Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Origin
Southern Africa
Hybrid origin
Types
Firesticks, Old Man's Beard
Not Available
Habitat
Desert, Hilly upland habitat, Semi desert
moist forests, Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-13
4-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Yellow
Purple, Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Red orange
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Yellow green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Light Green, Orange Red
Green
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Late Spring, Summer
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Needs good drainage, Water less during winter, Water more in summer
Needs very little water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Not Available, Red blotch
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Not Available
Single
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Not Available
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Allergy
Eye irritation, Numb Lips
Itchiness, Not Available, Sore Throat
Aesthetic Uses
Mixed Border, Ornamental use, Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Medicinal Uses
Antiasthamatic, anti-cancer, Antitumor, Cough, Ear ache
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Latex, Root
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as firewood, Used as Ornamental plant
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
EUPHORBIA tirucalli
Averrhoa bilimbi
Common Name
aveloz, firestick plants, Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, pencil cactus, sticks on fire, milk bush, Euphorbia tirucalli
Bilimbi, Mimbro
In Hindi
Sher-kandvel
Bilimbi
In German
Bleistiftstrauch
bilimbi
In Spanish
Pencil Plant
bilimbi
In Portuguese
avelós
bilimbi
In Latin
Aveloz
Rondo Beardtongue
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Euphorbiales
Oxalidales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Oxalidaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Euphorbieae
Not Available
Subfamily
Euphorbioideae
Not Available
Number of Species
Not Available
Importance of Pencil Plant and Bilimbi
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Pencil Plant and Bilimbi. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Pencil Plant and Bilimbi as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Pencil Plant is Antiasthamatic, anti-cancer, Antitumor, Cough and Ear ache whereas of Bilimbi is Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity and Tonic. Pencil Plant has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Bilimbi has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of Pencil Plant vs Bilimbi
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Pencil Plant vs Bilimbi and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Pencil Plant are Eye irritation and Numb Lips whereas of Bilimbi have Itchiness, Not Available and Sore Throat respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Pencil Plant has no showy fruits and Bilimbi has no showy fruits. Also Pencil Plant is not flowering and Bilimbi is not flowering . You can compare Pencil Plant and Bilimbi facts and facts of other plants too.