Potted in white ceramic pot with drain hole. Pot style may vary from photo and approximate size of pot may be 2.75-3" in diameter and 2-3" in height.
Also known as Pencil Cactus even though it is not a cactus, these are easy to care for and demand so little. If you have lots of light and a little water, you and your pencil cactus will get along just fine.
This rugged succulent plant can grow to over thirty feet high in the wild and take on a great deal of character as they age.
All members of the Euphorbia family contain a poisonous, latex sap so do watch out as it is quite toxic and irritating, and could even cause severe reactions to some. That is why it is so important to protect your eyes, hands, and skin when pruning and handing this plant and to keep it in a location where small children or pets will not come in contact with it.
Care varies somewhat depending on whether you want to keep your pencil plant indoors or outdoors.
Care Guide:
Indoors - These interesting and beautiful fire stick succulent plants enjoy the full sun, making them an excellent choice for a very sunny window setting. Rotate them periodically for balanced growth and even color development during the cooler months.
Watering should be done weekly during the growing season. Take care to provide well-drained soil and plenty of drainage holes in the container to avoid root rot. Cut back to monthly watering during the cooler months.
You may feed seasonally with a controlled-release fertilizer or use a weak liquid houseplant food on a weekly basis. Mature plants do well with a 20-20-20 fertilizer. Younger plants do better with a lower nitrogen rating. Some people do not fertilize the pencil plant at all.
Trimming and tidying up to control size and improve appearance is needed for maintenance.
Outdoors - These drought-tolerant plants do well with either partial or direct sun. It’s best to place them in spots where there is bright sun exposure on all sides for balanced growth and coloration.
It’s better to give too little water than too much to this succulent shrub.
When planting outdoors, it’s a good idea to add some light, finished compost, and/or some loam to your soil to improve its aeration and draining capabilities.
With their toxic sap, these plants are fairly pest resistant and produce new growth rapidly. They are easy to propagate from cuttings too. Remember to protect yourself from the sap when taking cuttings. Dip the cut end in cold, fresh water to stop the sap from flowing.