gospels, as Luke Timothy Johnson and other scholars have explained, try to answer, however obliquely, the question Jesus himself poses to Peter: “But who do you say that I am?” (Mk 8:29). Pitre makes the case that the Gospels--even the synoptic Gospels--speak to Jesus’ being God. Pitre makes a lively, even entertaining, argument, using some passages, e.g., the reference to the sign of Jonah, in ways I certainly hadn’t thought of before. Even though as a Catholic I accept Jesus’ divinity, I am willing to allow that others may look at Pitre’s argument and reasonably come to different conclusions. One train of thinking might be this: Pitre notes that Jesus speaks in parables and riddles, and so His claims to divinity are indirect. Moreover, an outright and indeed blasphemous claim to His divinity might have put an even earlier end to Jesus’ three years of ministry. But the Gospel writers should not have been constrained by either Jesus’ particular application of rhetoric or his need to be circumspect; why did the Gospel writers not forthrightly declare that Jesus was God? I think the proper response to this is that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wanted the person encountering the Gospels to answer for themselves who Jesus was and is. In other words, by transmitting the way Jesus conveyed who He was to His disciples perhaps they, too, would draw in and win over later followers of Christ. It’s much more efficacious to engage the potential convert that way than simply to assert that Jesus is God. Brad Pitre has written a wonderful and engaging book. Even if you don’t agree with all of his conclusions, you will appreciate his logical and engaging discussion. This book is meant for the general reader, although it does have a scholarly apparatus by way of careful notes. An index would have been nice but this is a short book of a couple hundred pages. If you’re on a long flight, this book would be the perfect company.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2016
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C. Appleyard
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
A wonderful book for all Christians who wish to defend the credibility of our bible
Format: Paperback
Brant Petrie is a wonderful Catholic Bible Scholar, having both a deep love and understcanding of his own faith and the faith of Jesus of Nazareth, Judaism. Everyone of his books and videos provide deeper insight who is Jesus, the ancient faith He handed on and even why it grew as swiftly as it did...always using the Old Testament to enlighten our understanding of the New. He couldn't do this if he wasn't completely convinced himself of Who Jesus is and the credibility of the Scriptures that reveal Him to us. That is what this book is about. Petrie takes you point by point through the arguments that modern scripture scholars and atheists put forth about the New Testament, that we have no idea who wrote the Gospels, they were written anonymously, they are myth or folktale etc. The most stunning reality is that these people literally ignore the facts; they ignore common sense The second topic he tackles is the assertion that Jesus wasn't divine because He never claimed to be God. They dismiss John's gospel, saying the idea that Jesus was God, was a later development and clearly not believed from the beginning as witness by the fact that no where in the Synoptic Gospels does Jesus claim divinity. Petrie, again using his understanding of Judaism and how ideas are expressed in the culture, clearly demonstrates that while, Jesus never stands up pounding his chest saying, "I am God", He very distinctly, even explicitly makes His divinity known. If He hadn't, the high priest would not have rend his garments and there would never have been a crucifixion. The case is made simply and in a straight forward manner. Arguments that all of us can use, with love, when the credibility of scripture is questioned. He also has a pleasant writing style. He has a wonderful sense of humor in his videos and while it is less obvious in the book, his gentle strength is quite evident. If you love scripture and the Christian faith, this is a book you will want to read.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2020
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Lawman
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
The best "Jesus book" outside the Bible
Format: Kindle
If you are looking for a dry academic tome that spends page after page delving into the minutiae of little known biblical passages, you need to look someplace else. If, however you are looking for a fresh, dynamic and eye opening book tackling the big questions about who Jesus claimed to be, the reliability and authorship of the Gospels, and other questions surrounding the life and ministry of Jesus, then this is the book for you. Written by a well respected academic but for a non-specialist readership, Dr. Pitre's writing is engaging while not being breezy. He uses footnotes to back up his assertions but not so many as to overwhelm the reader. Don't get me wrong, I like a weighty academic tome as well as the next nerd. I would strongly recommend one of Dr. Joshua R. Brotherton's books. But nerds aren't Dr. Pitre's only intended audience. It's all of us who have been bombarded with claims that the gospels are unreliable and anonymous, written well after the lifetime of the Apostles. That Jesus never claimed to be divine or that the resurrection is nothing more than myth. It addresses these and other issues in a way that makes you resolve to buy copies of his book for family and friends even before you're halfway through the book. I know I did and I bet you will to.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2024

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