Keep dieffenbachia happy: tips for warmth and humidity
Dieffenbachia, commonly known as dumb cane, can be a bit challenging if you don’t know how to care for it properly. With the right approach, however, it quickly grows into a lush, sizable bush. Here, you’ll find clear instructions to help your plant thrive!
Dieffenbachia (dieffenbachia sequine), also known as dumb cane, hails from the tropical regions of the Americas. As a houseplant, it needs warmth and moisture.
Dieffenbachia: growing and care
Temperature
Dieffenbachia is fairly easy to care for since it thrives at average indoor temperatures year-round. Even in winter, keep it above 15 degrees Celsius (59°F).
Light conditions
Place dieffenbachia in a bright or partially shaded spot. In harsh direct sunlight, it may struggle and brown at the leaf edges. In lower light, leaves can lose their variegation and turn entirely green, and growth may become spindly.
Watering and fertilizing dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia does best in consistently moist conditions, which suits frequent waterers. The soil should never dry out completely. If it does too often, leaf edges will begin to brown.
Dieffenbachia also thrives in a self-watering pot, as it absorbs water evenly through the reservoir.
You can also mist the leaves, since dieffenbachia loves high humidity. Misting is especially important in winter.
Fertilize dieffenbachia weekly when watering, all year round.
Repotting dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia needs plenty of space for its roots, so it’s wise to plant it in a larger pot with quality houseplant soil from the start. It doesn’t require repotting every spring unless the pot is too small.
Rejuvenating dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia grows rapidly, so over time, stems can become leggy and the lower part bare. In spring, you can cut the entire plant back to about 10 centimeters (4 inches) without a worry. New branches and leaves will sprout from the stumps, so it will become full again.
Propagating dieffenbachia
Use trimmed stem tips as cuttings by inserting them upright into moist peat or seed-starting mix.
You can also take cuttings from stem segments. Lay segments about 10 centimeters (4 inches) long horizontally in moist peat or seed-starting mix so that half of each cutting is above the surface.
Remember this!
Dieffenbachia contains substances that can irritate mucous membranes. Keep it out of reach of small children if you suspect they might chew on the leaves. The same goes for pets.
