Pencil Cactus

Hello Friends!

The plant that we are going to befriend today is known as Pencil Cactus, though neither a pencil grows in it nor it is a cactus. Actually its green stems are almost of the thickness and length of a pencil and as we often tend to consider a plant as cactus if it does not have well grown leaves, hence in common parlance it is called as pencil cactus.

Its a very easy plant to grow even if you are at the learning phase of gardening. Its straight stems at different directions look very beautiful and form a random geometric pattern together. Wherever it is kept, it makes the place lively. Pencil Cactus becomes even more beautiful in the winters as in low temperatures the upper ends of its branches turn light orange to red and that is why it is also called Fire Stick Plant.

This plant is actually a member of the Euphorbia community of plants and is a succulent. So, it loves lots of sun. Place it where it gets four to six hours of sun. If there is no open place, try to keep it on the window that opens in either the east or south. The plant hates complete shade or darkness. Its branches will turn yellow and start falling and finally the plant will die prematurely in case of placing it in the dark corners of the house. During winters, when temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius and in frost or snowfall, keep it under shade with full brightness.

They require little water to thrive. Watering them once or twice a week in summer and once in 10-15 days in winter will suffice. Water them only when the soil is completely dry.

Plant them in such land or soil in which water does not stagnate. They are happy in sandy soil. If you have clay soil then prepare the soil for them by adding some sand and gravels to it. While planting them in a pot, make sure that it has a hole at the bottom for water to drain out. If a decorative planter does not have holes, plant it in a simple pot and place it in the planter. Waterlogging must not be allowed in any case as it may cause root rot and health of the plant may be compromised.

These plants do not require much fertilizer. Feed them a little during spring at the time of new growth.

They are not very prone to diseases and insects. Still, if spider mites or mealy bugs are visible during the rainy season, wash the plant thoroughly with soap water and spray neem oil.

Propagation of Pencil Cactus is also very easy. Just cut a healthy matured branch of normal thickness with a sharp knife and leave it for about ten days. When the cut area becomes dry and hard then plant it in moist soil. After a few days, new roots will grow and you will have a new plant ready. You can also keep this cutting in water until roots emerge. After many roots grow in about 15 more days, plant it in the soil.

Naturally in their native places they are tall trees and often grow upto 30 feet. Even in pots at home, they easily grow up to 6-7 feet tall, but to have them in pleasing shape and form prune them once a year in spring. That way they always remain green, dense attractive.

One thing you need to know before handling them is that like other members of the Euphorbia family, they have a milky white sticky sap inside them which is poisonous. So keep them away from the reach of your children and pets. So while handling it for pruning or cuttings stems for new plants or changing the pot, always wear gloves as a precaution. Its sap may cause burning and irritation when touched and the skin may turn red. Its contact with eyes may also cause irritation and discomfort. Apply aloe vera juice for relief If accidentally touched the sap. If swallowed contact the doctor immediately.

So friends, this was all you need to know about this beautiful plant today. If you want to know more about them or have a query, feel free to ask in comments. If you want its cuttings, leave your address and phone number in the comments. First five persons will get its cuttings for free by paying postal charge only. We will keep your credentials hidden they will not be displayed on the site.

We will get acquainted with another easy to grow plant in our next meeting. Till then Happy Paudhayan!