SKU: 49384386033
propagate pencil cactus

propagate pencil cactus Pencil Cactus

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Description

propagate pencil cactus Pencil CactusIntroducing the Pencil Cactus, botanically known as Euphorbia tirucalli Fire Sticks (also called Sticks on Fire), a striking succulent prized for its sea coral like appearance and vibrant, loosely branching pencil thin stems that develop brilliant shades of green, orange, and red. Native to Southern Africa, this unique succulent belongs to the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family, not the cactus family (Cactaceae), though it is commonly referred to as Pencil

Introducing the Pencil Cactus, botanically known as Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Fire Sticks’ (also called Sticks on Fire), a striking succulent prized for its sea coral-like appearance and vibrant, loosely branching pencil-thin stems that develop brilliant shades of green, orange, and red.

Native to Southern Africa, this unique succulent belongs to the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family, not the cactus family (Cactaceae), though it is commonly referred to as “Pencil Cactus” because of its cactus-like form and upright growth habit. It is also known by several other common names, including fire sticks plant, sticks on fire succulent, fire plant, red pencil tree, milk bush, and Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Rosea’.


When exposed to direct sunlight, the tips turn red, which is why they are also called firesticks.

This fast growing evergreen succulent can grow up to 30 feet tall and 10 feet wide, forming a thicket of brilliantly colored vertical stems with loose branches.

The unusual stems of this firestick plant, which are as thin as pencils, have a reddish-golden hue that becomes yellow in the summer and red again in the winter.

The pencil cactus flowers boast vibrant yellow, pink, or orange blooms in the summer and spring, making them a true showstopper in any garden.

The pencil cactus is extremely drought tolerant and hard to kill, and as a result, is a great, low-maintenance, easy-care plant for your home or garden.

You can grow your pencil cactus indoors year-round as a houseplant. If planting outdoors, it's best to do so in the spring when temperatures are warm and stable. This cactus grows faster than many other cacti, making it a striking addition to your garden or home.

If you cut your pencil cactus, be careful—the thick, white sap is toxic and can cause skin irritation, burns, or severe eye irritation if it gets into your eyes. While highly irritating, some cultures have historically used it in traditional medicine for treating growths like warts and tumors, though it is not safe for home remedies. Always wear gloves when handling the plant and wash your hands thoroughly if you come into contact with the sap.

When and How to Water Your Pencil Cactus 

This pencil cactus firestick plant can withstand droughts and doesn't need to be watered frequently to survive. Watering these perennial succulents should be done every 3–4 weeks or when the soil feels dry. Let the soil completely dry out between waterings, and if in doubt, give your fire plant a little more time before watering again.  Less water is needed for humid locations and indoor spaces. Pay attention to how the pencil cactus looks and adjust the watering accordingly.

Remember that succulents in the desert can go for weeks or even months without water, so water them sparingly during their rest phase and moderately during their active growing season.

Pro Tip

Most people like to see the red tips that give this Euphorbia tirucalli its firestick name. Note that it is stress that causes the tips to go red. So, the art is to stress the firestick plant a bit, but not too much. So, give it a lot of light and water it less than other succulents, so it is thirsty but not dying of thirst.

Overwatering can also cause the Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks' tips to turn red, but it can also lead to root rot and other problems. So, if your pencil cactus is not turning red in full sun, it's possible that it's not experiencing enough stress to produce the anthocyanin pigments or that it's receiving too much water.

Light Requirements - Where to Place Your Pencil Cactus 

Like most succulents, indoors, the Euphorbia tirucalli firesticks need bright, indirect sunlight to thrive, so choose the brightest area in the house.

Potted indoor pencil cacti require four hours of direct sunlight, which can be achieved by locating them on a sunny south or west-facing windowsill. 

If you are growing these firestick succulents outdoors, make sure that they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.

Partial shade may be tolerated as long as your pencil cactus gets the majority of the sunlight that it needs when it's planted outside. This succulent plant won't thrive if left in the shade for a long time. Its colors become more vibrant the more sunlight it receives.

In order to avoid sunburn, it is preferable to acclimatize your pencil cactus first before moving it outdoors or increasing the amount of sunlight it receives.

Optimal Soil & Fertilizer Needs 

The firestick Euphorbia is a succulent plant that likes very airy, porous, nutrient-rich soil with a pH of 5.5–6.5. Succulents require fast-draining soil that dries completely between waterings. Ideally, you want to use our specialized potting mixGo to soil cactus mix blend 1 gal 4 qt cacti succulent dirt compost growing media that contains 5 natural substrates and organic mycorrhizae to promote the development of a strong root system that helps your Euphorbia firesticks Pencil Cactus to thrive. 

When it comes to fertilizing your pencil cactus plant, it only needs a small amount of fertilizer applied once a year in spring. Cacti prefer a fertilizer with lower doses of NPK, with a maximum ratio of 5-10-5 that is higher in phosphorus than nitrogen.

Hardiness Zones & More 

When growing indoors as a houseplant, the Euphorbia firestick can tolerate temperatures between 65 °F and 75 °F. Your Euphorbia firestick plant performs well in temperatures above 30 °F. However, it can withstand temperatures below that, but only for short periods of time.

In the United States, the Euphorbia tirucalli is mostly an indoor plant, but if you live in southern Florida or Hawaii then you can cultivate it outdoors in USDA zones 10 -11.

Growing these pencil cacti in containers is the best option if you live in an area with harsh winters.

By doing this, you can bring your Pencil Cactus indoors during the winter or any time there's a chance of frost or snow. Normal house humidity is fine for this Euphorbia, but it prefers dry conditions. 

Wildlife - Euphorbia tirucalli Attracts the Following Friendly Pollinators

The Euphorbia tirucalli flowers attract a variety of pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, with their bright colors and sweet nectar. These pollinators play a crucial role in the ecosystem by helping to fertilize plants and promote biodiversity.

Butterflies
Bees
Hummingbirds
Lady Bugs
Multi Pollinators
Other Birds

According to ASPCA, the Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks' is mildly toxic to humans and pets. It can irritate the skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal tract. However, it is safe to touch as long as precautions are taken to avoid contact with the sap. Wear gloves when handling this plant to prevent any potential skin irritation.

How to Propagate Your Pencil Cactus

When it comes to pencil cactus propagation, one common method is through stem cuttings. Simply take a cutting from a healthy pencil cactus, let it dry for a few days, and then place it in well-draining soil. Another method is through division, where you carefully separate the offsets or side shoots from the main plant and plant them individually.

Key Takeaways

  1. The stems of firesticks are as thin as pencils (hence the name) and turn a fire-red in the winter.
  2. Euphorbia Firesticks is a stunning variety that changes color with the seasons, turning bright red or orange tips in cooler temperatures or full sun.
  3. This succulent has a rapid growth rate, reaching up to 30 feet tall when grown outdoors, with a branching, upright form.
  4. During the spring and summer, the yellow flowers bloom in clusters on the end of the branch, usually for just a few days.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the pencil cactus (Euphorbia Firesticks) is a unique and striking succulent plant that adds a touch of elegance to any space. With its slender, pencil-like stems and vibrant green color, this sticks-on-fire cactus can truly be a showstopper. However, it's important to remember that the pencil cactus is not a true cactus but rather a succulent. It requires minimal care, preferring bright light and well-draining soil. By providing proper pencil cactus care, you'll have a beautiful and unique Euphorbia firestick plant that will thrive for years to come. 

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Hibenz
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
Amazing
Amazing! Very easy to set up and use. Comes with pre heating options.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2025
S
Verified Purchase
Stacey W.
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
I Love the Typhur Sync wireless meat thermometer
Size: 2 Probes, Size: 2 Probes
I Love the Typhur Sync wireless meat thermometer. I bought it on sale and it is worth the money. It is exactly what I wanted and hoped for in a remote temperature sensor. It also had a little paper that came with it with the factory tested calibrations listed for this unit. I had a chance to do some initial testing with the Typhur Sync yesterday Feb 23rd 2024. I did a little runthough to get acquainted with it using a store bought already cooked Baby Back rack of ribs. Not the best choice as it was already cooked but at $10 from Costco it was ok to sacrifice. And it still turned out good. I Cooked on a Weber Genesis E-330 propane grill and used a smoke tube. In the past I have used this propane gas grill to smoke Ribs, Port Shoulders and Brisket with a Smoke tube. It is possible using one side burner and a Smoke Tube. I had also previously tried smoking with a custom smoker tray from Weber for my grill, which used wood chips, but that was mostly a failure. And I tried a Hot and Cold smoker unit on the back but it had limited success with the heat on. But using a smoke tube and one burner on low you can do an ok smoke on the grill if you can verify your temperatures. What I always struggled with was having faith in the grill hood's thermometer. It turns out the thermometer reads hotter than what the grill temps actually are around the meat! That resulted in an even slower low and slow cook and would not develope bark on pork shoulder. Using the Typher Sync you can see the internal meat temps on 5 spots in the thermometer Probe plus it has one external ambient temperature sensor. So 6 total temps per Probe and you get two Probes! When using the wifi mode it never looses signal. The base unit just should be kept close to the smoker, like 3 to 60 feet or so and it will relay the bluetooth data from the Probes immediately to the wifi so you can use the APP to see your status of the cook. Alternatively you can just use the base with wifi or bluetooth in a manual or smart mode. When I did my test it did a firmware update prior to the start of the cook as it told me one was available to install. That took like 2 minutes since it was already in wifi mode. The firmware version I used was: 100016. From the APP you can configure 1 or 2 Probes for individual use on the same hunk or meat or two separate items on the same or different grills with the same or different cooking parameters. It depends on how you set it up. You choose the meat type and cut and the final temp to reach for that cut with some temperature recomendations that you can adjust. It senses the internal temps from 5 internal sensors and displays an temps of all 5 and an average depending on if you are in Basic mode (white background with less details) or Professional Mode (black background and more details) The Professional mode seems best for me. Seeing all the temps helps to verify that the Probe is placed in a good location. If it is improperly placed some readings may read too hot meaning it is too close to the surface or exposed. So in those cases, reposition the Probe. On a thick peice of meat the cent most sensor will read cooler than the others depending on their distance to the surface. You can use the external sensors to help determin how to position the meet for your cooker or grill. All grills swwm to have hot and cooler areas. If it is cooler on one side or the other, reposition the meat to get it more equal. Or use the cooler side for the thinner end of the meat. This can also be verified by the checking internal temperatures or you can use both probes on the same piece of meat like I did for this rack of ribs which naturally has a thicher end and a thinner end. I have included some of the pictures from the cook with some photos of the base unit and others in the App at various times on the cooking process. The app displays a graph with the target internal ending temperature, The current and past temperatures of each of the 5 interal sensors and the 1 external sensor. Each Probe has its own graph line on the screen. You can slide back and forth between the Probes. You can also go back to the main status screen that shows basic stats of both Probes on one screen at the same time but no graphs or individual sensor readings. It main status screen shows the averaged current reading for internal tempurature, ambiant external temp, target temp and the estimated remaining time before reaching the target tempurature. This is the same as the base unit will display. The Pro version of the app can be selected by toggling the icon in the upper righthand corner. It displays all the same information as the Basic mode and much more. The Pro version displays separate graph lines for each of the 6 temperature sensors. It also displays an outline of the Prope near the top of the display along with the positions of all the sensors in the Probe! You can press one of the temperature sensors locations and it will highlight its graph line. You can further slide your finger around that graph line and it displays the temperature at that position on the line! But the App also warns you that your cook is within 5 minutes of completing with an autible sound if you have your notification sound volume turned up. It also displays a message on top of the current APP screen display. And when you start the cook it will warn that your notification sound is not turned on or up enough. It has messages for each Probe for 5 minute before the cook ends, when the Cook completes, Please remove your food from heat, and Cooking complete after it is done with the 5 minute resting period. It also will remind you that your Probe was not returned to the base unit after a while of sitting in normal room temperatures! Along the way those warnings alert you with a chime sound via your notification sound. It also warns you if your notification sound is turned off when you go to complete the setup of your cook. The base unit will also alert and sound for most of these steps as well. The sound on the base unit will stop when you acknowledge the warning/alert on the App or the unit. The app and base unit also tracks the battery levels of the base unit and both Probes. During the 3 hours I played with it they were at Full the whole time. The App also has a pretty extensive meat setting menu for selecting your type of meat: Beef Pork, Poultry, Lamb, Fish and Other and Manual setting. Other has Venison, Mutton, Kangaroo, Goat and Other! It also lets you select the type of cut for that meat with suggest temps for all cuts. If appropriate it gives you temperature selections for Rare, Medium Rare, Medium, Medium Well, and Well done for most meats. And you can overide any of those to chose your own setting if you like it a bit more or less done. The App also has recipes but there are not currently any taylored for use with a Typhur Sync. But there is also an "Explore" section in the App that had some good articles. Make sure you press the arrow > link to see them all. It has topics like Reverse Sear Steak Temperature and Time, Carryover Cooking: Remove Your Meat at a Lower Temperature than Target, Best Tri Tip Temp: How to Know If Tri Tip is Done, How Long to Grill Chicken Breast Perfectly Juicy and various other guides. The Typhur Sync is a very nice quality unit. It works well and it will be great for keeping track of a longer 10+ hour brisket or shoulder. Or even for shorter cooks in a air fryer or oven or grill where you want a particular internal temperature and do not want to over shoot it by waiting to long on a recheck with a hand held unit. Please see all the photos for better detail. The place where the ambient temperature drops was from opening the grill hood to put some sauce on the ribs and check things. Great Product!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2024
A
Verified Purchase
Amy
Bozeman, US
★★★★★ 5
Great Product, Even Better Customer Service
Size: 2 Probes, Size: 2 Probes
I purchased this product last August and had kept it in storage without using it even once. A few days ago, I finally took the thermometer out for its first use, but even after charging it, there was no response and it would not turn on at all. At first, I was very disappointed and confused because I had never even had a chance to use it. I contacted customer service and provided a detailed report, including my purchase information, the condition of the device, and photos. Their team responded quickly and arranged to send me a replacement right away for the unit that had apparently become completely discharged and unusable. They shipped the new device the very next day and also provided the tracking number. The replacement arrived safely a few days later, and I was very happy to use it today. The Typhur Sync WiFi Wireless Meat Thermometer is very convenient to use. I really like its clean design, app connectivity, and the way it provides accurate real-time temperature readings. On top of that, Typhur’s customer service was clear, fast, and very helpful, which made my overall experience even more satisfying.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2026
W
Verified Purchase
William Fowler
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
Great Wireless meat thermometer.
Size: 2 Probes
The Typhur Sync WiFi Wireless Meat Thermometer works great. One of my favorite features is that it’s completely wireless—it makes cooking so much easier without having to deal with tangled cords. The phone app is a huge plus. It’s very convenient and versatile—you can use the preset settings or fully customize your cook. I especially like that you can set multiple alarms for different temperatures and situations. For example, I once forgot to check my wood chips and had an alert set if the temperature dropped below a certain point. Sure enough, the alarm went off, and when I checked, I was out of wood chips. That feature alone saved my cook. I also find the app much easier to use than the actual unit when setting everything up. As for accuracy, the temperature readings between the two probes are within a degree of each other and match up with my instant-read thermometer, which gives me a lot of confidence in the results. Overall, this is a reliable, user-friendly thermometer with great features. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone serious about grilling or smoking.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2026
M
Verified Purchase
M. Durkin
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
A Game-Changer for Perfect Grilling!
Size: 2 Probes
I've been using the Typhur Sync WiFi Wireless Meat Thermometer for a few months now, and it's hands down one of the best kitchen gadgets I've invested in. This thing is incredibly reliable, accurate, and convenient, making it a must-have for anyone who loves cooking meats to perfection without constant babysitting. Whether I'm smoking brisket low and slow or grilling steaks for a quick dinner, it delivers spot-on temperature readings every time, helping me avoid overcooking or undercooking disasters. I give it a solid 5 stars! One of the cool features is that it comes with two probes, clearly labeled with numbers 1 and 2. Just a heads up—you have to start with probe 1 inserted first for the system to recognize and sync properly; it's a minor quirk but easy to remember once you get the hang of it. The probes themselves and base are battery-operated and include USB-C rechargeable batteries, which is super handy—no more hunting for disposable ones. The probes charge automatically when inserted into the base. Charging them is straightforward, and they hold up well during long cooks. The real standout is the companion phone app, which elevates the whole experience. The wireless base unit connects to the probes via Bluetooth, but it can't be too far away from them, or they'll lose connectivity (I'd say keep it within 20-30 feet outdoors, depending on obstacles). That's where the app shines—it links to the base over WiFi, allowing you to monitor everything from your phone no matter how far a2ay you are, as long as the base is connected to the internet. I've checked on my roasts from the grocery store or even while running errands, getting real-time alerts for target temps or when it's time to rest the meat. It's freed me up to multitask without worrying. One small downside is that the base takes a long time to charge fully—sometimes a few hours—and it does drain slowly even when not in use, probably due to some standby power draw. I've gotten into the habit of plugging it in regularly, even between uses, to keep it ready to go. It's not a deal-breaker, but worth noting for anyone who might forget. Overall, for the price and performance, the Typhur Sync is worth every penny. It's made my BBQ sessions stress-free and consistently delicious. If you're serious about meat thermometry, grab this—you won't regret it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2026

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