The Best Place To Grow A Firestick Plant In Your Yard

The firestick plant (Euphorbia tirucalli) is a gorgeous succulent that can brighten up your garden with its green pencil-like stems that turn a brilliant orange when exposed to direct sunlight. To get the most impact from this stunning plant, you need to know the best place to grow it in your yard. As a tropical or semi-tropical species, it does best in warmer areas and can be successfully grown outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 12. Firesticks (also known as Indian tree spurge, pencil cactus, or finger tree) can also be grown indoors and is one of a number of plants with red leaves that are perfect for your indoor space. 

Being a succulent, firesticks do best in dry climates in low-traffic areas and are perfect for growing in rock gardens or more arid landscapes. The ideal temperature range for this plant ranges from 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the evening to 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. In very hot regions, firesticks will benefit from having some shade in the afternoon. Keep in mind that the sap contained in the plant is mildly toxic and can cause dermatitis and eye irritation, so wearing gloves and protective eyewear when handling this plant is recommended. Here are some of the best places to grow a firestick plant in your yard. Please note that this plant is considered invasive in Hawaii, with the potential for invasiveness in other warm climates, so make sure to keep it contained to your yard.

If you want to grow firesticks in your yard, plant it in a sunny spot with soil that is free-draining and not too high in nutrients. Because the branches can break easily and exude their toxic sap, it's best to grow firesticks away from high-traffic areas such as paths and walkways. That's why this is the perfect plant for a succulent display garden where foot traffic is minimal and children aren't likely to play, or you could mass plant it against a fence as a screen. When choosing the perfect spot for this plant, remember that it needs the soil to dry out in between watering. This makes firesticks the ideal plant for regions with minimal rainfall, especially when you're looking for succulents to enhance your drought-friendly lawn.

Another feature of the firesticks plant is that it's salt tolerant, making it the perfect addition to coastal gardens — especially in areas where you want to create a low-maintenance planting. This plant is also perfect for growing in large pots as part of a Mediterranean landscape. You can keep it trimmed to a more compact form as long as you take precautions to avoid getting the milky sap on your skin. However, if you don't live in the ideal area — one of the benefits of planting firestick plants in containers instead of the ground is that it's easier to control the plant's size and water requirements. Just make sure it gets a lot of sunlight as a houseplant.