Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks'
Euphorbia tirucalli' 'Firesticks is a compact, colourful cultivar of the pencil cactus, selected for its slender, pencil-thick stems that flush coral-orange to fiery red in bright, cool conditions. Where the wild species stays plain green, 'Firesticks' — also sold as Sticks on Fire and sometimes under the name Rosea — glows warm at the branch tips through autumn and winter, fading back toward yellow-green in the warmth of summer. Care follows the parent species, Euphorbia tirucalli.
Description
'Firesticks' is a shrubby, many-branched succulent built entirely from pencil-thin, cylindrical stems, without true leaves for most of the year. It is naturally more compact and slower than the wild Euphorbia tirucalli, which can become a small tree; in cultivation 'Firesticks' usually stays a dense, rounded shrub well suited to a pot.
The signature trait is colour. New growth emerges yellow-green and, under strong light and cool temperatures, deepens to apricot, coral and red at the tips — the display that gives the plant both its names. Colour is a stress response: it is brightest in autumn and winter and in plants grown hard and lean, and it softens back to green when the plant is shaded, warm or lushly fed. Tiny, short-lived leaves may appear on vigorous new growth and soon drop.
Like all members of the genus, every part of the plant exudes a copious, milky white latex when cut or broken. This sap is a significant skin and eye irritant, and 'Firesticks' should be handled with care (see Cultivation and Common problems).
Cultivation
Grow 'Firesticks' exactly as for the parent species, Euphorbia tirucalli. It wants a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix, a snug pot, and the brightest light you can give it — the warm colour only develops in strong sun, and plants kept in shade revert to plain green and grow lax. Water thoroughly when the mix has dried out, then allow it to dry again; keep the plant much drier and cooler through winter, which also intensifies the red and orange tones.
Protect it from frost. It is happy in warm conditions but colours best when nights turn cool, so the strongest display comes from a plant grown bright and slightly stressed rather than pampered. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Handle with real caution. The milky latex is toxic and strongly irritating: it can cause painful skin rashes and serious eye injury if it contacts the eyes. Wear gloves and eye protection when pruning or repotting, keep cuttings and sap away from the face, wash off any contact promptly, and site the plant out of reach of children and pets.
Propagation
'Firesticks' is grown from stem cuttings, which root easily. Cut a section of stem, blot or briefly rinse the oozing latex (wearing gloves and eye protection), then allow the cut end to callous for several days before setting it in a dry, gritty mix and watering only sparingly until roots form. Because it is a selected clone, cuttings are the only way to keep the plant true to type. As with the parent, offsets and cuttings retain the compact, colourful habit.
Cultivation notes
The vivid tip colour is not permanent pigment but a light-and-temperature response, so expect the plant to shift between green and fire over the seasons — that variability is normal and not a sign of ill health. Growers chasing the deepest reds keep the plant bright, cool and lean; those wanting faster, greener growth feed and water more generously and accept a quieter display.
Common problems
- Reversion to green — the commonest disappointment, caused by too little light; move the plant to the sunniest spot available to restore the colour.
- Rot — from overwatering or a slow-draining mix; stems soften, discolour and collapse.
- Skin and eye irritation — from the latex rather than the plant's health, but the most important hazard to manage; always wear gloves and eye protection when handling.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff tucked into branch joints) are the usual culprit; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Euphorbia tirucalli — the parent species
- Euphorbia — the genus overview
- Propagation - cuttings · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting