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pencil cactus poison treatment 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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B
Bill Muehlenberg
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Another welcome Pillar commentary
Format: Hardcover
The newest volume in the excellent Pillar New Testament Commentary series is another first-rate effort. The American New Testament professor has already done a very good commentary on 1-3 John (BECNT, 2008). His newest commentary adds to a now rather impressive line-up of Pillar commentaries. As to the Pastorals, the four most important and substantial commentaries from a basically conservative, evangelical stance over the past few decades have been these: 1992: George Knight (NIGTC – 500 pages) 2000: Jerome Quinn and William Wacker (ECC – 900 pages) 2000: William Mounce (WBC – 640 pages) 2006: Philip Towner (NICNT – 900 pages) Mention should also be made of two other commentaries. One is the 1999 volume by I. Howard Marshall (with Philip Towner) in the ICC series. It is also 900 pages and looks to be outstanding. But I do not own it (the ICC series is SO expensive), so I cannot comment further on it. Another is the shorter, 300+ page work by Gordon Fee (NIBC, 1984) which can also be added to any list of highly recommended volumes on the Pastorals. Now we have Yarbrough to join these important works. He provides us with a very workable, informed and detailed examination of the Pastoral Epistles. He spends 95 of his 600 pages on introductory matters. As to authorship, it has become somewhat trendy of late to deny Pauline authorship. Even some conservatives have gone in this direction Yarbrough offers ten pages on this, and affirms the traditional stance, saying: “For eighteen centuries, Pauline authorship was never doubted by the churches’ intellectual leaders; even in the last two centuries, many have doubted the doubters.” As to the commentary proper, one tends to first head to well-known, contentious, difficult, or important passages. So let me reflect on a few of these. One of the most hotly debated passages in the Pastorals of course has to do with the matter of women in leadership. Paul covers this in several places, but the most crucial passage is 1 Timothy 2:11-15. This is certainly a difficult passage in many respects, and one that is hotly debated. The two main camps on this have been the complementarians, who argue that men and women are equal in worth and status, but have differing, hierarchical roles, and the egalitarians, who argue that women can fully serve in church leadership positions. This debate has been going on for quite some time now. Because all of 1 Tim. 2 must be considered here (dealing as it does with propriety in public worship), Yarbrough has a lengthy general discussion about these issues first. He then devotes another 20 pages to the actual contentious passage. He offers a “qualified complementarian reading” on all this. Egalitarians may not fully agree, but they should appreciate his careful and gracious exegesis here. And of course he has written on this elsewhere, as in his chapter in the important volume edited by Kostenberger and Schreiner: Women in the Church, 3rd ed. (Crossway, 1995, 2016). Another issue that can be rather difficult to understand and deal with concerns those who “have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Tim 1:18-20). Paul says something similar in 1 Cor. 5. Says Yarbrough, “From these two passages it may be inferred that in grave cases of ethical or doctrinal lapse, and perhaps drawing on Job 2:6, Satan was viewed as ‘God’s agent in judicial administration.’ Whereas congregations would normally have prayed for one another, there were evidently cases where petition would shift from divine protection to divine discipline (with Satan as God’s agent). Sometimes harsh measures are required to wake people up (see 2 Thess. 3:10-14).” Since discussions about overseers are found in all three epistles, both Paul and Yarbrough spend much time on the topic. In one of the passages he makes this remark: “In sum, ‘the overseer is to be’ introduces more than a random wish list for the pastorally inclined do-gooder. It points to a quality and depth of godliness that are indiscernible for the magnitude and gravity of pastoral labor that Paul models, expects of Timothy, and hopes to see replicated in generations to come at Ephesus and beyond.” Two more issues that can be contentious for some is found in 1 Tim. 5:23: “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” Some teetotallers try to argue that this is not actual wine, but watered down grape juice. And some of the health and wealth gospellers insist that no faith-filled believer should ever get sick. Yarbrough gives short shrift to both of these ideas. Another famous passage dealing with wealth is 1 Tim. 6:6-10 which speaks of false teachers and the love of money. Yarbrough affirms the biblical balance Paul seeks to present here: “Birth and death both illustrate the tenuous relation between life and material goods. Paul wants to relativize (not trivialize or eliminate) the importance of earthly acquisitions, since he observes people tempted to enlist God in their material quest. . . . It is important to note that this is not an adoption of an ideal of Hellenistic philosophy. Nor is it an endorsement of poverty. . . . If God does grant wealth, and if a believer has not sold his or her soul to acquire it, Paul will later give directions for its proper utilization (see on vv. 17-19 below).” Other matters could be mentioned here. But all up this is a very competent and usable commentary, one that will stand the test of time. It offers careful exegesis and helpful theological insights. It is a very welcome addition to the Pillar series. The PNTC series really has become one of the premier sets for evangelicals and those who want the best of biblical scholarship and careful exegesis.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2018
J
Jimmy R. Reagan
Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Great, New Commentary!
Format: Hardcover
This commentary by Robert Yarbrough will become, I predict, a top-rated volume on the Pastoral Epistles. These epistles are ideal for the style of commentary we find in the Pillar New Testament Commentary (PNTC) series. As respected and valuable as the NICNT volumes by the same publisher are, these Pillar volumes are simply more valuable. They have a better center of focus, are more consistently conservative, and have more value for pastors without sacrificing scholarship. This volume succeeds in reaching that standard too. As you might have guessed, the editorship of D. A. Carson likely keeps this series moored to that lofty perch. BTW, don’t miss the editor’s preface where Carson fawns over Yarbrough’s work here. I was in love with this commentary within a few pages of its fine Introduction. So many commentators lose their way in the Pastoral Epistles. I have long suspected that it has far more to do with the authors dislike of what these epistles say rather than any actual problem found within them. Yarbrough is not sucked into the irrational fear of using the term “pastoral epistles” as so many are today either. It’s a breath of fresh air. He opens the Introduction with eight theses on pastoral heritage in these epistles. To my mind, that was a great way to present introductory issues. Next, he does a section each on Father, Son, and Spirit respectively in the Pastoral Epistles (PE). He was particularly perceptive in discussing Paul as a working pastor, even dispensing some silly critical theories along the way. He then tackles in turn geography, people, and key terms. He ends with a section on authorship and other usual introductory matters and masterfully reaches conservative conclusions. The commentary itself was even better! The phrase “real help” comes to mind. He showed off his skill, for example, in the perpetual battlefield of Titus 2. He gently yet surefootedly takes us where that disliked passage goes. He’s kind to dissenters, careful in scholarship, but not afraid to reach a conclusion. I don’t know about you, but that’s how I like my commentaries. 5 stars all the way!
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Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2018
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Kathya1010
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 4
A Thorough Commentary that Needs Less Neutrality
Format: Kindle
Dr. Yarbrough has addressed the meaning of the Pastoral Epistles with the excellence we have have come to expect from him. However, sometimes he seems reluctant to take a stand on some controversial issues (other than on Pauline authorship and matters of basic Christian orthodoxy, to both of which he is correctly firmly committed). When several possibilities of meaning are possible, for example, it would be helpful to know which hypothesis he favors, and why. While occasionally he does state a definitive opinion, more often he does not, perhaps in a laudable but somewhat overdone effort to avoid controversy with fellow theologians. However, when one reads a 1000+ page commentary written at a scholarly level, one expects the author to give his or her expert opinion on such matters—indeed, it is a major reason that one purchases and studies a commentary. To conclude on a more positive note, Dr. Yarbrough’s observations on Greek word usage, including numerous Old Testament passages from the Septuagint, the Apostolic Fathers and apocryphal works, were very helpful in aiding the reader in understanding fine shades of meaning. His pastoral observations and deductions based on the text are simply excellent. His discussions of the strengths and weaknesses commonly encountered in Christian leaders in Western countries versus those observed in leaders from other nations were fascinating and edifying, not to mention occasionally convicting (in a good way)—even for readers who aren’t pastors, like me.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2025
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Nicholas Quient
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 1
Unimpressive
Format: Hardcover
Concerning various controversial questions of like Pauline authorship and women in ministry, Yarbrough's commentary is lackluster, polemical, and altogether dismissive of large swaths of evangelical scholarship that run counter to his claims. There are better commentaries from an evangelical perspective (I. Howard Marshall, Philip Towner) that seriously address such questions without resorting to hand-waving. Overall, an unimpressive and polemical work that is superseded by better words.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2019
K
Verified Purchase
Kailey Goodman
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
Great for NP school
Format: Paperback
This is very informative and easy to read! No fluff but just the nitty gritty of what you need to know
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Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2025

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