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pencil cactus dangerous Buy 'Pencil Cactus - Euphorbia tirucalli Firesticks' Care and Growing GuideIntroducing 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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jpmath
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 4
Beautiful and profound, albeit flawed
Format: Hardcover
What I'd really like to rate this is 4 1/2 stars, because it isn't perfect, but it's better than a 4. I just can't bear to give it a 5, for reasons described below. The book has three main parts, each named for a theological virtue of the title. Altogether there are 40 chapters: 14 dedicated to faith, 10 to hope, and 16 to charity. A couple of "Bonus" chapters called "Excursus" take up some interesting theological questions that are related but don't quite fall under any one topic: did Jesus possess the theological virtues? and From God as Love to the Filioque. The book is deeply learned and cites theologians through the centuries, including a few I'd never heard of despite a lot of formal and informal theological study. Of course you meet the usual suspects such as Origen, pseudo-Dionysius, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, John of the Cross, Mother Teresa, and others; but: have YOU heard of St. Zeno of Verona before? If not, you're in for a treat! The text has more of an Augustinian flavor than a Scholastic one. (I should qualify that claim by admitting that I am at best an armchair theologian, so don't quote me on that.) But, for example: Chapter 39 discusses Beauty, uses the idea of God's eternal Beauty to explain the Trinity, and concludes with St. Augustine's "recipe" for becoming beautiful. Indeed, an in-depth discussion of the Trinity doesn't appear at all until Part 3 on Charity, rather than in the chapter on Faith! An important distinction that Fr. Cantalamessa draws is between "objective" aspects of a theological virtue and the "subjective" aspects of the same. The "objective" aspects refer to the object of the virtue, such as God Himself; the "subjective" aspects refer to how we experience them. He points out that, historically, the "objective" view tended to predominate in theological discussion, whereas the "subjective" view tends to dominate more recently, almost to the exclusion of the objective. It will probably not surprise the reader that Fr. Cantalamessa, former Preacher to the Papal Hosuehold, comes down squarely in the Catholic approach of "both/and", and he elaborates on this. A very appealing aspect of this book is the occasional use of parable and analogy to explain difficult subjects: a parable on trying to justify ourselves by our works (Ch. 7), analogies for "the hint that God exists" (ch. 5), the analogy of the seed (ch. 14), an analogy that hope needs difficulties and tribulations (ch. 22), the Trinity (ch. 29), God's love for us is erotic (ch. 34), and how we might hope that even Nietzsche can be saved (ch. 37). Many analogies, though not all, are drawn from ordinary family life: a mother's love for a child, a child's temper tantrum before collapsing in tears on a parent. These are powerful and effective. Unfortunately, I can't rate it 5 stars, because the text seems to consider its audience to be the average educated lay Catholic, but there are two serious weaknesses both for the theological newbie and even for the theological adolescent. One is the use of many unfamiliar terms, some of them merely transliterated from Greek, and no definition given anywhere -- often, not even a hint of what the word may mean. In some cases this can make it difficult to follow the discussion. For instance, the text dedicates two entire chapters to the question of justification, which makes sense given that it's an important topic in the realm of faith, and it's important to take it seriously. But the book never once provides a definition, which suggests the reader should be familiar with the term already. I guarantee you most people don't know what the word means. But even if you think that a definition of "justification" will indeed come tripping off the average reader's tongue, I challenge you to make a case for terms like ontological, parousia, and parenesis. I've been reading Catholic theology for 30 years and parenesis is a new one even to me. Sure, the reader might could look them up, and I'm glad to expand my vocabulary, but who's the audience here? If the text is meant only for seminarians, then never mind, but given how Word on Fire is marketing this I really don't think that is the case. The second major weakness is all the more disappointing, as it is so common to contemporary works of theology: when newer developments seem to contradict past dogma or even Scripture itself, pretend the dogma and Scripture doesn't exist. This happens at least twice: 1) Surely Fr. Cantalamessa is not unaware that Scripture both Old and New is replete with references to Christ "ransoming" us from God's wrath. Yet there he is in Chapter 31, not merely acting as if it doesn't exist, but contemptuously dismissive of the notion! Grant the Scholastics this much: at least they took Matthew 20.28, Romans 1.18, Romans 2.5-8, 1 Timothy 2.6, 1 Peter 1.18-19, and Revelation 19.15 seriously enough to wrestle with them. 2) Similarly, the Council of Florence made certain pronouncements on "those existing outside the Catholic Church" and "the souls of those who depart this life in actual mortal sin, or in original sin alone." Chapter 14 acts as if they do not exist. I do not for a moment mean to advocate for the "glass half-empty" interpretation of these pronouncements that predominated theological discourse for centuries, let alone for Feeneyism, but we ignore them at our peril, if only because ignoring them leaves a great big breach in the apologetic wall that will come under assault both from those who do reject the Second Vatican Council and from hostile Protestants more knowledgeable of Catholic theological history than the average Catholic and, one half-wonders, the average Catholic theologian. Those drawbacks, while severe enough in my eyes to warrant mention and deduct a star, do not for a moment take away from the beauty and profundity of the rest of this work. I am very glad to have had the chance to read it; it has challenged me both intellectually and spiritually, and I have given it to my (late teenage) children to read and discuss with me. It is absolutely worth reading, and you WILL get a lot out of it. Just be ready for the challenge.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2025
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shelly turco
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
OPEN YOUR EYES
Format: Paperback
Great book! Open your eyes sheep..... there is much more to this world that we know of. Authority figures have lied to us long enough..... do your own research. This book is a great example of what we were not taught in school! Well written.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2021
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Sailorman
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 4
Great speculation from the "Alternative Camp"
Format: Paperback
According to John Anthony West it was not until the second half of the twentieth century that "guerilla scholarship" became a noticeable, if uncoordinated force in modern science. Guerilla scholarship of course, refers to the alternative camp or those that challenge orthodox views in science, archeology, anthropology, etc. If this book doesn't fall into the guerilla scholarship or alternative camp category it comes really close. Author Dr. Robert Schoch is of course the archeologist who some years ago, along with John Anthony West, shocked the scientific community and infuriated Dr. Zahi Hawass, Egypt's Director of Antiquity, by claiming that the Sphinx's construction predated Khufu, its alleged builder, by 3,000 years or more. While the controversy surrounding those claims has resulted in numerous books, both, pro and con, with no real accepted conclusions, in this book Schoch tries to develop the hypothesis that all of the pyramids constructed around the world have a common origin in Sundaland, which was inundated under 250 feet of water after the last ice age. If somebody could come across a pyramid or two (2), that predated the great pyramid, under that 250 feet of water it would certainly help Schoch's case, but be that as it may, Schoch, while not proving his hypothesis, does present a pretty convincing argument in support of his speculation. Schoch begins with a discussion in review of the theories for the age of Giza and other pyramid type structures around the world. He then provides very convincing evidence for his claim that humans traversed both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans eons before Columbus's 1492 voyage, which is the orthodox view of the first contact with the new world. He discusses how early humans might have accomplished this as well as their possible motives for doing so. Schoch concludes with where they came from, arriving at the common roots in Sundaland 10,000 years ago. This book probably has some of the longest, impossible to pronounce names, of people and places of any book that I have ever read; and a few maps of various parts of the world, particularly Europe, the Middle and Far East, and South America, would have helped a great deal in developing a mental picture of what was being related. All that aside, the book challenges the mind and causes one to think. I was particularly intrigued by Schoch's explanation as to how Moses was able to convince the pharaoh to allow him and his followers to leave Egypt, as well as Schoch's perfectly plausible explanation of what parted the waters of the Red Sea and subsequently drowned the pharaoh's army when the waters rushed back in. While maybe not as convincing as Schoch's earlier work, "Voices of the Rocks", Schoch presents convincing arguments and if you are a "guerilla scholar" you're going to love this book.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2008
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K. Ryan Kane
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
This is a great book to begin your study on all the groups ...
Format: Paperback
This book isn't just about pyramids. It talks a lot about all the different groups and waves of people who traveled to the American continent, mostly the Latin American areas. There is so much information contained therein that I intend to read this book again. This is a great book to begin your study on all the groups who traveled to Latin America.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2018
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Robert R.
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
Good read
Format: Kindle
Very well written, personable, and good research. Several references were made about Noah and Moses as if they were valid historical people and their related events, which most scholars agree were 'lifted' from Sumerian and Akkadian legends. Doesn't give much credit to Zechariah Sitchin, never even mentions Enlil and Enki - it's like talking about Kennedy's last trip to Dallas without mentioning the Grassy Knoll.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2015

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