- Native to: Tropical South and East Africa
- Prefers sun
- Water when dry
- Proper name: Euphorbia tirucalli
- The plant you will receive is growing in a 6 inch pot. It is well branched.
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Product Description
CACTUS: Cactus, the common name for a family of desert plants. The plural is cacti or cactuses. Most species bear sharp, needlelike spines, which protect the plants from foraging desert animals. Cacti are famed for their ability to resist drought, which they owe to the fact that moisture from inside the plant evaporates very slowly through the plant's skin.
Cacti grow in hundreds of different shapes. The fibrous, juicy stems may be globular, cylindrical, branched, trailing and vinelike, ribbed, grooved, or knob-bearing. Only two species have true leaves. The rest of the 2,000 species are leafless.
Common name: "Pencil Cactus" or "Milk Bush"
Latin name: Euphorbia tirucalli
Native to: Tropical South and East Africa.
Growth habit: A woody, columnar upright bush. This plant can grow as tall as it's interior environment allows.
Temps: Normal indoor temperatures.
Cultural information: "Pencil Cactus" are a bizarre looking plant who's sap is poisonous. "Pencil Cactus" are quite easy to grow if placed in direct sunshine or very bright indirect light. Water sparingly maybe twice a month... allowing most of the soil mass to dry out. Feed monthly, spring through fall. When your plant becomes to tall, cut it back to the desired height. Wear gloves and a long sleeve shirt when pruning "Pencil Cactus". The sap may cause skin irritation. Be careful not to get the sap in your eyes.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quick delivery, arrived in great shape!!!!,
By Hannah "Hannah" (Doddridge, Arkansas) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Pencil Cactus - Euphorbia - Easy to grow/Hard to kill!
I purchased this as a gift (I'm in Iraq) and it is really hard to grow plants of any kind here. The plant arrived extremely quick, especially since I am 7,000 miles away, and in great condition. they send it with a heating pack and in a bunch of packing peanuts to avoid any breaking. It wasn't wilting at all. I was however, concerned because I have never heard anything about the plant, so I did some research on it. I highly recommend it to anyone that is deployed, or a great gift to someone that doesn't have a green thumb (such as myself!) But on the bad side, if you kill it-then you are less nurturing than a desert :)
Some helpful information is as follows: Definition: The plant, pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli), is both a popular Southwest U.S. landscaping plant as well as a poinsonous threat to some people. The pencil cactus is not a true cactus but a member of the Euphorbia family. It is originally from tropical parts of Africa and India. It can naturally grow into 30-foot tall tree with pencil-size green branches. Pencil cactus is used in the Southwest as a landscaping plant and as a large houseplant in other parts of the United States. The pencil cactus often turns red-orange as the weather cools, making it a very attractive ornamental plant. Another name for the pencil cactus is milkbush. Like all members of the Euphorbia family, milkbush produces a white thick substance when the stem is cut. This sap contains the toxic component thought to be diterpene esters. It can be hazardous to humans. However, usually the amount you come in contact with will not kill you but will cause burning in the eyes and skin discomfort. A few people are highly allergic and end up in emergency rooms for treatment. It is recommended that pets and children steer clear of the plant.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pencil Cactus,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Pencil Cactus - Euphorbia - Easy to grow/Hard to kill!
I purchased this product and had it sent to a qualified "Master Gardner" in Alabama. The reports that I get on it is that it is growing well and duning just fine. I have two of them at my home in the HOT desert of the southwest. They grow beautifully there. They are both in larger pots and are growing well and consistantly. Once established they grow moderately quickly. The seller delivered the Pencil Cactus quickly and in perfect condition. I have used Hirt's nursery, the seller, for MANY other plants since first ordering from them. Every plant I have ordered has arrived in great condition. I highly recommend Hirt's.
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