Firesticks Euphorbia

Firesticks (Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks') is the succulent that colours up when you treat it hard. Pencil thin stems build into a coral like shrub around 2.5m tall and 1.5m wide, shifting from lime green to hot orange and red through cool weather in full sun. One warning first: the milky sap is caustic and toxic to people and pets.

Why you'll love it

• Colour without flowers. The stems carry the display, deepening to orange and red as nights cool, so it looks best when little else does.
• Sculptural year round. Branching pencil stems make an architectural silhouette against a rendered wall, paving or gravel.
• Almost no water. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and salt tolerant, a genuine set and forget plant for hot, exposed positions.
• Works in a pot. It stays well short of 2.5m in a container, so a balcony or courtyard can hold one for years.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single specimen against a plain wall or in a gravel bed, where the stem structure reads clearly. Site it away from paths and play areas because of the sap.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A wide pot of free draining cactus mix suits it, and the restricted root run intensifies the colour. Skip the saucer.

Coastal and rock gardens. Salt tolerance suits exposed coastal blocks, and sharp drainage between rocks gives the dry conditions that bring out the strongest orange.

Growing Firesticks in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. Shade turns the stems plain green and soft. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens, and takes light frost only. In Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and cold inland districts, grow it in a pot that can move under cover for winter.

Soil. Free draining above all. Sandy and gravelly soils are ideal. On clay, mound the planting position 200mm and mix through coarse sand. Wet soil in winter is the one thing that reliably kills it.

Water and feed. Water only to establish, roughly fortnightly through the first summer, then leave it alone. Feeding is unnecessary, and rich soil produces soft green growth instead of colour.

Pruning and safety. Prune in warm weather to shape. Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection every time, because the milky sap burns skin and can cause serious eye injury. Keep it away from children and pets, and wash tools afterwards.

What to expect when it arrives

Three sizes are grown: 300mm pots sold singly, 250mm in packs of three, and 200mm in packs of six. Single 300mm plants are the pick for a feature or a pot. The multi packs suit a gravel bed or a hot wall, where several plants give the massed coral effect.

Stems are brittle and a few may snap in transit, which is cosmetic. Handle the plant by the pot. Colour often arrives muted and deepens over the first cool season in full sun. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full succulent and cacti range.
• Compare succulents for hot climates.
• See other low maintenance plants that thrive in full sun.
• Find companions in plants for balconies.

Common questions

Is it safe around children and pets?

No. The milky sap is caustic and toxic to people, cats and dogs. It irritates skin, is dangerous in the eyes, and causes vomiting if chewed. Plant it out of reach and wear gloves whenever you cut it.

How do I get the orange colour?

Full sun, lean soil and cool nights. A hot dry position with no fertiliser produces far better tones than a well fed plant in part shade.

Will it survive a frost?

Light frost only. A hard frost damages the stems and can kill a young plant, so in cold districts keep it potted and move it under cover.

How big will it get in a pot?

Usually 1m to 1.5m, short of its 2.5m in open ground. Root restriction keeps it compact and the colour is often better for it.