Really frugal and easy to care for, the African pencil shrub seems to be an ideal plant for people without a green thumb. However, since it is also very poisonous, it is not particularly suitable for households with small children or animals.

The pencil bush is quite undemanding

Plant your pencil bush in a sufficiently large pot with well-drained and rather nutrient-poor soil. A drainage hole with a drainage layer above it successfully prevents waterlogging.

The ideal location for the pencil plant

The pencil plant prefers a very bright place, but only tolerates direct sunlight after a slow acclimatization. The plant is welcome to spend the summer outside, but since it is not hardy, it should be placed back in a warm place soon enough.

Water and fertilize the pencil plant properly

The pencil bush does not tolerate hard water very well and is sensitive to waterlogging. It is best to water it with rainwater and let the top layer of soil dry out a little in between.

In the summer, the shrub needs water about once a week. If it is cooler, it is enough to water the pencil plant every two weeks. Add some liquid fertilizer to your irrigation water once a month, but only during the summer months.

Properly prune the pencil bush

The pencil bush does not require pruning for healthy growth. However, it grows relatively quickly and can reach a size of up to three meters. If you do not have enough space for such a large houseplant, then you can certainly cut back your pencil bush.

The propagation of the pencil bush

The pencil bush can be easily propagated by cuttings. You can even use the clippings from any pruning that may have been carried out.

The essentials in brief:

  • frugal and very easy to care for
  • grows relatively quickly
  • not hardy
  • Pruning not necessary but possible
  • all parts of the plant poisonous
  • Location: as bright and sunny as possible
  • Cactus soil or soil-sand mixture
  • Water once a week when it's warm, every 2 weeks when it's cooler
  • Fertilize about once a month in summer
  • Avoid waterlogging
  • Propagation by cuttings

tips

Although the flamboyant pencil bush is very easy to care for and therefore quite suitable for people without a green thumb, you should not forget that it is also very poisonous.

Category:

Vegetable garden