Pencil Tree, Euphorbia tirucalli – care and propagation

The succulent, which belongs to the spurge family, comes from South Africa and does not want to do without tropical warmth and sun in our latitudes. That’s why it makes sense to cultivate the plant in a bucket and keep it in the conservatory or another room. The pencil tree, which looks fragile, needs a sunny spot, and it also finds it difficult to cope with temperatures below 12°C. In midsummer, the exotic plant also feels at home on the home balcony and terrace. However, by September at the latest, when the temperatures drop at night, the pencil bush belongs in the house.

In its homeland, Euphorbia tirucalli grows in humus-poor, mineral soil. In order to meet these requirements, you can, for example, use special cactus soil from specialist shops. But a 1:1 mixture of conventional potting soil with quartz sand or pumice gravel has also proven its worth. Avoid building sand, due to its high lime content it is unsuitable for tropical succulents.

watering and fertilizing

The fast-growing pencil tree is naturally used to long periods of drought. Older plants in particular can be left to their own devices for a few days in summer without damage occurring. It should be watered moderately with lime-free water from March to September. The South African plant is extremely susceptible to root rot. This disease occurs with prolonged waterlogging and completely destroys the underground parts of the plant. In addition to the mineral substrate, drainage on the bottom of the pot also helps excess water and rainwater to drain away quickly. Water only when the top layer of soil has dried noticeably. Keep to the rule of thumb: less is more.

Like almost all succulents, Euphorbia tirucalli is extremely frugal when it comes to nutrient consumption. In the main growing season it is sufficient if you supply the plant with liquid fertilizer at most every 4 to 6 weeks. A special fertilizer for cacti has also proven itself. Coffee grounds and nettle brew, on the other hand, are not suitable as nutrient suppliers for tropical plants. Long-term fertilizer is also not recommended, as this can quickly lead to over-fertilization. In winter, you should reduce the water supply to a minimum and stop fertilizing completely.

plants and repotting

The tropical plant with the green, pencil-thick branches is not suitable for permanent outdoor cultivation. Cold and wet temperatures below 12°C can quickly lead to the death of the plant. In return, the pencil tree gives you a distinctive and fascinating eye-catcher for your own four walls. The pencil tree is particularly effective in front of light-colored walls and as a solitary plant. Euphorbia tirucalli is available as a container plant from well-stocked garden centers and also from online nurseries. Encourage the spurge’s resilience by repotting after purchase. Choose a planter that has 2 to 3 centimeters more circumference than the bucket used previously.

• Remove the old substrate from the plant as much as possible.
• Lay a drainage layer of lava grit, potsherds or coarse gravel at the bottom of the vessel.
• Spread two centimeters thick succulent soil or self-prepared substrate over it.
• Insert the pencil tree and fill the cavities with soil.
• Press down the substrate and water vigorously.

The pencil tree does not bear its nickname “rubber hedge” for nothing. In the tropics, the fast-growing plant is preferably cultivated as an evergreen privacy hedge. If the location and care conditions are right, the plant also tends to grow rapidly in the bucket. About every 2 to 3 years or at the latest when the roots completely fill the planter, you have to repot.

multiply

Euphorbia tirucalli is propagated by cuttings, which are separated from the mother plant in summer. Select a fully mature shoot for this, the cut is made directly over a leaf node. Let the cutting dry for a few days and then put the shoot in a container with dry, humus-poor substrate.

• The location must be bright and warm.
• Water only moderately.
• Rooting can take up to 21 days.
• Transplant young pencil trees into mineral soil.

The formation of the roots of cuttings of many plant species can also be carried out in a glass of water. However, the milk bush looks different. Because in direct contact with water, rot develops quickly and the succulent cutting dies.

To cut

A pruning is appropriate for the pencil tree as soon as the lower half of the plant becomes bare and no more new shoots form. To bring the growth back into shape, you should shorten the top end by up to 1/3. The plant sprouts more and more at the bottom, the cut pieces can be used as cuttings. However, extreme caution is required when dealing directly with the pencil bush: the sap of spurge plants is poisonousand can be extremely irritating to the skin. Wear gloves and do not bring the milky plant sap into contact with your eyes or mucous membranes. Excessive “milk” escapes from the pencil tree during pruning. You can tie off this wound with a clean cotton cloth. The sap of the plant can also damage other plants. Therefore, clean the tool used thoroughly after the work is done.

hibernate

In South Africa, the pencil bush is often cultivated as an ornamental and useful plant. However, temperatures below 12°C affect the plant, so that Euphorbia tirucalli should only be cultivated in a bucket. Even carefully taken precautions such as completely covering the plant with winter fleece and piling up a thick layer of bark mulch around it do not protect against the wet and cold weather. Hibernation takes place in a bright room at about 12°-15°C. Cooler temperatures lead to damage to the plant, while excessive heat runs the risk of the shoots wilting.

• Water only occasionally in winter.
• Adjust the supply of nutrients.
• Draft damages the plant.
• Avoid proximity to active radiators.

diseases and pests

The pencil tree is an extremely hardy plant, harmful insects are not important for the tropical plant. Even undemanding pests such as spider mites and aphids avoid the succulent. However, the South African beauty is all the more susceptible to waterlogging. The wrong substrate and excessive watering promote the infestation with ascomycetes. A clear indication of root rot is a musty odor emanating from the soil. The entire plant is visibly suffering, shoots and leaves appear pale and droop.

Root rot itself cannot be treated, chemical products or conventional household remedies cannot combat the sac fungi. If the disease has already occurred, you should immediately transfer the pencil tree to dry, lean substrate. Infested plant pieces do not have to be removed. If there is still enough healthy root system, the plant will recover. As a preventive measure, it is important to ensure that the tropical plant is not exposed to waterlogging. The substrate must be permeable and mineral, drainage in the bucket is also essential.

If the plant throws off the pencil-like shoots and the narrow leaves, this does not have to be a sign of fungal pathogens or pests. Mistakes in care and a wrong planting location are more often the cause. In this case, immediately check the moisture content of the substrate and, if necessary, also reduce the supply of nutrients.

frequently asked Questions

Can I hydroponically grow my pencil tree?
In principle, succulents are also suitable for this type of plant husbandry. Instead of soil, the plants grow in inorganic material, which consists, for example, of pebbles, lava stones or expanded clay. It is fertilized with a special nutrient solution, and the current water level can be read using an indicator. With its help you can adjust the water supply exactly to the needs of Euphorbia tirucalli. To prevent root rot, you should wait a few days after the indicator in the sight glass has dropped completely to top up with water.

Is the pencil bush suitable for a household with children and pets?
The pencil bush belongs to the spurge family. Like all Euphorbia species, the South African plant also has a caustic white milky sap, which emerges when the shoots are injured. The sap of the milkweed can cause contact eczema even with the slightest contact with human skin, in the worst case blisters and chemical burns occur. Contact with the mucous membranes and eyes can have serious consequences. The toxic ingredients cause stomach problems, diarrhea and vomiting if taken internally. Spurge plants can also be dangerous for pets, consumption can lead to the death of the four-legged friend. When cultivating the pencil tree, you should ensure that

How big does the pencil tree get as a container plant?
In its tropical home, the pencil tree can reach a height of about 6 meters. But even as a container plant, the spurge plant can still reach an impressive height of up to 2.50 metres. If the succulent is literally growing over your head, you can cut off the top and thereby encourage the plant to shoot bushy. Cut shoots can be used to propagate the succulent.