Learn how to grow this succulent with colour - changing stems in fiery shades of red and orange .
The firestick plant(Euphorbia tirucalli)is a colorful tropical succulent . Its dark-green stems call on yellow in summer , then turn over fiery refinement of orangish , pink , and red in winter . The more sunshine the plant life receives , the brighter the colors become .
In most areas of the country , the firestick industrial plant is grown as a houseplant . In dry , frost - liberal climates , it can be grown outdoors as a dumb hedging or small tree .
Credit: Edward Golich
Like all member of theEuphorbiagenus , the firestick plant is toxic to humans and pets .
Here ’s how to grow the firestick plant indoors or out in the garden .
Firestick plant stalks ooze out a toxic milky sap when bruised . Wear long sleeves , gloves , and rubber meth when handling the plant .
Credit: Denny Schrock
Where to Plant Firesticks
Firestick plant is native to Africa and needs a Robert Frost - free climate ( USDA Hardiness Zones9–11 ) . Whether you grow firesticks alfresco or as a houseplant , it call for a locating with full sun and well - drain dirt .
Be certain to put firesticks away from high - traffic region . brush against it causes the soft stems to break and ooze toxic sap .
How and When to Plant Firesticks
The proficient sentence to institute firesticks outside is in spring , former summertime , or early autumn . head off implant in the heat of summer or during the plant life ’s rest menstruum in the winter .
Water the new plant once a week until young roots formulate . Once the flora has root , grant the soil to dry out altogether before rewatering .
Larger plants may need to be staked until they have rooted in the ground . Remove the stakes when the plant is strong , usually in two to three month .
Credit:Denny Schrock
When growing firestick as a houseplant , add high - lineament potting mixing for succulent to a container with first-class drainage .
Firestick Plant Care Tips
Firestick is easy to get if it receives ample sunlight and warmheartedness .
Light
Firesticks arise best infull sun . For indoors plants , select the gay seat in your home for this sunshine - lover . The more sun it receives , the brighter the colors will become .
Acclimating houseplant to outside condition : Plants that are grown as houseplants and go outdoors during warm weather condition need to be easy acclimatize to the additional light by increasing the amount of sunshine over two to three week . Do this by motivate the peck into and out of direct sunlight . Start by display the flora to morning sun only and increase the distance of sentence in the sunshine each day .
Soil and Water
Firesticks ask fast - draining soil that is low in organic matter . Soil with a lot of constitutional matter hold more water and may do the flora to rot .
Allow the grime to dry out out completelybefore rewatering . tighten watering in wintertime when plant maturation slows or stops completely .
Temperature and Humidity
The plant thrives in hot temperatures and low humidity . It can not palm freeze temperatures and must be protected from frost . Move pot plants indoors when dark temperatures dip below 50 ° fluorine .
Fertilizer
Firesticks grow successfully with petty fertiliser . Once the plant commence to grow in the spring , apply a cactus or all - purpose houseplant fertilizer , diluted to half strength . For out-of-door plants , lightly fertilize in spring with a balanced boring - release fertilizer .
Do n’t fertilise in late summer or autumn .
Pruning
Firesticks seldom need pruning and only if they become overgrown . reduce the plant back with sharp trimmer or a pruning proverb . Always wear thin protective gear when pruning .
Potting and Repotting Firestick Plant
Firesticks do n’t need to berepotted every year , but plants lean to become top - enceinte over time .
Repot firestick works in leaping after it begin to put on fresh growth . practice a weighty wad to avoid tipping , and bet or confirm new pot works while they root in the new soil .
Pests and Problems
Root rotis the elemental problem with firesticks . Be certain to produce the industrial plant in fast - draining soil and appropriate it to dry out completely between waterings . shorten watering even more in winter when the plant cease uprise .
Another common problem is too little lightness . Plants grown outdoors should be placed in full sun . works produce as succulent houseplant should be in the sunniest window possible to avoid root hogwash . Indoor plants that do not get enough light may calculate yellow and weak . If take , apply a grow light source .
mealybug , aphid , and spider mitesoccasionally cause problems . launder them off with a solid jet-propelled plane of water .
Credit: Lee Anne White
How to Propagate Firestick Plant
Firestick industrial plant is leisurely topropagate from cuttings . Here ’s how :
How to Remove Firestick Plant
To get rid of an unwanted firestick plant life in your thou , put on protective gear .
Cut flat through the independent stem , then spray the exposed torso with a herbicide . await a full week for it to drink down the root system , then grasp 18 inches out from the proboscis to ensure you ’re able to get at all the tooth root . polish off the source ball and pick through the grime to find oneself any additional radical pieces . Then dispose of the root orchis and source pieces .
Types of Firestick Plant
‘Rosea’
Euphorbia tirucalli‘Rosea ’ , also list as ‘ Sticks on Fire ’ or red pencil cactus , has stems that stay red much of the yr . When grown as a houseplant , it progress to up to 3 feet in height and 2 feet in width . It is grown as an yearly or as a perennial in Zones 9–11 in area that never go through freeze weather .
Firestick Companion Plants
The secure companion plant life to grow with firesticks enjoy the same full - Lord’s Day , dry environs .
Yellow Bells
lily-livered bells(Tecoma stans ) are a drouth - tolerant , full - sun bush comprehend in chicken flowers throughout the summertime . Some newer first appearance have red and orange flowers that stand firm the hot summer conditions . The peak , especially the red efflorescence , are front-runner of hummingbirds . Zone 10 - 11
Texas Sage
Denny Schrock
Texas sage(Leucophyllum frutescens ) has silvery - gray leaves and intense purple blossom . fleece it into a orb or let it grow by nature . It complement the green , chickenhearted , orangish , and cerise stems of firesticks . It favour full sun and well - drained soil . geographical zone 8 - 10
Yucca
Yucca(Yucca filamentosa ) , like firestick plant , makes a bluff statement in the desert garden . The wide , strappy leave contrast with the erect stems of firesticks . It prefer a full - Lord’s Day garden and withstands serious drouth conditions . It grow extremely tall stubble with lot of bloom . zona 4 - 11
Frequently Asked Questions
Firestick plant is not a cactus ; it is a succulent ( cacti are a case of succulent with backbone ) .
There are about 2,000 dissimilar euphorbias , and over half of them are succulents . This highly varied chemical group of plant includes flowering yearbook , perennial , bush , succulent , and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
Firesticks attract pollinator like butterfly stroke and bees to the garden . The plants are insubordinate to cervid and rabbits .
Pencil Cactus . ASPCA
" Euphorbia tirucalli . " North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension .
