What are the latest propagation methods for the pencil tree?

The pencil tree is a succulent plant. We may be quite unfamiliar with this plant. Because of its peculiar shape, with no flowers or leaves on the whole plant, only branches, it got its name because it looks like sticks inserted in a tree. Then as for its propagation methods, surely many people do not know them either. Below we will talk about some aspects of its propagation.

Morphological characteristics

Also known as the green jade tree, dragon bone tree, and immortal stick, it is a tropical shrub or small tree, with a plant height of about 2-6 m. The leaves are small, alternate, and round-linear, but the leaves are sparse and fall off easily, so the plant remains leafless all year round. It has many branches, mostly opposite or whorled, which replace the leaves in photosynthesis. The flowers are cymose at the branch tips, yellow-white in color, with small bracts. The fruit is a capsule, dark black in color, with the surface closely covered in soft hairs. The plant is green when young and gray when old.

How to propagate

The pencil tree rarely flowers and fruits, so the propagation method is mostly cuttings. Before propagation, good soil must be selected, soil with good drainage. The soil can be prepared with leaf mold, garden soil, and river sand. A little slow-release fertilizer can be placed at the bottom of the pot as base fertilizer. For convenient drainage, some crushed stone or tiles can be placed at the bottom of the pot.

Propagation steps

1. Prepare scissors, pencil tree branches, water, a soil-loosening tool, and the prepared potting soil.

2. Use the scissors to cut a branch from the pencil tree branch.

3. Loosen the potting soil.

4. Dig a hole in the center of the loosened potting soil.

5. Place the pencil tree branch to be propagated into the shallow hole.

6. Fill in soil, secure the branch, and water until the soil is moist.

It can take root after about three weeks. Warm conditions are favorable for rooting. After 4 weeks, it can be transplanted into a large pot for permanent planting.

Precautions

The milky sap of the pencil tree is toxic, has carcinogenic effects and can promote tumor growth. Contact with the skin can cause redness and swelling, and getting it into the eyes can cause temporary blindness. Be very careful when pruning branches. Also, do not wait for its sap to dry before inserting it into the soil for propagation, as this results in a low survival rate.

The above is all the content on the propagation methods of the pencil tree. In addition, the morphological characteristics of the pencil tree were also introduced. You can also observe it in daily life, so as to avoid being poisoned by touching its sap out of momentary curiosity.