Dumb cane ( Dieffenbachia ) plants are low maintenance and do n’t require any special care . Once you understand the growing requirements , you ’ll be able to keep your plant goodly and thriving .
Though they are n’t super ill-tempered houseplants , it ’s important to understand just what they involve so you could enjoy the lush leaf for many years to hail .
In this complete care scout , I ’ll show all you need to have it away about how to spring up Dieffenbachia . You ’ll find information about water , dirt , Inner Light , fertilizer , pruning , generation , pestilence control , and much more .
Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane) plants
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Quick Dieffenbachia Care Overview
Information About Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane)
Dieffenbachia is a very unwashed indoor plant that is lever for its beautiful leaf and simple care requirements . It ’s in the Araceae family of plants , and is native to parts of Mexico , the West Indies , and South America .
It earned the nickname , “ dumb cane ” , because there is a chemical in the fool that can have irregular departure of speech communication if any part of the works is chewed or eaten .
Though they start from the tropics , they make excellent houseplant because they can apace conform to growing indoors .
Different Types Of Dieffenbachia
There are lots of different coinage and cultivars out there these days , and they ’re all gorgeous . you’re able to chance dumb cane works in various size and foliage colors too .
Some have large leaves , and can uprise to be several feet tall , while others stick much smaller and more compact . The leaf colors vary by type , ranging from dark or undimmed green with whitish stripe or spot , to almost white leave with dark edges .
Common variety you may add up across are Seguine , Compacta , Maculata , Golden Sunset , Camilla , or Amoena . Here ’s a not bad listwith more options .
Toxicity
All parts of the Dieffenbachia plant are vicious when masticate or ingested . According to theASPCA site , it is also toxic to cat and dogs .
So , if you have animals or small children , then it ’s best to keep this plant life out of range , just in causa . discipline out mylist of best-loved favorable houseplantsinstead .
Flowers
Though they are best bed for their plushy foliage , dumb cane plant life can also flower , but the efflorescence are minuscule and insignificant .
The blossoms are unripe with a long , ashen spadix , and tend to seem in the fountain or summer . They often commingle in with the leave , so you might not even notice them .
It ’s also not very unwashed for a Dieffenbachia to flower indoors . They need the consummate grow conditions , and it can be difficult to get it just right in the mean base .
Where To Grow Dumb Cane
Once you institute home a fresh Dieffenbachia plant , you ’ll need to cognize where to grow it . To have the best winner , it ’s very authoritative to infer their validity and the idealistic positioning .
Hardiness
silent canes are not patient of of the cold , and they will only outlive outside year - cycle in zones 10 + . They can deal a very short frost , but if it drops below freezing , the flora will die pretty speedily .
These sensible plant life do n’t do well in super hot , desiccated regions either , and prefer a mild , moderate climate . Since they ’re so sensible to any character of extreme weather , it ’s usually best to just produce them indoors .
Location
If it ’s warm and humid enough where you experience , you’re able to grow Dieffenbachia in your garden . Just be sure to prefer a suspicious location where the soil is fertile and well - draining .
Indoors , put your plant in a pip where it will get plenty of bright , indirect visible radiation . If you desire to move it outside during the summer , bring it back inside before the temperature drops below 60 ° farad .
Dieffenbachia Care & Growing Instructions
Water
right watering is a crucial part of Dieffenbachia care , and overdo it is their # 1 cause of death . They call for consistent , even moisture , but do n’t wish to be overwatered .
Let the soil dry 1 - 2″ deep between tearing , but never permit it get wholly bone dry . adjure your finger 2″ into the dirt to find out the wet level before giving it more .
The type of weewee you use is important too . dull canes are sensitive to the salts and chemical found in tap water , which can cause the leaf edges and tip to turn brown . So it ’s respectable to utilise distilled or rainwater .
When it ’s time , give your plant a good soakage until the water starts to go out of the drainage holes . Then allow the overindulgence to completely drain from the spate . If you struggle with this , I advocate getting an inexpensivemoisture gaugeto facilitate you out .
Humidity
Since they are from the Torrid Zone , dumb cane plants really like high humidness . Though they adapt well to lower levels , if it ’s extremely dry , the leaf gratuity and border can begin sprain brown .
So if yours constantly has brownish leaves , bakshis , or boundary , then seek track down ahumidifiernearby or misting your plant life to see if that fix the problem .
Light
Dieffenbachias are the perfectlow - luminance houseplantsbecause they like the nicety , and direct sun will cause their leaves to fade or sting . But if it ’s too dark , they ’ll quickly grow grandiloquent and leggy .
Indoors they need shiny , indirect light . A spot next to a gay window , or an country where your plant will get filtered light through a drapery or blinds would be arrant . If you do n’t have a bright room , then you could habituate asmall acquire light .
It also avail to turn out the plant once in a while to preclude it from contact to one side as it produce taller . I splay mine every time I irrigate , or monthly ( or whenever I remember ) .
Soil
Dumb canes are n’t super fussy about the type of grunge you employ , any gamy - qualitygeneral purpose potting mixwill work just fine . But they do opt a porous and well - draining medium .
So , if you tend to overwater , then you ’re better off using afast - draining mixture . Or you could add someperlite , pumice , orcoarse sandto the potting grime to improve drainage .
Repotting
You do n’t have to worry about repot your Dieffenbachia very often , they do n’t call for it until they ’re pot - bound .
You ’ll know it ’s clip when you see roots come out of the bottom holes , if there are more roots than soil in the container , or if you have to water your works constantly to keep it from loll .
Always employ a container with hollow in the bottom , and only go up one or two mass size . If you give it too much way , your plant may have a unmanageable time becoming established in the young container .
Related Post : When & How To Repot Houseplants
Fertilizer
Another great thing about obtuse canes is that they can grow just ok without fertilizer . But they will benefit from being feed during the spring and summertime , and it could even spark off blooming .
However , they are very sensitive to chemicals . overutilisation of synthetic fertilizers can lead to brown leaf edge and tips , among other issue . So I extremely recommend using an constituent one instead .
utilise a adulterate , limpid houseplant fertilizeror acompost teamonthly , or you could addslow - release granulesonce in the spring . Stop feeding in the drop and winter to let your plant sleep .
Pest Control Tips
It ’s rare for a healthy Dieffenbachia to have problem with bugs , but sometimesspider mites , thrips , ormealybugscan attack them .
If you detect bugs , begin treating your plant right away . My best-loved product to use isneem crude . It ’s a innate insecticide that ’s very effective at controlling houseplant pests .
constitutive insecticidal soapalso figure out well to knock down an infestation promptly . I make my own by mixing 1 teaspoonful ofmild liquid state soapper 1 liter of water .
Related Post : How To Get Rid Of Houseplant Bugs Naturally
Pruning
Pruning is an important part of Dieffenbachia forethought , and you should do it on a regular basis . It help to keep your flora respectable , succinct , and healthy . Here are my tip :
Dieffenbachia Propagation Methods
you could propagate your dumb cane from either stem cut or by sectionalisation . If there are several stems growing in the passel , you could come apart them to make newfangled plants .
Rooting cuttings can be a bit tricky . The key is to allow for draw of humidity , and keep the dirt moist but never soggy .
Take a stem turn cutting that ’s at least 4″ long , and debris it withrooting hormone . Then found it in a loose , porous soil commixture . You ’ll know it ’s settle when you see new leafage developing on top .
Troubleshooting Common Dieffenbachia Problems
The most frustrating part about Dieffenbachia care is when your flora is wan , and you do n’t have it off why . Below are some of the most mutual problems you might run into , and bakshis for how to fix them .
Brown Leaf Tips Or Edges
browned leafage edges and tips are usually do by discrepant watering , grim humidness , or salt and chemical buildup in the soil from using rap water or synthetic fertilizers .
encrusted buildup on the top of the soil or around the inside of the pot are signs of overfeed or too much common salt / minerals from tap water . exchange to an organic plant food , and employ strain water or rainwater .
Drooping Leaves
When the leaves or the whole flora start drooping , it ’s usually because of over or under watering . But it could also be from vulnerability to cold or red-hot air , plant bugs , or transplant shock after repot .
Leggy Dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia by nature get leggy over time , it ’s their normal development habit . But it can be worse if your plant is n’t cause enough light , so move it to a bright location . you could also lop the tip on a regular basis to boost shaggy-haired growth .
Yellowing Leaves
It ’s normal for the scummy leaves to flex yellow-bellied or chocolate-brown , and eventually die . Simply trim them off as needed . However , if several of them are yellow , or they are n’t on the bottom , then it ’s likely overwatering , insufficient luminosity , mickle - confine rootage , or glitch .
visit the leaves for any sign of an infestation , and then check the soil moisture degree . It should never feel soggy or overly sloshed . If it ’s not those thing , then make trusted your works is getting bright , indirect light , and curb to see if it needs to be repotted .
Now that you know how to right take charge of your Dieffenbachia , you ’ll be able to grow these gorgeous houseplants for many long time to come .
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