When I was a little girl, I had a weakness for stray animals. I’d like to say that they followed me home on their own but that would be a lie. The truth in the matter is that I encouraged them to do so. The universally-recognized “pssst” sound in the feline world never failed to have a kitten come pouncing over to me (adult cats were a different story; they looked at me suspiciously). By the same token, a few gentle slaps on the thigh - together with an enthusiastic dose of “come on” - had puppies falling all over themselves to reach my embrace (even adult dogs, unlike adult cats, came running over). Of course, the effort was futile and the excitement was short-lived because I was not allowed cats or dogs in the house. So these cute little critters got all riled up, followed me along with affection and were dismissed shortly after. Looking back now, it seems rather cruel. But I was just a child who longed for a real pet. That’s all I can say in my defense.

In my older years I did finally have cats as pets for a number of years, although my real love is dogs, which I’ve yet to own. Presently, in a rented apartment, once again I can’t have a cat or dog. Since I’m (hopefully) more mature than a few decades ago, I no longer encourage animals to tag along. Cats and dogs don’t follow me home anymore; now it’s the plants that do. Many, many plants. There’s no “pssst” sound or slapping of the thigh that gets oodles of greenery to tag along. Rather, I lure them home with the promise of quality care, which includes bright light, adequate humidity, regular feeding, proper watering and total management of pests – all the goodies trusting houseplants crave - and follow you home for.

So I’m a confessed “houseplant lurer”, hanging around greenhouses and pledging a better future to homeless foliage plants. I’ll also confess that I’m a little shallow; I only make these alluring offers to the more attractive plants, specifically plants with bold, variegated and unusually-shaped leaves. The plants with small, thin, plain-looking foliage? They’re usually ignored.

My enticement technique must be working because quite often there’s a plant (or two) sitting in the passenger’s seat in my car as I head back home. What I don’t tell them is the conversion from soil to hydroculture that they must undergo before they are awarded all the promised goodies. I figure I don’t have to. Once I get them home, I’ve no doubt that the other hydro-dwelling plants are happy to explain ‘how things work around here’.

My luring techniques are also sometimes applied to entire plant families such as Aglaonema and Dracaena, which I can’t resist. That’s not a problem because they’re always readily available. Even if this week’s visit to a garden center doesn’t offer many, you can be sure the next one will.

Along these lines, there is a popular family of plants named Dieffenbachia, which I love. Any time I find myself in a houseplant aisle, be it at a garden center or a supermarket, I always scan the area for the possible availability of one of these outstanding photosynthesis addicts. And if I spot one that’s a reasonable size, I can never pass it up; I always lure it home with me.

What’s the scoop on these plants? Well now, I’m glad you asked.


Straight From The Tropics

Belonging to the Araceae (Arum) family of plants, and consisting of about 30 species and over 100 cultivars, the Dieffenbachia is native to Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and the West Indies are some of the main areas that Dieffenbachias originate from, which explains their need for warmth. Knowing where the roots of these magnificent plants begin is always the first step in determining what type of care they need to thrive in our homes. Obviously this common sense applies to all indoor plants.

Dieffenbachias are very popular in interiorscapes, favoured for their decorative value, ability to tolerate low light and carefree constitution. Available everywhere for purchase all year round, they are easily recognized by their stylish variegated foliage that is streaked, spotted or blotched with colours ranging in shades of cream, white, gold, silver or yellow - sometimes a combination of varying shades. With large oblong or ovate shiny leaves, they never fail to catch your eye when you stroll through a garden center.

There are many wonderful varieties to choose from; each one boasting attractively decorated leaves. Every specimen is not only beautiful but also low maintenance, demanding very little in return for the striking foliage it exhibits that is sure to enhance any spot it occupies.

Depending on the species, Dieffenbachias will grow anywhere from 3 to 6 feet – sometimes taller - with a spread of 1 to 3 feet. Leaf sizes range from a few inches to over 2 feet long. If placed in the ideal location and nurtured properly, these plants can develop rapidly into large specimens. Unfortunately, by the time they reach their full height, their bottom leaves will have dropped – this is normal as the plants ages – and they end up much less appealing. For the veteran plant grower this is not a problem. With various methods of propagation, the top of the plant can be air layered and rerooted to bring the leaves back down to the baseline of the pot, the stem can be cut back to a few inches to restart the plant and the remainder of the stem can be used to make cane cuttings.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before you start chopping down that Dieffenbachia, let’s take a closer look at what type of care it needs in order to be able to become that over grown specimen that needs to be rejuvenated.


Easy to Care For

Loved by beginners for their ability to adapt to low light areas of a home, a Dieffenbachia prefers to be given bright, indirect light such as a curtain-filtered south window or the faint morning rays of an east one. Direct midday sun can bleach the leaves, giving the plant a sickly, washed-out appearance. On the other hand, in dimly-lit areas the leaves revert to an all-green shade and the impressive variegation is lost. In addition to colorful foliage, your plant will grow significantly from spring right up until the fall if given adequate amounts of light. During the winter months when light levels drop, move your Dieffenbachia closer to the window where it’s brighter and let it soak up a few rays of sunshine, which are unlikely to harm your plant. When the warmer months return, move your plant away from direct midday sun.

As tropical plants, warmth and humidity is required to keep them happy. Protect your Dieffenbachia from cold areas, chilly drafts and constant temperature fluctuations. Extreme temperature changes can severely damage the more fragile varieties, and continuous exposure to cold air and cool drafts can cause wilting, yellowing, browning and dropping of leaves. Together with warmth, a healthy level of humidity is appreciated, although I haven’t found the Dieffenbachia to make a big fuss over this as some other tropical houseplants. Either way, good humidity levels are always better than poor ones.

Be very careful with watering, especially in the winter. The Dieffenbachia is very susceptible to crown, stem and root rot. If grown in soil, make sure it’s a good quality, fast-draining type that will not stay damp for too long. Over-watering any time of the year is detrimental but over-watering during the dormant season combined with lower temperatures will prove fatal. Never keep the soil of this plant soggy. Allow it to become moderately dry and then water thoroughly.

In all the years I’ve spent caring for these plants, I’ve discovered that they’re not very heavy feeders. In fact, they are quite resentful of overfeeding and will not hesitate to let you know. An overfed Dieffenbachia will become plagued by brown or yellow leaves as well as premature leaf drop. Liquid fertilizer applied every two to three months when they are actively growing (from spring to early fall) is more than enough. Do not feed your Dieffenbachia at all during the winter months when most plants slow down or go into dormancy.

Like most plants, dust accumulates on the leaves of the Dieffenbachia, which compromises the shiny foliage and interferes with the plant’s ability to breathe. Every now and then, especially when the winter season ends, give the plant a makeover by cleaning its leaves. Rinse the plant under the kitchen sink’s faucet, shower it in the bathtub, hose it down outside if the weather permits or clean it up with a wet sponge or cloth. If possible, try to perform this cleaning ritual once a month. Not only will you improve your plant’s appearance and grant it the ability to perform better in photosynthesis, you’ll also remove insects that are getting ready to set up shop.

As many indoor plant enthusiasts know, the common name for Dieffenbachia is ‘Dumb Cane’, aptly named because of the plant’s poisonous sap that can burn the mouth and cause paralysis of the vocal chords. Ingestion of any part of a Dieffenbachia can cause irritation of the lips, mouth, throat and tongue. In addition, speech impediment can occur and last for several days. In severely extreme cases, painful swelling can be extensive enough to cause the tongue to close the throat, leading to suffocation. Keep children and pets away from this plant, and wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap after handling a Dieffenbachia.


Dieffenbachia And Hydroculture

Just like my beloved Aglaonemas and Dracaenas, Dieffenbachias always occupy many spots in my home. I would (and could) never be without them. Therefore, their ability to convert to hydroculture is crucial.

Thankfully, Dieffenbachias have turned out to be prime candidates for this innovative growing system. This is a two-fold blessing: 1) I can continue to enjoy these magnificent plants in my preferred method and 2) these plants that are very susceptible to crown, stem and root rot, need not be any more.

Why live with a hazy water balancing act when you don’t have to? Dieffenbachias are champion performers in hydroculture, perfectly suitable for the system. Beautiful plants. Tough constitution. Hydroculture Gold Medalists. Can it get any better than this?



For a plant that could’ve been quite vain and difficult with its impressive foliage, Dieffenbachia is very undemanding. With a little care, this easy to please beauty is a striking accent in any location. Pick one up if you haven’t already and add a tropical touch to your home.

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