Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Africa
Central America, Mexico
Types
Firesticks, Old Man's Beard
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
23
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Hilly upland habitat, Semi desert
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-137-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Red orange
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Yellow green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Light Green, Orange Red
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Tiny
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs good drainage, Water less during winter, Water more in summer
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
Eye irritation, Numb Lips
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Mixed Border, Ornamental use, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiasthamatic, anti-cancer, Antitumor, Cough, Ear ache
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Latex, Root
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as firewood, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
EUPHORBIA tirucalli
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
aveloz, firestick plants, Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, pencil cactus, sticks on fire, milk bush, Euphorbia tirucalli
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Sher-kandvel
Mousemelon
In German
Bleistiftstrauch
Maus Melone
In French
Aveloz
Mousemelon
In Spanish
Pencil Plant
Mousemelon
In Greek
Aveloz
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
avelós
melão rato
In Polish
Aveloz
mysz melona
In Latin
Aveloz
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Euphorbiales
Cucurbitales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Euphorbia
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Euphorbieae
Melothrieae
Subfamily
Euphorbioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
150
1
27800
👆🏻