How to Kill & Remove Euphorbia Tirucalli
Native to Madagascar, where frosts don't occur and the soil is warm and fast-draining, the pencil plant (Euphorbia tirucalli) matures into a small, succulent tree up to 25 feet tall. In the United States, it may also be colloquially known as Indian tree-spurge, finger plant, pencil cactus or sticks-on-fire. Tolerant of heat, dry and impoverished soils, pencil plant easily survives in an abandoned or low-maintenance garden. Killing and removing it is treacherous and labor-intensive, as it will sprout from any lingering roots or stem fragments left on the ground. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Long sleeve shirt
- Long pants
- Closed shoes
- Goggles
- Thick gloves, leather or fabric
- Paper towel or cloth rags
- Pruning saw or chainsaw
- Shovel
- Pick-ax
- Wheelbarrow
Instructions
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Put on a long-sleeved shirt and thick gloves to protect your skin from the copious milky, poisonous latex that bleeds from any cuts into the pencil plant. Long pants, closed-toe shoes and eye goggles also ensure no sap creates an irritation or painful reaction if dripped onto bare skin or in your mouth or eyes. Have a roll of paper towels or clean rags nearby to clean up any tools or your skin if too much sap bleeds and runs as you work.
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Cut the main trunk or stems of the pencil plant to a height of 3 to 6 inches above the soil. On a small, shrubby plant, a pruning saw should readily cut through the stem. If the pencil plant is a small tree, a chainsaw will quickly and cleanly cut the trunk, minimizing labor. Diminish any contact with the fleshy leaves on the plant, as any break will drip the toxic sap, potentially creating a more hazardous and slippery work environment. Cut side branches away only to improve access; the fewer the cuts and sap-bleeding areas, the better.
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Discard branches and leaf segments by placing them in a wheelbarrow for moving. If possible, allow them to bleed and callus dry on the ground at the site. Pick them up to haul away to a rubbish pile or the landfill days later. Pick up all stem and leaf fragments, as they may root and become new plants.
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Let the stem or trunk base of the pencil cactus to air dry and callus for one to seven days. Immediately clean tools and gloves of sap with water or wipe dry with towels or rags. Keep the clothing in a dry place to use later in the week for stump and root removal.
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Put protective clothing and goggles back on when it's time to tackle plant removal.
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Slice into the soil around the trunk or stem stumps with a sharp-bladed, sturdy-handled shovel or spade. If the roots are within 12 inches of the trunk, move outward to an area where you can pierce into soil and plant roots. A pick-ax may work better than a shovel once a furrow or depression is made around the exposed root ball. Chop the roots to sever the core of the trunk's root ball so it may be lifted and placed in the wheelbarrow to cart away to the landfill or debris pile.
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Fill the hole left by the lifted root ball with fresh soil.
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Monitor the site for the next six months and cut off and dig up any sprouting pencil plants that rejuvenate.
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Tips & Warnings
Because pencil plant's leaves and stems are waxy, herbicides are rendered ineffective. Focus on physical removal of the plant and as much of the root system as possible.
Large-sized pencil plants may be too much work to dig and remove, especially if the root system is large and wedged in between rocks, curbing or sidewalks. Contract a licensed and bonded arborist or landscaper -- along with his arsenal of equipment and staff -- to handle the cutting, disposal and digging up of the root ball.
A less labor-intensive, non-chemical way to kill the pencil plant once the stems are removed is to smother the plant so that no light can reach it. Cover it with thick black plastic, plywood, a dense mulch layer or a wooden box. This prevents sprouts from photosynthesizing light and growing. Eventually, the root system starves and dies. A waterlogged soil also will kill the roots, but if done incorrectly, will promote regrowth if soil isn't saturated enough.
The milky latex of pencil cactus creates an irritating rash on bare skin, and becomes increasingly hot and scratchy as you sweat. Sweat from your brow can carry latex drops downward into your eyes, which causes intense burning and may lead to blindness. Work slowly but methodically, taking time to wipe tools and yourself to remain clean and maintain a good grip on tools with sharp blades.
