Product Description:
The Pencil Plant or Euphorbia Tirucalli is a succulent native to South and East Africa. The plant’s namesake branches are pencil-like and grow upward in a candelabra pattern. Young branches are cylindrical, smooth, and green, but with age can turn gray and rough like tree bark. Its leaves are small and slender and fall off quickly. This succulent yields a highly toxic milky sap if broken or torn. The Pencil Plant is otherwise very agreeable, surviving in nearly any condition that is both dry and above freezing. In favorable conditions, it is able to grow between two and 20 inches in a single season.
Light:
Thrives in bright indirect light to direct sun. Not suited for low light conditions.
Water:
Water every one to two weeks allowing soil to dry out between waterings. Increase frequency with increased light.
Soil:
This plant loves dry, sandy soil that isn’t highly rich in nutrients. Container plants do well with a succulent or cactus potting mix that doesn’t retain moisture.
Humidity:
Don’t sweat it. Average home humidity is fine; can tolerate dry air.
Temperature:
Prefers temperatures of 65°F-70°F. Average home temperature is generally suitable.
Fertilizer:
This plant isn’t a heavy feeder. Feed your pencil cactus with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer in the spring, and it should be fine for the rest of the year.
Propagating the Pencil Cactus:
A pencil cactus can be readily propagate by cutting. Always wear protective clothing during this process. Take a cutting of a green branch around 6 inches long, and dip it in fresh water to stop the flow of sap. Then, allow the cutting to dry for about a week and form a callous over the cut end before potting it in moist succulent or cactus potting mix.
Potting and Repotting the Pencil Cactus:
When growing the pencil cactus in a container, it’s best to choose an unglazed clay pot that allows excess moisture to evaporate through its walls. Also, make sure there are ample drainage holes in the pot.
