Dieffenbachias, commonly referred to as leopard lilies, are highly sought-after houseplants due to their large oval leaves adorned with bright spots of white, cream, yellow, or lime green hues – creating an air-purifying aesthetic in any room! Their lush appearance adds visual interest while simultaneously purifying indoor air quality. Dieffenbachia, commonly called the dumb cane, contains sap that may temporarily cause swelling in your throat and mouth resulting in difficulty speaking.
Therefore, it’s wise to keep it away from children and pets; when handling or touching this plant use gloves or wash your hands afterwards for your safety. Its name ‘cane’ comes from its native habitat in rainforests of Central and South America where new leaves tend to sprout from the topmost spots, towards the light; similarly, in your home, new leaves will appear from the topmost central stem of the central stem as new leaves unfurl.
Dieffenbachias’ native habitat provides ample insight into their care requirements – they require warmth, humidity, and bright but diffuse light for optimal growth. Continue Reading below the advert. Dieffenbachia seguine, Dieffenbachia amoena, and Dieffenbachia maculata varieties are among the more frequently sold species.
How to Grow Dieffenbachias (Dumb Canes):
thrive in bright indirect lighting with no direct sun. Water when the top layer of soil becomes slightly dry at the top, or when soil starts becoming slightly damp at its center. Warm temperatures of 18-24degC should be ideal; avoid drafts and fluctuations as much as possible, misting regularly with moisture misters is also beneficial; keep them on a tray of moist pebbles if possible and place them on an ideal location – such as an elevated tray with moist pebbles for best results!
How to Plant Dieffenbachia:
Planting, Caring for, Propagating Dieffenbachia Best Dieffenbachia Plants to Grow Best Houseplants for Bedroom – dumb cane Dieffenbachia are finicky plants; they require temperatures between 16-24degC for optimal growth, though short periods at 10degC may also work. Drafty or dry air should also be avoided and should be placed in indirect light rather than direct sun. When selecting a location to grow a dieffenbachia in, make sure it receives lots of indirect light instead.
Where to Grow Dieffenbachias:
To successfully cultivate dieffenbachia, place its root ball into a container approximately equal to or slightly larger than its current rootball and use soil-based compost as the medium for planting it.
How to Care for Dieffenbachia
Water when the top few centimeters of compost become dry, letting any excess drain away. Winter water should only be given sparingly. Mist your plant several times each week or place it on a tray filled with moist pebbles.
Wipe leaves periodically to keep dust free and feed with weak liquid feeds once every month. Repot if needed in spring every two or three years once your plant has become rootbound and use a slightly larger pot for planting.
How to Propagate Dieffenbachia:
Dieffenbachia is the easiest way to spread it around, making repotting in spring an excellent opportunity to do this. Simply pull apart each piece gently until all roots have formed before planting each new plant in its pot.
Growing Dieffenbachia: Common Problems
Faded leaves and poor growth may be caused by insufficient light; to remedy this situation move your plant to an area with higher illumination levels.
Dropping lower leaves, wilting, curling or yellowing could be due to low temperatures; move your plant to a warmer environment for best results.
Direct sunlight will damage leaves, leading to brown patches on their leaves and potentially scorching marks on them.
Crumbling leaves could be the result of inadequate or excess irrigation; to remedy the situation, review and adjust your watering regime as appropriate.
Crinkly or crispy leaves could be caused by a lack of water. Brown edges or tips could be caused by overwatering or too little soil moisture, uneven composting or air drying out too quickly, too much fertilizer being given, or simply mismanagement of irrigation schedules. As dieffenbachia plants mature over time, they can become leggy and tall, eventually losing lower leaves. If this happens to you, simply cut back to the desired height; it should resprout from where you cut.
Replant crown in its own pot where it should root into a new plant. Or cut it down to 10cm tall before waiting for it to regrow on its own.
Mealybugs can be a serious menace on dieffenbachia plants; be wary of any insects with white, fluffy bodies that appear under leaves. Wipe off these infestations using a damp cloth soaked with an insecticide containing fatty acids or plant oils as soon as they appear on the undersides.
If the leaves and stems of your plant are covered in fine webbing, this could be spider mite infestation. Mottled upper surfaces of leaves could indicate mite presence while mites and eggs can be seen through magnification on the undersides of leaves.
Improve air circulation around your plant and boost humidity by misting or placing on the tray of moist pebbles; misting with a spray containing fatty acid or plant oils could also be an effective treatment. Raised brown spots on your leaves could be due to scale insects. Wipe them away using a damp cloth or cotton bud that has been saturated with an insecticide containing fatty acids or plant oils.
FAQs
Q1. Do dumb canes need sunlight?
Yes, they need bright and indirect sunlight.
Q2.How can you start a dumb cane plant?
Start a dumb cane plant from:
- Stem cuttings;
- Place the cuttings in water or moist soil until roots develop.