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Diefenbachia
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by Diana Roberts |
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Category:
Indoors
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One of the most popular houseplants we find here in the north is the
Dieffenbachia. It will grow 4-5 feet or taller and makes a wonderful show piece.
The dieffenbachia originates from the rain forest in Brazil and Columbia. In
1920 it was discovered, and named for a head gardener in Vienna. This plant is
also called a dumbcane, because the juices will cause partial paralysis of the
tongue and throat and you may not be able to talk. |
Colors
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The dieffenbachia comes in many color variants. Some are almost completely
white, others are variegated or almost completely green.
When purchasing a dieffenbachia, they are usually about 6 inches tall, but it is
very possible to obtain larger ones, you will just pay a lot more for them. It
may take a few years for your dieffenbachia to get a good sized cane to it, but
once it does the leaves will also be much larger than they were originally. |
Bloom
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The dieffenbachia may bloom with a flower that looks much like a calla lily. The
problem is that the plant will usually die when it is finished blooming. By the
time a dieffenbachia is ready to bloom it will have grown a lot and will almost
always have new side shoots growing from it, which you can take to grow a new
plant. |
Conditions
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Dieffenbachias like a normal room temperature of about 65 -70 degrees F in the
winter months and will not tolerate lower temperatures very well. In the summer
the plant loves temperatures of around 76 degrees F. The dieffenbachia does not
take much light in order to grow, after all it did originate in the rain forest.
This plant may well die if exposed to very strong sunlight. |
Weak
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If you find your plant is getting sickly and weak, check to be sure it is not
getting too much sun. The dieffenbachia naturally likes high humidity and will
need a lot of water in the summer, but less in the winter. The best growing time
for the dieffenbachia, like most house plants, is March to October. During this
time it should be fed every time your plant is watered. During the winter, just
give it water, without fertilizer. |
Transplant
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It is best to transplant your dieffenbachia in the spring, if it needs it. A
nutritious soil mix, with lots of peat in it will be best for this plant. The
dieffenbachia is not usually in need of pruning, but you may find it will need to
be cut back if it is growing in a room with a lower ceiling. The top of the
dieffenbachia can be cut off and rooted in order start a new plant. The lower
part will continue to grow, but will not look quite as nice where the top was cut
off. It’s a good idea to cut the top off at a point where a new shoot is coming
from the plant. This way the new shoot will take over as the leader.
Starting a new plant from a cutting is very easy with the dieffenbachia. |
Leaves
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Many plants will lose all their leaves on the lower part of the cane, but it will
just look more like a tree. If you don’t like this look you can cut the top part
off (the part with the leaves) and start a new plant. The bottom can either be
discarded or left to sprout new shoots. You will notice where new shoots will
emerge by looking for buds or eyes on the side of the cane. Another option for
this leftover trunk of the dieffenbachia, is to cut the whole thing into pieces,
with each piece containing an eye. Place each piece of stem, laying sideways,
onto a pot of soil. Push the cutting halfway into the soil, with the eye up and
make sure the soil is quite damp.
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Roots
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Very shortly (in about 2-3 weeks) you will find it will have formed roots and
started growing on top, from the eye. This will be achieved faster if you put
plastic over the pot to hold in the moisture and keep the soil from drying out.
The pot should be kept in a room with the temperature of about 72 degrees. Once
it is growing well and the plant gets larger, it can be repotted into a bigger
pot.
When taking cuttings from your dieffenbachia, you should always be sure to use a
very clean knife, as this plant is very susceptible to bacteria. Also be sure
that you clean the knife very well after use to remove any of the sap from the
plant.
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Disease
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The dieffenbachia can get a bacteria rot at the joints which can spread to the
whole plant. Nothing can be done if this happens and you may have to discard the
plant. If reusing the pot, be sure to sterilize it first. In the winter the
leaves may get brown spots on them, which could be caused by too much fertilizer
or by letting the soil get too dry between waterings. This will cause the leaves
to turn dry and slightly withered, but if it is from bacteria the leaves will be
rotten and smelly.
Dieffenbachia can also have a problem with spider mites, which may lead to leaf
drop. In this case use the cure you normally employ to get rid of these pests.
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