How to Prune and Handle Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’ Amazing tips

In my new English-Spanish video, landscaper José Arias of Borrego Springs, CA explains and shows how to manage a beautiful succulent with toxic, milky sap: Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’.

En inglés y español, el paisajista José Arias de Borrego Springs, CA explica y muestra cómo podar y manipular árbol de los dedos, una hermosa suculenta que tiene una savia lechosa y tóxica.

About Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire'

This South African succulent, sometimes called firesticks or pencil tree, originated as a sport (offshoot) of larger, solid-green Euphorbia tirucalli. Both are easy to grow in coastal areas of Southern California and Mexico where temperatures stay above 32 degrees. Over time plants get large---up to 15 feet tall.

Be careful pruning it

Like all euphorbias, 'Sticks on Fire' has a white, milky sap. The liquid can cause irritation of the skin and is especially painful and dangerous to the eyes. In the video, Sr. Arias tells how not knowing this sent him to the hospital. Obviously, you shouldn't plant it or any other euphorbia where children and pets play.

Don’t be afraid of it

Follow José's simple tips on how to trim and manage Euphorbia tirucalli (arbol de los dedos), and it will be a gorgeous enhancement to your landscape for years to come.

What do do with cuttings

Carry them to the green waste bin by the dry branches, with raw ends facing away from you. Or use them to start new plants: Simply stick upright in coarse, friable soil that drains well.

Prune in summer or fall

Best time to trim euphorbias is during the dry season. After winter and spring rains, the plants may become engorged with sap that may squirt when limbs are cut.

Plan for drips

In my video, cuttings land on a dirt bank, so dripping sap doesn't matter. When I prune mine, I set cuttings on newspaper to catch milky puddles. Then I wrap the newspaper around the cuttings when I transport them. The latex sap doesn't damage hardscape, but it's sticky, and I don't want to track it into my house.

Essential items

Note that when pruning Euphorbia tirucalli, Sr. Arias wears gloves, long sleeves and trousers (so sap doesn't get on his skin), plus sunglasses. Instead of short pruners, he uses long-handled "bypass loppers."

Long-handled pruners (bypass loppers) let you trim euphorbia branches with precision while staying well away from dripping cuts. They're useful for many other pruning tasks as well.

Why grow 'Sticks on Fire'?

It's colorful and practical. As far as I'm concerned, it's main downside is that it's frost-tender. Apart from occasional trimming (every three or four years), it needs no care at all. Here are seven examples.

Its liquid sap makes 'Sticks on Fire' an effective firebreak (shown here in Dr. Camille Newton's garden).

It repeats the red of aloes in midwinter

'Sticks on Fire' needs no more water nor care than large agaves, and contrasts beautifully with them in color and texture.

It makes a statement in any landscape, especially amid large boulders.

'Sticks on Fire' makes an easy-care hedge and backdrop plant.

It perfectly frames other large succulents.

It offers design repetitions and contrasts not possible with other dry-garden plants. 

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Succulent Euphorbias: Photos, IDs, Garden Uses, Cautions

Euphorbia Uses, Photos and Cautions Native primarily to South Africa, succulent euphorbias thrive outdoors in mild, arid maritime climates. They’re wonderfully sculptural and collectible, but do be careful when handling. See All Succulent Types Aeonium Agaves Aloes Cactus Crassula Echeveria Euphorbias Ice Plants Kalanchoe Portulacaria Senecio About SUCCULENT EUPHORBIAS Euphorbia is a huge genus composed of…

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How Succulents Protected a Home from Wildfire

Such reports aren’t unprecedented. Suzy Schaefer’s succulent garden in Rancho Santa Fe “saved our home,” she told me (and national media) after the Witch Creek Fire. I had heard of others as well. Even so, I was skeptical. True, succulents tend to cook rather than burn and don’t transmit flames. But wildfire is so intense it melts metal…

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Why You Need Tree Aloes Amazing tips

If you have room in your garden and your climate is mild with a maritime influence, consider adding a tree aloe or two. Aloe barberae (aka Aloe bainesii, Aloidendron barberae), Africa's largest aloe, is sculptural, intriguing and dramatic. It's also a great source of the partial shade so desirable for soft-leaved succulents.

A tree aloe's leaf clusters cast starburst shadows.

Nurseries may sell rooted, boxed specimens for thousands of dollars, but like most succulents, tree aloes will start from cuttings---even large cuttings several feet long and branched.

DLB in wonderland

At Aloes in Wonderland---horticulturist Jeff Chemnick's home nursery in Santa Barbara---I descended into a forest of mature aloe trees. It was a surreal experience: South Africa in Southern CA.

In the aloe forest. Just out of view: the Cheshire Cat. 

After the Fire

Jeff explained that when a wildfire destroyed his previous home in 2008, it also damaged a large Aloe barberae. When he removed the tree to make way for new construction, he salvaged its intact limbs. "I dug holes and stuck them in the ground," he recalls. "Like post holes, as if you were building a fence."

Jeff admits it was an experiment. He had no idea what would happen. "The rains came, and the cuttings rooted and started to grow," he says. He discovered that under optimal conditions, in-ground tree aloes grow up to two feet per year!

Success Tips

Here's what Jeff advises for Aloe barberae and similar Aloe 'Hercules' (a thicker-leaved x Aloe dichotoma hybrid):

Sun

Tree aloes need plenty of sun, ideally on a slope that's not north-facing (too shady).

Space

Give lots of room. Trunks and bases get massive over time, so don't plant close to buildings, pipes or pools. Avoid crowding a young tree aloe with more vigorous shrubs that might smother it.

Good Soil

Plant in fast-draining, loamy, sandy soil. The ideal pH is neutral or slightly acidic. Aloe trees like compost, too.

Water

Don't irrigate during cold, wet months. For optimal growth and flowering, water sparingly (once a month) up to weekly during hot, dry spells.

Cold protection

Cover when frost is predicted, especially when trees are young.

Fertilizer

In summer, apply a cactus-and-succulent fertilizer high in nitrogen, ideally with trace elements and micronutrients.

Tree aloe propagation

"Truncheons"---limbs with branches and leaf clusters---nearly always root, and having a small tree from the get-go is well worth a try.

Although some people prefer to let cuttings or truncheons dry several weeks, then root them in coarse sand (such as decomposed granite), Jeff plants them immediately. "They might take a few months to root and the leaves will fade somewhat," he says, "but once the leaves turn green again, you’re off to the races!"

Visiting Aloes in Wonderland

Jeff's Aloes in Wonderland is a landscaped, multi-acre botanic garden in which every plant is for sale. Yes, earth-moving equipment is sometimes needed. And yes, he'll whack off a tree aloe limb for you.

In addition to aloes, Jeff specializes in cacti, euphorbias, agaves and other large succulents; bromeliads (notably dyckias and hechtias), and cycads (which resemble stiff-leaved, upright palms). He also leads plant-habitat expeditions to Mexico and beyond.

So, what did I bring home?

Above: My new vining Cyphostemma quinatum and---to make the Mad Hatter green---an Aloes in Wonderland T-shirt. Hey Jeff, maybe do a ball cap?

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Join Me on Succulent Adventures with Annie Amazing tips

Coming here was part of the effervescent Annie's southern succulent adventures. Above: Annie interviewed me for Mountain Crest's video series featuring succulent experts. Below: This viewer's comment made my heart sing.

come Succulenting with Annie and me! 

Join me and Annie Schreck, on-air host and researcher at Mountain Crest Gardens, for a video series of succulent adventures. In the video above, Annie and I discuss how and why succulents became superstars in the garden and floral world.

Much more ahead!

During their week in San Diego, I took Annie and Jeremy-the-videographer to top succulent destinations (some well known, some not). We also filmed succulent design projects. Our discoveries and DIYs will be either on MCG's YouTube channel or on mine. Subscribe to both so you won't miss a single one!

What the...? Who? Where? Hang with us and find out!

Why Annie + Me

Mountain Crest Gardens nursery, with which I'm proudly affiliated, is the largest mail-order succulent supplier. No surprise Annie knows small, cold-climate and indoor succulents extremely well. I'm proficient with in-ground varieties that don't go much below freezing. We happily overlap in the realm of container gardening.

Why San Diego?

What brought Annie from far northern CA to the Epicenter of All Things Succulent? For one, to see how big the plants get. What starts out in a 3-inch pot in MCG's greenhouses may in coastal Southern CA become immense in 20 years. Good to know.

Where did we go?

Not to spoil surprises, but you'll find a list of San Diego (and beyond) succulent destinations on my site. It gives 50 nurseries, public gardens and streetside gardens (and no, we didn't do them all!). Descriptions help you winnow your choices.

I've noted with an asterisk must-sees if you...

• only have a few days
• want an hour or more of memorable exploring
• want something easy-to-find
• have a companion indifferent to succulents (!) but likely to enjoy great settings with lots to see.

Coming Up!

Video footage professionally edited by MCG's team presents the best bits and expert tips. As always, our goal is  to entertain and enlighten you, and to increase your knowledge and enjoyment of succulents.

Remember to subscribe to both MCG's channel and mine so you won't miss a single new release. See you soon!

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Late Summer Succulent Care Amazing tips

Excessive heat and sun can do as much damage as midwinter frosts. Use the summer care tips here and in my video to keep your succulents healthy when the heat hits.

Shade smooth-leaved and variegated succulents

Unless you live in a mild, maritime location, those that I call "the pretty little ones" will need protection from scorching summer sun. It's usually fine if they get several hours of early morning or late afternoon sun then bright or dappled shade the rest of the day. (See how I define Types of Shade.) But they're in danger of burning in strong late morning and early-to-mid afternoon sun. If need be, throw a sheet or shade cloth over exposed aeoniums, aloes, echeverias, kalanchoes, and the like.

Don't assume cacti are OK

Once established, most cacti, yuccas, agaves and other succulents native to Mexico and the Southwest sail through Southern CA summers. But keep in mind that even in their native habitats, young cacti grow beneath "nurse plants" that shelter them from harsh conditions. Don't let those babies burn!

Above: View from my deck during a mid-August heat wave that sent temps into the triple digits. I'm located midway between ocean and desert. When temps rise into the 90s in late summer, thunderheads appear in the eastern sky. Occasionally the storms drift this way and we see flashes of lightning and may even get rain.

watch your rock-garden plants

Sempervivums (hens-and-chicks) and sedums (stonecrops) thrive in the northern and eastern US and in Europe. Farther south, they suffer when nighttime temperatures stay above 70 degrees F. If possible, keep them shaded and cool. If not, consider them annuals. Btw, certain sedums (and Sedum crosses such as graptosedums) with fat, thumb-sized leaves may stress to shades of red and orange---not a bad thing.

Monitor soil moisture

Soil that goes bone dry may not kill thick-leaved and -trunked succulents, but if fine root filaments desiccate, growth will slow or cease. In pots you can test soil moisture by inserting a chopstick; if soil clings, it's moist. In the garden, increase the duration of auto irrigation. Supplement it with hose watering when woody perennials begin to droop.

Soak plants before leaving town

Generally if other conditions are met, succulents won't miss you if you water them well before you leave, then again when you return. As an extra precaution in case temperatures rise significantly while you're gone, move potted succulents into shade.

Don't stress over LOSSES

Gardening is a process, and sometimes the only way to know what will do well is to lose a few plants. Weather extremes lead to valuable lessons. Consider any casualties a learning experience, and fill gaps with tougher plants when weather cools.

See the video

See my video on protecting succulents from summer heat and sun

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Summer Care for Succulents: Heat and Sun Concerns

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Tom Cole’s Remarkable Rare Aloe Nursery Amazing tips

On a recent trip to Santa Barbara, I visited Tom Cole at his home nursery, Cold Spring Aloes, in Montecito near Lotusland. In my new video, you'll discover how Tom's remarkable efforts are expanding and enhancing our world of succulents. Above: Aloe lukeana, red form (Tom Cole photo). 

The Aloe that started it all

Tom Cole grew up around succulents in Santa Barbara, and although his wasn't a gardening family, he recognizes a remarkable aloe when he sees one. When exploring the "odd mountain" near where he lived and worked in East Africa, he ran across native species not seen elsewhere. Two decades ago, Tom brought home seed from a Mozambique aloe that had looked him in the eye (it was that tall). "Aloe excelsa started it all," he says, stroking its six-foot descendent's downward-curving leaves.

Aloe excelsa: The aloe that started it all (Tom Cole photo)

Seed-Grown Species

Although Tom's main focus is overseeing humanitarian aid efforts in Africa (supported by foundations such as Oprah Winfrey's), his aloe-collecting hobby has grown---literally---into a small botanical garden and nursery. Today he has hundreds of exotic, seed-grown Aloe species in pots and in the garden. Apart from a few aloes from regions of Africa that dislike Southern California's winter rains, Tom's specimens look as good as (if not better than) those in habitat.

Tom shows Aloe lukeana, named after his late brother.

Solely by word-of-mouth, Cold Spring Aloes attracts collectors and professional landscapers alike. To conserve little-known Aloe species, Tom shares seeds with the Huntington Botanical Gardens, the Institute for Aloe Studies, and discerning growers. "I feel very blessed in my work that I get to be in areas of the world that almost everyone else who grows aloes doesn't have the opportunity to visit," he says, adding that his goal is "to get these species out there, because they're really tremendous."

Famed aloe expert Kelly Griffin gives kudos to Tom Cole on Facebook (screen capture)

Keeping species pure

Winter is most aloes' bloom season, but at any time of the year at least a few are in flower. He encloses seed capsules with mesh bags so irreplaceable one-of-a-kinds don't hybridize. "Aloes are promiscuous," Tom explains. "They're easily cross-pollinated by bees and hummingbirds." He wants pure seed; with over 600 known species of Aloe, he has no interest in hybrids.

Tom's discoveries

Tom discovered and named three Aloe species: A. wanalensis, A. butiabana, and A. lukeana; and subspecies A. labworana ssp. longifolia. He based the names on locations for all except a glossy green one. This he named in memory of "one of my heroes and mentors," his late brother Luke, who in 2009 at 46 died in a car accident in Uganda. After noting the tragedy, Tom fell silent then added, "he lives on in these plants."

Map of Africa. Uganda is near the lake at middle right.

More About Tom Cole

Tom Cole co-authored with Tom Forrest A Field Guide to the Aloes of Uganda.

He is co-founder of African Women Rising, a community-based organization empowering thousands of women in post-war Uganda.

Cold Spring Aloes is open by appointment only. Call 805/455-6440; email: Thomas.chappell.cole@gmail.com; or via Instagram: Aloejourney

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Seaside’s Superb Botanical Garden Near Santa Barbara Amazing tips

I'm guessing the price of admission for most botanical gardens is around $20. Granted, many are huge, but what if I told you there's a botanical garden near Santa Barbara on 3-1/2 acres that's free? It's part of an equally impressive nursery---Seaside Gardens, in Carpinteria.

Recently a friend and I stopped at Seaside on a trip to Santa Barbara [learn why we went]. We hadn't planned to spend much time. Well! Seaside's display gardens have always been lovely, but it's astonishing how world-class they've become. The nursery itself also is much grander and more impressive than I remembered. The pot inventory alone...!

In the midst of Seaside's succulent garden is a swath of blue Senecio mandraliscae

I imagine you can relate: There's nothing as energizing as a great garden. We no longer felt tired after hours of driving, nor were we as rabid to get to our host's in Montecito (la-dee-dah). Plus we had to share the cool stuff we'd found. Gal pal (@roachpk on IG) filmed as I flitted, exclaiming over immense tree succulents, enticing pathways, and all sorts of exotics.

Map of Seaside Gardens

Santa Barbara's mild, maritime climate has long made it a garden haven, with numerous nurseries and plants from the world over. In the gallery below, you'll see my Seaside faves. Of course nothing can compare with actually going there and experiencing it with all your senses. And if you do, please let us know what you think!

Your turn...When it comes to botanic gardens you've visited, which is your favorite? Any on your wish list?

Gallery: Seaside Gardens Nursery

Agave attenuata (blue form), Euphorbia milii

Aeonum (Catlin hybrid)

Agave gypsophila flower

Aloe 'Hercules'

Aloe elgonica, flowers

Aloe arborescens, variegated

Aloe elgonica, stressed

Aloe eminensis

Aloe marlothii, Succulent Garden

Anigozanthus (kangaroo paw)

Asian Garden

Australian Garden

Australian garden2

Beaucarnea recurvata, jade

Brachychiton rupestris

Callistemon 'Little John'

Cyphostemma juttae

Dasylirion longissimum

Dianella tasmanica

Furcraea, Puya

Drayndra-leaved banksia

Garden path

Haworthia coarctata

Lily pond

Nursery area

Nursery potting area

Nursery shop, small succulents

Pot rainbow

Seaside Gardens Sign

Small succulents, pots

South African garden

Succulent Garden2

Succulent Garden3

Succulent Garden4

Succulent Garden6

Succulent Garden5

Succulent Garden, showing a swathe of blue Senecio mandraliscae

Tropical Garden

Yucca rostrata, Agave gypsophila flower

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