Dieffenbachia

Family. Araceae.

Homeland. South America, naturally grows in tropical rain forests.

Description. The bush got its name in honor of the head gardener of the botanical garden in Vienna, Josef Dieffenbach. The genus Dieffenbachia has about 30 species of perennial evergreen herbaceous plants with a powerful root system, which are grown for their beautiful foliage.

The stems are erect, unbranched, soft, wide, juicy; in adult specimens they bear traces of fallen lower leaves.

The leaves are up to 25 cm long, slightly drooping, on short, thick petioles.

The leaf blades are green, in some species with various yellow, cream and white markings, sometimes even almost completely white with a thin green border along the edge. With age, the shoots can lose their lower leaves. The bushes bloom in culture quite rarely and only with proper care.

The flowers are greenish-white, odorless, inconspicuous, so they are not of particular value. The inflorescence is a spike (spike) surrounded by a small light green cover. After flowering, round red berries appear.

Height. Can reach 1.8 m in height when kept in containers. The growth rate and final size of the plant depend on the species and growing conditions.

New hybrids can remain compact throughout their life and not exceed 30-60 cm.

Care at home

Reproduction

Propagated by apical and stem cuttings 8 - 12 cm long.

1. Each cutting should have 2-3 internodes.
2. Cut cuttings only with a sharp, sterile knife, wash off the juice from them with running water and treat the cut areas with an antiseptic.
3. Remove the lower leaves from the cutting to reduce moisture loss and dip the lower end into rooting powder.
4. Place the bases of the cuttings in loose, moist soil.
5. Place the pots with seedlings in partial shade and warmth - at least 21 ° C, cover the top with a plastic bag or a transparent plastic cap to maintain uniform humidity. 

Rooting will take 4-6 weeks. The completion of the rooting process will be indicated by the appearance of young leaves.

If you place the stem cutting horizontally in the ground, you can get several plants at once - leaves will appear in each leaf node of the cutting.

The most spectacular and dense specimens are obtained from apical cuttings.

Cuttings are successfully carried out even in plain water, to which it is worth adding a small amount of activated carbon. Before planting, each cutting should form several roots with lateral branches. Planting is carried out immediately, preventing the young root system from drying out.

Decorative dieffenbachia can be propagated by air layering. The stems of tall species are bent to the ground, pinned to the ground and lightly sprinkled with substrate.

After some time, roots and leaves form in the leaf nodes of the sprinkled part.

As an exception, you can grow dieffenbachia from seeds. This method of propagation is the least common, since planting material is quite difficult to obtain, and specimens grown from seeds may not inherit all the varietal attractiveness of their parents.

Collecting seeds from a bush grown indoors is also difficult, since representatives of this genus bloom indoors extremely rarely.

1. Seeds are sown in spring in a mixture of well-moistened peat and river sand.
2. The seedlings are covered with plastic film or glass on top to maintain humidity.
3. The container is placed in a well-lit, but not exposed to direct sunlight, warm place with a temperature of 20 to 25°C.
4. With the appearance of the first shoots, the cover is removed from the sprouts.
5. The seedlings are transplanted into separate cups when 2–3 true leaves appear.

The easiest way to propagate is to divide an adult plant into several parts. The fact is that with proper care, daughter shoots appear near the flower.

Make sure that each division has its own, well-developed root system and above-ground, green part.

How to transplant

Replant young bushes every year in the spring, when new growth begins, if they become cramped in the pot or need to change the soil to fresh. Recently purchased plants will also have to be replanted - after all, in most cases they are in nutrient-poor peat.

The need for replanting is indicated by roots appearing in the drainage holes.

After each replanting, literally within 2 - 3 months, the dieffenbachia occupies the entire volume of the pot with its powerful root system.

1. Always use a pot with sufficiently large drainage holes.
2. When replanting, carefully inspect the root system and cut off all rotten and diseased roots with a sharp sterile knife.
3. Treat the cut sites with crushed charcoal.

If the plant looks strong, then instead of replanting, you can resort to careful transshipment, which will cause less harm to the root system.

Growing temperature

Initially, representatives of this genus required very warm conditions. Modern varieties are not so picky and grow well at a temperature of 18 - 24 ° C.

It is worth remembering that the higher the temperature, the more moisture the plant requires.

In winter, the temperature should be within 15 - 18 ° C - in such conditions, development slows down and the bush goes into a dormant state.

The flower can withstand a minimum temperature of about 10 ° C, but there is a risk of leaf fall.

How to care for, how to trim

This species is currently a very common indoor plant that does not require special care.

Bushes that receive little light and moisture simply slow down their development, but do not lose the attractive bright color of their leaves.

Trim the stems of tall species to maintain a compact, attractive shape. If pruning is carried out at a height of about 10 cm, then lush young shoots will soon appear on the vines.

Flowers will appreciate being outdoors in the warm season. After a little acclimatization, you can take the pot outside, taking care to shelter it from strong wind, rain and direct sunlight.

Trim old, yellowed leaves that periodically appear at the base of the shoots - this measure will help maintain a neat appearance. Trim only with a sharp, sterile tool.

Forming the crown of many varieties allows you to avoid exposing the trunk at the bottom.

Tall species and varieties will eventually need support, such as a pole braided with coconut fiber.

Dieffenbachia does not like "cold feet", so in the winter months, if the windowsill is cool, it is better to put the pot on a sheet of insulation.

From time to time, wipe large leaves with a damp sponge to remove dust.

Watering

In summer, water to completely wet the soil ball, but allow the soil surface to dry out a little before the next watering.

Never allow water to stagnate in the pot.

In winter, the frequency of watering will depend on the temperature of the contents - the lower it is, the less moisture the plant requires.

For watering, use soft water at room temperature.

Pests and diseases

• When kept in cool conditions, the plant may shed its lower leaves.
• With excessive watering, the petioles of the leaves turn yellow.
• The leaves and stems become sticky and rot when water stagnates in the tray or accumulates in the soil.
• Young, fresh leaves decrease in size when there is a lack of light or nutrients.
• Excess fertilizers lead to the appearance of brown spots on the leaves.
• If the dieffenbachia "cries" - that is, releases moisture from special glands on the leaves - it means that there is excess moisture in the soil, you should reduce the air humidity and reduce watering a little. Most often, this phenomenon is observed in cloudy, rainy weather.
• When grown in direct sunlight, the leaf blades can get burned.
• With insufficient lighting, the leaf blades become greener, without a fancy pattern.
• The leaves curl when insufficient watering. Under the influence of cold drafts, the stem rots and the leaves begin to fall off.
• Anthracnose.

Pests include mealybugs, aphids (which cause the leaves to curl), thrips, and scale insects. At low air humidity and high temperatures, the plant can be attacked by spider mites. 

Earth 

Dieffenbachia is not picky about soil and adapts to almost any mixture. Prefers a well-drained substrate of equal parts peat and garden soil, with the addition of coconut fiber and coarse river sand to improve drainage.

We always place a layer of expanded clay about 3 cm thick at the bottom of the pot. 

The soil should easily allow moisture and air to pass through to the root system.

Flowering time

In the summer months, buds sometimes form, but the flowering is not of particular interest.

In indoor conditions, the bush blooms quite rarely. Experienced gardeners remove the buds.

Fertilizer

During the growth period, apply fertilizer for decorative foliage species every two weeks, diluting the solution to half the concentration. In the cold season, you can feed once a month or even postpone feeding until the beginning of new growth in the spring.

Dieffenbachia responds positively to both organic and mineral fertilizers.

Fertilize only well-watered specimens, since getting the nutrient solution on dry roots can cause a burn.

Lighting

Representatives of this genus prefer a well-lit place with shade from direct sunlight. When grown in the shade, the bushes slow down their development.

Direct sunlight, especially during the day, leaves burns.

The plant should be accustomed to any changes in lighting conditions gradually - then there will be no problems with either a shaded location or with growing in bright reflected sunlight.

Dieffenbachia develops well under artificial lighting; if it is placed in deep shade, variegated varieties may lose their attractive color.

Regularly rotate the pots around their axis - about a quarter turn every week so that the shoots develop symmetrically and do not lean towards the light source.

Spraying

Although this plant naturally grows in tropical forests, it adapts well and develops even in the dry atmosphere of residential premises.

Spray the leaves periodically or place the pot on a tray with wet pebbles - this will make the bushes look healthier and stronger. Do not spray if kept in cool conditions - for example, if the room temperature has dropped below 18 degrees.

You can surround the pot with well-moistened sphagnum moss - the evaporating water will naturally humidify the air.

Protect the flower from cold drafts.

Dieffenbachia loves to take a shower in the warm season - for example, in the summer. Before water procedures, cover the soil in the pot with plastic wrap and bathe the shoots and leaves for a few minutes under running warm water. After the bath, leave the bush in the bathroom so that it can enjoy the warm, humid atmosphere.

Purpose

A spectacular decorative-deciduous genus that can be successfully grown both at home and in office premises.

A bright, attractive appearance combined with unpretentiousness made this plant very popular in floriculture.

Depending on the type, it can be a small bush in a pot or a large tub liana for vertical landscaping of spacious rooms.

In an apartment, dieffenbachia can be placed in the kitchen or bathroom - these rooms do not always have good lighting, but at the same time have high air humidity.

Note

The plants are extremely poisonous, their juice causes severe allergic reactions in the form of burns of the mucous membranes and skin irritation.

Symptoms of poisoning include increased salivation, swelling of the mucous membranes, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as difficulty breathing.

Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with the juice, and even better, use gloves.

The flower can live a very long time indoors, but with age, some species expose the lower part of the stems and become less attractive. Try to promptly replace such specimens with seedlings obtained from cuttings.

It is believed that dieffenbachia effectively cleans the air in the room from harmful impurities such as xylene and toluene.

At night, leaf blades release oxygen into the atmosphere.

Hydroponics

Grows well in hydroponics.

Varieties:

Dieffenbachia amoena

A large, attractive, tree-like variety that has recently gained great popularity in indoor floriculture. These large-leaved plants have dark green, stiff trunks that can grow up to 2 m in height. The leaf blades are dark green, glossy, oblong-oval, and can reach 50 cm in length. The surface of the leaf blades is covered with light yellow and light green strokes diverging from the center, while the central vein remains dark green. Often grown as a tub or floor plant.

Dieffenbachia seguine

Spectacular, decorative foliage plants up to 1 m high. The stems are thick, reed-like, and bear traces of fallen old leaves. The leaves are soft, oval, up to 25 cm long. The leaf blades are dark green, glossy, monochromatic or may have light stripes diverging from the center, reminiscent of frost. 

Dieffenbachia oerstedii

An extremely hardy and at the same time attractive variety. Plants have strong, often low stems and large, glossy, dark green leaves. The leaf blades are oval, entire, with a central vein highlighted in a light shade.

Dieffenbachia bowmannii

Plants that, in favorable conditions, can reach a height of 1.2 - 1.8 m. The leaves are elliptical, dark green, with radiating light streaks or a white center.

Dieffenbachia Camilla

This is one of the most common and colorful varieties of bushy dieffenbachia. The leaves of the plant are rough and wide with a creamy center and a dark green variegated border along the edges of the leaf blades. "Camilla" is a fairly low-growing bush and reaches a height of 0.6 - 1.5 m. 

Dieffenbachia maculata Compacta

A variety of spotted bush dieffenbachia, which has a modest size and is well adapted to growing at home with limited space. The bushes are dense, lush, up to 50 cm high, with large green, speckled leaves with a white or cream center.

Dieffenbachia Vesuvius

A small, showy plant with oblong-lanceolate leaves. The main tone of the leaf blades is white, with small green strokes randomly scattered across it, which merge into a continuous stripe along the edge of the leaf blades.

Dieffenbachia picta

A large decorative deciduous evergreen plant, very popular in indoor cultivation. This species is distinguished by the presence of an erect trunk, on which there are very large oblong-oval dark green, glossy leaves. The leaf blades have light green stripes that radiate from the central vein. Growing this species requires a lot of space.

Dieffenbachia Tropic Snow

Tall variety - plants reach a height of 1.8 m, originating from the 60s of the 20th century. The leaves are large, dark green with a white center and light green stripes. The color of the leaves resembles snow that has dusted the plant a little. 

Dieffenbachia Leopoldii

A very bright representative of the genus, it is an evergreen perennial plant with large, dark green leaves. The leaf blades are glossy, gleaming with a blue tint, the central vein is expressed in a slightly lighter shade. Small specks of light green color are evenly scattered over the entire surface of the leaves. As the plants age, they bare the lower part of the stems and resemble a false palm.

Dieffenbachia maculata

Decorative foliage herbaceous perennials with a bright appearance. The plants form a short and thick trunk, on which there are large, elliptical, spectacularly colored leaves with light specks and spots of various shapes and sizes.

Broadleaf lemon variety.