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firestick succulent care

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firestick succulent care Buy 'Pencil Cactus - Euphorbia tirucalli Firesticks' Care and Growing GuideIntroducing 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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Mr. Douglas
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
The Best Book on the Creation-Evolution Debate
Format: Paperback
“The book The Evolution of Adam is an accessible study of the hermeneutical issues involved in reading Genesis and Paul on Adam in view of evolution.” - Peter Enns In my opinion The Evolution of Adam by Peter Enns is the best book available on the evolution versus creation debate because it goes right to the heart of the matter. Christians grossly misunderstand the creation stories in Genesis because they read them from a modern point of view. The first part of the book deals with Adam in Genesis. The second part of the book deals with Paul's Adam in Romans. The book is short and very well written for the popular audience. PART 1 ADAM IN GENESIS Many stories in the Old Testament have parallels with other Ancient Near Eastern stories. The Adam story is no different as it has strong similarities to Atrahasis. If I may quote Enns, “Israel's creation story was written to say something about their place in the world and the God they worshiped. To think that the Israelites, alone among all other ancient peoples, were interested in (or capable of) giving some definitive, quasi-scientific, account of human origins is an absurd logic. And to read the story of Adam and Eve as if it were set up to so such a thing is simply wrongheaded. It strains credulity to think that, of all the ancient peoples with origins stories, Israel alone escaped this story-telling mentality and gave us something approximating 'history' or 'science' in the modern sense.” The Evolution of Adam shows conclusively that, “the Adam story in Genesis is part of Israel’s literature of national and religious self-definition, not the origin of humanity.” The Adam story is not concerned with human origins as most Christians assume. Adam is Israel. Israel’s history as a nation can be broken down as follows:   1. Israel is “created” by God at the exodus through a cosmic battle (gods are defeated and the Red Sea is “divided”);   2. The Israelites are given Canaan to inhabit, a lush land flowing with milk and honey;   3. They remain in the land as long as they obey the Mosaic law;   4. They persist in a pattern of disobedience and are exiled to Babylon. Israel’s history parallels Adam’s drama in Genesis:   1. Adam is created in Genesis 2 after the taming of chaos in Genesis 1;   2. Adam is placed in a lush garden;   3. Law (not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil) is given as a stipulation for remaining in the garden;   4. Adam and Eve disobey and are exiled. PART 2 PAUL'S ADAM Paul’s use of the Adam story, like Paul’s other uses of the Old Testament, is marked by creativity and the prior conviction that Jesus is God’s unexpected solution to a universal plight. Enns' summary of Paul's Adam in Romans 5:12-21 is as follows: 1. Adam is hardly mentioned in the Old Testament. 2. Some see Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David as “new Adams.” Paul represents Jesus as a new Adam. 3. The Fall of man is not taught in the Old Testament. 4. The Fall of man is not taught in the Garden scene. The imputation of Adam’s sin is not taught in the garden story. 5. The Adam/Jesus Parallel in Romans 5 is both clear and not so clear. What does Paul mean when he says that through Adam’s sin, “death came to all, because all sinned.” One might have expected Paul to say, “because Adam sinned” (death is Adam’s fault). 6. Paul’s Jesus/Adam parallel does not stem from a “plain reading” of Genesis. It is selective and theologically driven. The Book of Romans is not about personal salvation, but about the Jew/Gentile relationship. 7. Paul was an ancient man and he had an ancient view of human origins. 8. Paul used the Old Testament in creative ways that violate the grammatical-historical-contextual approach. So he could be doing the same with Adam. 9. Adam was used creatively in Second Temple Jewish literature (Paul’s contemporaries). CONCLUSION Evolution and creation are not in conflict because the early chapters of Genesis have nothing to do with HOW God created the world or the first humans. Therefore science can be studied freely for what it is and the Old Testament can be understood as ancient Israel's story. If I may quote Enns again, “The root of the conflict over evolution and creation for many Christians is not scientific or even theological, but group identity and fear of losing what it offers. The challenge of evolution is here to stay, and its effect on how Christians read Genesis and Paul must be addressed deliberately.” “Evangelicals tend to focus on how to protect the Bible against the attacks of evolution. The real challenge before them is to reorient their expectation of what the story of Adam and Eve is actually prepared to deliver.” If you are looking to solve the evolution-creation debate in your mind then the Evolution of Adam is the book to read. Evolution and creation are both true. God created through evolution. The Bible is not a modern science book.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2012
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William M. Victor
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 4
Thoughtful book on the purpose of the Creation accounts
Format: Paperback
This book provides a very good introduction into how the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) was most likely formed. It takes very seriously the environment that may have shaped the Pentateuch. It also provides a good primer into how Paul read the Hebrew Bible: through the lens of the death and resurrection of Jesus. If the reader of the Bible understands the purpose behind the creation narratives then there appears to be less conflict with scientific explanations for the origins of the universe and even humanity. I was expecting this book to do something that Enns never claims he was setting out to do, that is give an alternative understanding of the origins of sin and death while taking Paul's account in Romans 5 seriously. Enns claims that Paul interpreted the Adam story in a way that he interpreted other accounts of the Hebrew Bible, through a Christological lens but with little regard to historical context. To Enns, Paul was a man of his time and just because Paul, a man uninformed by scientific explanations of the universe, understood Adam as a historical person doesn't mean those of us who are informed need to see it the same way. Enns values Paul's Christocentric lens on the Hebrew Bible, but comes just short of calling Paul wrong on his understanding of the origin of sin and death. If you are working through the issue of integration/synthesizing scientific thoughts on the origins of the universe and humanity (as well as trying to come to grips with the purpose of the Creation accounts in Genesis) this book will serve you well. If you are expecting Enns to provide that integration/synthesis for you, you will be disappointed.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2012
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Mark A. Chenoweth
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Enns' view of Adam will eventually dominate in the Evangelical academy
Format: Paperback
For years and years on end, I have been fascinated with trying to make Adam and Eve line up with evolution. I took a bunch of positions that I knew were ad-hoc but I didn't know what else to do at the time. One thing I couldn't figure out was why Genesis 1-3 seemed to be completely symbolic, yet Paul seemed to interpret it so literally. I read through Genesis 1-3 again and again and again. I picked up commentary after commentary. But the commentaries I read (other than Claus Westermann's-which is fantastic)seemed to make arbitrary jumps between interpreting the Adam story literally and symbolically. The attempts to literally interpret the story seemed to stem from a desire to stay faithful to Paul's reading of the story rather than from a desire to be faithful to the Genesis text. But shouldn't how Paul interprets the story be the final word on Adam for Christians? This is what The Evolution of Adam deals with. Paul's interpretation of the story in Romans and 1 Corinthians seemed to be a strange re-reading of the story...one that is overly literal. A talking snake? God walking in the garden? Every good Christian knows God doesn't have a body. So why in the world did Paul read this story so literally? It's this that Enns tries to answer. He shows us that Paul didn't intend to give us a historical critical exegesis of Genesis. Maybe Paul thought Adam was a literal person, maybe he didn't. This is beside the point. Enns shows that Paul was doing some pastoral reshaping of the Adam story along the lines of 2nd Temple Judaism to highlight the significance of Christ's death and resurrection. According to Enns' the "authorial intent" of Genesis 2 and 3 was of very little significance to Paul. Even if Paul knew (and there's good reason to believe he did) that Genesis doesn't indicate that Adam's sin has a universal effect on all humanity, he probably would have used the Adam story in the exact same way. Why? Because it was the best way to explain how Christ put Jews and Gentiles on an "equal footing." For Paul, Christ came first. Anything that could help explain the significance of Christ, even if that meant reshaping OT testament passages from their original "authorial intent," was fair game for Paul. And as Enns shows, it was also fair game for Paul's contemporaries. As Christians, we know we are sinners because we have a savior, not because Adam sinned. In the words of world-renowned Patristics professor and Eastern Orthodox scholar, John Behr, "We should not begin with a claim to know ourselves as sinful and then find a savior who corresponds to what we think our problems are...Christ provides the diagnosis of our condition and simultaneously provides the remedy." Enns' suggestions for the evolution debate are controversial among evangelicals, although they seem to be accepted by many Eastern Orthodox and Catholic academics today. Evangelicalism is a bit behind. Enns' book will provide for much discussion and will inflame reformed Evangenical fundamentalists like Albert Mohler. But his suggestions will ultimately be accepted by the majority of evangelical theologians in the next 100 or so years. I'm fairly sure of this. Although I'm Eastern Orthodox, Peter Enns' book is thoroughly orthodox, excellently argued, pastorally sensitive and ultimately game-changing for the Evangelical world. And although it seems many Orthodox are already talking Enns' game, to my knowledge, no one has written a book on the subject that actually tackles all the sticky exegetical issues. So Enns' book transcends the Protestant/Catholic/Orthodox divide. One thing Enns did leave out is what to do with the genealogies in scripture that mention Adam. If you are interested in a discussion of these, check out Daniel Harlow's article online entitled "After Adam: Reading Genesis in an Age of Evolutionary Science."
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Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2012
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AlbMonk
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
Opened My Eyes to a New View
Format: Kindle
Excellent book. Entirely changed the way that I have looked at the origins debate. I have been a lifelong literal creationist for most of my Christian life. But, in recent years I have begun to question this view and look a bit closer at how evolution could in fact be reconciled with the creation story. And, this book has most certainly helped with this journey. "The Evolution of Adam" is broken up into two major parts with each part broken up into several more detailed subsets: 1) Genesis: An Ancient Story of Israelite Self-definition; 2) Understanding Paul's Adam. It is from these two parts where Enns believes he can establish an understanding about the Genesis story, Adam, and where evolution could fit into the story. Using textual criticism, Enns makes numerous conclusions based on both biblical and extra-biblical resources. Here are just a few that I have observed: 1) The Genesis account is NOT a book about origins, but a wisdom book about Israel's identity as a chosen people. Never did the Jewish people claim or believe Genesis was about the origins of the world and humanity. 2) Enns also surmises that Genesis was likely written post-exilic by the prophet Ezra at a time when Israel had lost its identity in Babylonian captivity and were seeking a renewed national identity that had been lost. 3) The Genesis creation story closely resembles numerous other creation stories of Israel's neighboring cultures (i.e. Atrahasis, Enuma Elish, Gilgamesh). 4) That Adam was a proto-type of Israel (i.e. loved by God, disobeys Gods command, and suffers the consequences, exiled from the garden/Babylon). 5) That Paul's Adam was explained in the context of 1st century Judaism and was using Adam as a mere metaphor and example of spiritual death for both Jews and gentile alike. 6) Adam could have possibly been the first homo-sapien that became aware of his spiritual nature, but hominids could have existed prior to Adam. 7) Nowhere in the Old Testament and Jewish history was Adam known to be the conduit for which sin became an inherited nature passed on to all of mankind. Where I think this book is lacking is where evolution comes into play. Enns spends most of his time breaking down and dissecting the creation story, but spends very little time building up the evolution process and how it fits in. Nevertheless, we cannot dismiss the science of evolution at the expense of taking the creation/Adam account literally. There is wiggle room in these two ideologies to allow for both God's divine creation and scientific evolution. Great book. Must be read with an open mind. If you hold firmly to creationism and believe it to be the ONLY way, then this book is likely not for you. But, if you are open to the possibility that Genesis is not a scientific book about human origins, then you may find this to be quite good. Enns speaks in such a way that this book is not too academic and easy enough for the average layman to understand. it is highly recommended.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2014
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West Virginia Born
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
Very insightful
Format: Paperback
I am a materialistic atheist and I liked this book a lot. Perhaps that is why Peter Enns lost his teaching position! I certainly would not agree with Enns on his religious views but I found his scholarship & willingness to stray from closed-minded literalism refreshing. I learned quite a bit about Paul and his modus operandi in dealing with OT passages. I was presented a way of thinking about Genesis that transcended "it's just a metaphor" or "its just an ancient myth". Basically, my take home messages were 1) the Bible was compiled in its final form during exilic/post-exilic times though it contains some much older material 2) the OT was written as a means of self-definition & self-explanation for the Jewish people after the trauma of exile 3) the Bible is "incarnational", meaning both divine & human (those who demand it be free of its chronological & cultural milieu are being unreasonable) 4) God can "inspire" by stooping to our level & it's unwise to tell God what he can & can't do in terms of revelation 5) the Bible has no intent to be scientific and historical in early Genesis 6) Paul is a bigger obstacle to accepting evolution to many Christians than Genesis 7) by tying Adam & Eve to original sin & origin of death, Paul re-shapes/reinterprets the story in a way that seems foreign to OT writers 8) rejecting evolution means rejecting Pauline theology for many and 9) Paul, who also re-writes OT meaning in Abraham (faith vrs law; "seed(s)", uses Adam to put Jew and gentile on equal footing in needing grace/Christ's sacrifice/obedience for salvation. Christ, as second Adam, undoes damage of first Adam for ALL (Jew & gentile) willing to accept the gift of grace. Paul uses midrash/pesher arguments for his Christological interpretations with "creative engagement" of OT texts. Again, while Enns and I probably have very little common ground for agreement, I appreciated the book & was struck by this passage at the end: "...the light of science does not shine with equal brightness in every corner. There is mystery. There is transcendence. By faith I believe that the Christian story has deep access to a reality that materialism cannot provide and cannot be expected to know. That is a confession of faith, I readily admit, but when it comes to accessing ultimate reality, we are all in the same boat, materialistic atheists included: at some point we must trust in something or someone beyond logic and evidence, even if it is to declare that there is nothing beyond what we see." While I wouldn't agree totally with that statement, it strikes me as very honest, sincere & open-minded. Good book whether you agree or disagree with it.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2012

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