As the name implies, firesticks is a particularly colorful succulent that almost looks like it’s on fire. Perhaps this is a warning, since handling this plant can be dangerous. Here’s everything you need to know about planting and caring for this low-maintenance desert plant.
Firesticks or sticks of fire (Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’) is a cultivated mutation of pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli), a plant native to Madagascar. It is dramatically more colorful and considerably smaller than the parent plant.
This plant consists of mostly photosynthetic stems (leaves and flowers are inconspicuous), which are normally green, thin, and pencil-like. During the winter, these stems turn brilliant orange and red, hence the name firesticks. Its sculptural, coral-like form, adds architectural interest to the garden all year.
Firesticks is an extremely low-maintenance plant. It’s not particular about sun exposure, needs little water, and can take intense desert heat. It requires almost no pruning and produces no obvious litter.
Why I Like This Plant
- Gorgeous colorful stems
- Provides non-stop color, especially in winter
- Extremely low maintenance
- Looks fabulous in pots
Things to Watch Out For
Firesticks, like all Euphorbias, can be deceptively dangerous. Unlike many desert plants, they have no obvious spikes or thorns but ooze a toxic white latex sap when cut or broken. This sap can cause rashes and is toxic to people, pets, and horses.
These can turn into huge shrub-like plants with substantial trunks and are a real pain to prune. So keep its mature size in mind when planting.
Depending on your microclimate, planting them in the ground can be dicey since they suffer damage once the temperature drops below freezing.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding a firestick plant to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Firesticks should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 – 11. They tolerate desert heat, even in hot areas like Phoenix. Cold, ironically, is your firesticks’ best friend and worst enemy. The right amount of cold brings out their vibrant color, but a freeze can also kill them.
Your yard’s minimum temperature will be the limiting factor on where you can plant it, unless you’re willing to cover them during cold spells that dip below 28℉. They aren’t easy to cover since the ends are delicate and easily break, leaving toxic sticky residue.
Sun Exposure
You can plant firesticks in full sun, part shade, or near a wall where it receives reflected heat. Note that it will be more colorful with more sun and more green in the shade.
Size and Growth Rate
Firesticks is considered a fast grower, but growing it in a pot slows down its growth considerably. I’ve had a medium size plant in the same pot for over 7 years. A typical specimen planted in the ground will reach a size of 8’ tall by 5’ wide when mature.
Soil
It’s not particular about soil and grows in any native desert soil, as long as it’s well-draining.
If you grow one in a container, be sure it has good drainage and use specifically formulated cactus soil.
Other Location Considerations
Due to this plant’s toxicity, it’s too dangerous to have anywhere near children or pets. Do not grow it near a sidewalk, pool, or front door, or anywhere people might brush against it or be tempted to touch it.
In the right place, its toxicity can be a benefit. Firesticks are critter-resistant. Deer, rabbits, and javelinas, which generally will eat anything, stay clear of this plant.
Firesticks:
The Essentials
| Common Names | Firesticks, sticks on fire |
| Scientific Name | Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’ |
| Origin | Southern Africa (cultivar) |
| Plant Type | Shrubby succulent |
| USDA Zones | Zones 9 – 11 |
| Cold Hardiness | To 28℉ |
| Flowers | Inconspicuous |
| Mature Size | 8′ high x 5’ wide |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Sun Tolerance | Full, part, reflected sun |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Pests & Diseases | Root rot if overwatered |
| Toxicity | Toxic to people, pets, livestock |
| Wildlife | Deer, rabbit, javelina resistant |
How to Plant
Dig a hole as deep as and twice as wide as the nursery container. Carefully remove the plant from the container, put it in the hole, and press the soil to remove any air pockets.
It’s generally recommended that you backfill with native soil and not add any amendments. However, good drainage is critical. So if you know your soil is slow draining, amend it with coarse sand or small gravel until you have a loose, well-drained mix.
Be very careful when handling firesticks! Wear gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection. If you get the sap on your skin, wash it immediately with soap. Getting the sap in your eyes should be considered a medical emergency.
When dealing with plants that ooze toxic sap, I put a pair of inexpensive disposable gloves over my regular gardening gloves and then toss them when I’m done. If you get any sap on your gardening tools, clean them thoroughly before putting them away.
When to Plant
The best time to plant firesticks is in April or May. Higher temperatures encourage root development.
How to Care for Firesticks
Whether you’ve recently planted firesticks or have an existing plant in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water
You’re probably used to giving a plant a good soaking immediately after transplanting, but that isn’t the best practice with succulents. Counterintuitively, it’s best to not water them for one to two weeks after planting. Then use the following schedule as a guide.
| Spring and Fall | Every 3-5 weeks |
| Summer | Every 2-4 weeks |
| Winter | Only if no winter rains |
Since firesticks have shallow roots, there is no need to water deeply. Watering to a depth of one foot is sufficient.
If you’re growing firesticks in a container, use this watering schedule as a guide.
| Spring & Fall | Every 7-10 days |
| Summer | Every 5-7 days |
| Winter | Every 10-14 days |
Should You Fertilize?
There is no need to fertilize firesticks if planted in the ground, they get all the nutrients they need from the surrounding desert soil. But if you keep one in a pot, fertilize lightly a few times a year when it’s actively growing.
How to Prune
This plant rarely needs pruning except to remove dead or damaged stems. If you need to prune cold damage or to control its shape or size, do so after the last frost date.
How to Propagate
Firesticks are easy to propagate with stem cuttings. Cut some new growth and set the pieces in a shady place until the ends stop oozing sap. Then stick them in sandy soil or cactus mix and water infrequently.
Don’t Confuse Firesticks With…
Don’t confuse firesticks with pencil cactus, Euphorbia tirucalli. Pencil cactus, the parent plant, is much larger, normally growing to 15 feet and occasionally up to 30 feet tall!
Plant Lover Facts
FIresticks’ parent plant, pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli), is native only to Madagascar but has naturalized throughout Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Australia.
Because ‘Sticks on Fire’ lacks the chlorophyll of the much larger pencil cactus, it is much slower growing and does not obtain the same large size.
Unfortunately, a lot of information available online about firesticks only holds true for pencil cactus. So if you read that the latex is used to make rubber or biofuel, or is used in traditional medicine, realize this is not true for the firesticks cultivar you grow in your yard.
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for over 15 years.
Photo Credits
“Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire‘” by KM is licensed under CC BY 2.0