Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Firesticks, Old Man's Beard
-
Number of Varieties
23
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Hilly upland habitat, Semi desert
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-134-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-1
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, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Red orange
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Yellow green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Light Green, Orange Red
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Tiny
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs good drainage, Water less during winter, Water more in summer
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Eye irritation, Numb Lips
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Mixed Border, Ornamental use, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiasthamatic, anti-cancer, Antitumor, Cough, Ear ache
-
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Latex, Root
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as firewood, Used as Ornamental plant
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
EUPHORBIA tirucalli
BETULA nigra
Common Name
aveloz, firestick plants, Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, pencil cactus, sticks on fire, milk bush, Euphorbia tirucalli
River Birch
In Hindi
Sher-kandvel
River Birch
In German
Bleistiftstrauch
Fluss Birch
In French
Aveloz
Birch river
In Spanish
Pencil Plant
river Birch
In Greek
Aveloz
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
avelós
river Birch
In Polish
Aveloz
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Aveloz
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Euphorbiales
Fagales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Euphorbia
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Euphorbieae
-
Subfamily
Euphorbioideae
-
Number of Species
13
1
27800
👆🏻