Dieffenbachia is a well-known houseplant from the Aroid family. In nature, it can be found in the South American jungle. In their homeland, as well as in the tropical islands of the Pacific Ocean, some species can grow so much that they turn into weeds. In home floriculture, this plant has been known for more than a century and a half. The flower got its name in honor of the gardener and botanist Dieffenbach, who was engaged in the Vienna Botanical Garden.
The attractiveness of Dieffenbachia lies in its large leafy plates of variegated color. They keep on thick stems with fast growth rates. Due to its rather impressive size, dieffenbachia is usually kept in spacious rooms, as well as in greenhouses or on warm balconies. Growing dieffenbachia is not difficult, the flower is unpretentious and reacts sharply only to strong waterlogging.
Dieffenbachia description
Usually the growing point of this type of plant is at the top. As Dieffenbachia develops, it releases fresh leaf blades, discarding old ones and moving upward. Thus, over time, its trunk begins to bare, and instead of a green bush, the plant begins to resemble a small palm tree. Although in the natural environment dieffenbachia stems can stretch for several meters, they are not particularly strong.
From time to time, overgrown stems begin to break off under the weight of the foliage or due to external changes. You can strengthen them with supports, but this feature of the plant is usually used for its reproduction. Parts of the broken off stem, as well as the top, can be rooted, getting new copies of the flower. Some varieties of dieffenbachia can form shoots not only on the top, therefore, after breaking off the main trunk, they sometimes begin to bush.
During the annual flowering, Dieffenbachia forms a white inflorescence-cob, wrapped in a greenish blanket. At home, this rarely happens, but with proper care for dieffenbachia, it is still possible to achieve flowering. Fruits in the place of such an inflorescence are tied only after artificial pollination, but the process of forming an ovary in dieffenbachia takes a lot of energy, and its trunk begins to bare faster, therefore, it is advised to remove fading ears immediately.
Flower features
Dieffenbachia juice released when the green part of the plant is damaged is considered poisonous.Its contact with the mucous membrane can lead to burns, so the plant should not be kept in the reach of children or pets. If a nuisance does occur, you should rinse off the juice with a strong stream of water as soon as possible, without wiping it off your palm: in addition to poisonous substances, it contains microscopic sharp crystals that enhance unpleasant sensations. All work with the flower should be carried out with gloves, and after all manipulations, wash your hands thoroughly.
At the same time, due to the large size of its leaves, dieffenbachia is able to cleanse the air in the room from toxic substances, for example, from benzene, xylene and other harmful substances. If you live near factories or highways, then be sure to get a Dieffenbachia and you will not regret your choice.
Dieffenbachia care at home
In order for dieffenbachia to feel as good at home as in its native tropics, it needs proper care, a well-lit and bright place, as well as the absence of cold drafts.
Lighting
A bright corner is suitable for dieffenbachia, but the pot with the plant should be protected from direct rays, so in summer bright open rooms or south-facing balconies will not work for it. But with a lack of light, the bush begins to quickly stretch, and its stem begins to thin out. As a result, you can get an overly fragile plant with a small number of leaves at the top. In addition, in the shade, its painted foliage can lose its variegated color. Such varieties and species are considered more photophilous.
If dieffenbachia has become too large and no longer fits on the windowsill, you can understand whether the plant has enough light by looking at the position of its stem. If it is located straight, the lighting is optimally matched. At the same time, it is recommended to turn the bush on the other side to the light every month so that the foliage on it develops more evenly. A slight slope will indicate that the dieffenbachia should be moved closer to the window or use additional lighting.
Temperature
The optimum temperature for the development of dieffenbachia is from +17 degrees and above. Airing a room with a flower is possible only in warm weather. The influx of cold air can harm him.
In the summer, you can take your plant pots out into the air: into the garden or onto the balcony. You just need to choose a place for them with a lacy shade, reliably protected from strong winds.
Watering mode
Despite the large size of the leaves that evaporate moisture, the dieffenbachia root system is relatively small. During the growing season, watering should be abundant, but in winter, they are significantly reduced. Waterlogging can be dangerous for a flower, therefore, even in summer, the soil is moistened, waiting for it to dry at least a few centimeters. Checking can be done with your finger or special meters. In winter, you can wait for most of the soil in the pot to dry out.
Dieffenbachia can only be watered with soft water - excessive hardness can lead to salinization of the soil and browning of the leaf edges.
Humidity level
For the dieffenbachia plant, high humidity is preferable, imitating the climate of its natural habitats. In dry air conditions, foliage should be sprayed more often with ordinary settled water, it is especially important to do this in winter, when heating devices are working. Dieffenbachia usually signals a lack of moisture by drying out the edges of the foliage.
In addition to spraying, dieffenbachia leaves must be periodically wiped to remove accumulated dirt and dust from them.
The soil
For proper growth, dieffenbachia is recommended to be planted in an earthen mixture specially prepared for it. For her, they usually take 4 parts of turf, adding sand, peat and leafy earth to them. You can also mix a little charcoal or small brick debris with them. A good drainage layer is imperative.
Fertilizers
During the period of active development, the dieffenbachia flower needs frequent fertilization. Usually, feeding is carried out twice a month, using complex formulations, but the introduction of nitrogen-rich organic matter is also permissible.
From the beginning of autumn to the beginning of spring, when daylight hours begin to decrease, Dieffenbachia rests and grows much more slowly. It is not recommended to feed it during this period.
Transfer
Young dieffenbachia plants are transplanted about once every 4 years, when the previous pot becomes too cramped for them. Large adult specimens, which become difficult to remove from the container without difficulty and damage formation, are not touched, simply replacing the top layer of soil in their pots every couple of years.
If dieffenbachia needs to be transplanted, spring is considered the best time for such a procedure. The soil for transplanting should be prepared in advance. You can use soil for plants with decorative leaves or mix sand, peat and leafy soil with humus. The planting container should be larger than the previous one in size.
The bush is carefully pulled out of the old pot. Before transplanting, you must carefully examine its roots. If rotten ones are found among them, they are carefully removed along with the adjacent soil. The sections are sprinkled with charcoal powder, and then slightly dried. After such procedures, the plant can be transplanted. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the new pot and sprinkled with a small amount of soil. A bush is placed on top, and fresh soil is poured on the sides, slightly compacting it. At the same time, the soil should not be wet, but only slightly damp - otherwise, damaged roots may begin to rot. Watering the transplanted dieffenbachia, you can add root formation stimulants to the water.
Bloom
Dieffenbachia has the ability to bloom, but it is better to break off the inflorescences if you do not want to lose the ornamental bush over time. The flowering process leads to the fact that the plant stops growing, and spends all its energy on inflorescences, and not on leaves. Old leaves can die and fall off, and new leaves will not grow, which will expose the trunk.
Breeding methods dieffenbachia
Apical cuttings
The easiest way to propagate dieffenbachia is with apical cuttings. The separated stalk is advised to be pretreated with a rooting stimulant. Then the finished part of the stem is planted in sandy or peat-sandy soil. The seedling is covered with a bag or jar, and then put in a warm place, trying not to get direct rays on it. In this case, the soil should be only slightly damp, but not wet. By moistening the soil, you can add preparations there weekly to promote root growth. Additionally, regular spraying and moderate heating of the soil will help speed up rooting: its temperature should not be lower than +21 degrees, so you should not keep the seedling near cold windows.
If the cutting was not planted in the ground, but stood in water, planting should be started when the size of the roots reaches at least 3 cm. Cuttings grown in sand should be fed with ¼ dose of mineral fertilizers. Such plants should be replanted only after a sufficient number of roots have formed, taking care not to destroy the soil clod around them.
Stem cuttings
Stem pieces can also be used as planting material. They are divided into cuttings at least 10 cm in size. But due to the fact that such cuttings should be planted horizontally, excessive length can prevent the planting material from fitting in the pot. At the same time, each must have at least 3 internodes: each of them can form a new shoot. To prevent the cuttings from rotting, they are dried in the air for a couple of days before planting, having previously treated the cut points with sulfur or crushed coal. Each stalk is only half pressed into wet soil, without sprinkling on top.
This type of reproduction will take much longer, because stiff stem cuttings of dieffenbachia can take root for a very long time.This process can take a couple of weeks or several months. If rot does not form on the cuttings, they continue to be watered a little as necessary. Later, a bud will appear on such a stem. When the first leaf begins to grow from it, a little soil should be added to the base of the new plant. As soon as the seedling gets stronger, it is transplanted, trying not to disturb the part of the trunk from which it sprouted.
If an old dieffenbachia bush was used to obtain planting material, you should not throw it away if there are at least three apertures on the rest of the plant. A specimen trimmed in this way may soon release new shoots.
Growing from seeds
Another way of propagation of dieffenbachia is seed. You can get seeds from such a plant by waiting for the flowers to appear and artificially pollinating them. At the same time, pollen should be transferred in a certain way. In the upper, open part of the cob, there are male flowers, and in the lower, covered with a veil, there are female flowers. To get to the latter, the coverlet will have to be slightly cut longitudinally, and then with the help of a brush, transfer the pollen to the flower. The incision formed on the bedspread is then sealed with tape.
The ear stays on the plant for several days, and then begins to wilt, but it does not disappear. If the inflorescence was pollinated correctly, then later brightly colored berries should appear in this place. You should be careful with such fruits - they are poisonous. It takes about six months for the berries to ripen, they are removed from the bush only after their shell begins to wrinkle. Seeds should be sown immediately after collection and retrieval. Usually chopped moss is used as a soil for them.
Pests and diseases
Dieffenbachia can be affected by spider mites (a thin cobweb appears on the stems and foliage), scabies or false scutes (the formation of sticky brown plaques on the leaves) and mealy mites (a white fluff forms on the green part of the plant). In these cases, the bush must be treated with warm soapy water or actellik (up to 2 g per 1 liter of water).
The main disease affecting dieffenbachia is rot. Improper care and over-watering can be the cause of this problem. The development of putrefactive processes may be indicated by the lethargy of the plant, the dropping or blackening of its foliage and the slow drying out of the soil with rare moisture. When such signs appear, the bush is removed from the pot and its roots are examined. The affected must be removed along with the ground. The sections are sprinkled with charcoal powder. You can transplant the plant into fresh soil, and then water it a little with a weak solution of manganese. The watering regime after this should be adjusted and try to water the plant only after the soil in the pot dries out at least 2 cm.
If the roots of Dieffenbachia are too damaged, you can try to preserve the plant by cutting and rooting a healthy top.
From too low a temperature in the room, young foliage can begin to fall off. The fall of old leaves is not considered a problem - this is a natural process of dieffenbachia growth. But yellowing and curling of the lower leaves can also be associated with too cold water for watering or an abundance of cool drafts.
The appearance of black spots on foliage is a sign of fungal diseases. Excessive soil moisture is also considered to be their cause. The bush is treated with fungicides, the irrigation rate is reduced, and spraying is temporarily stopped.
Due to exposure to direct sunlight, burns may remain on the leaves, so it is recommended to keep the plant in diffused light. The edges of the foliage can turn brown both from a lack of watering and excessive dry air, and due to a lack of nutrients.
The main types of dieffenbachia with a photo
Variegated, or painted (Dieffenbachia picta)
It is considered one of the most popular types of dieffenbachia. Differs in large size - an adult bush can reach two meters in height.The oval foliage of the plant has a dark green color and a beautiful contrasting pattern of light stripes and spots. Each sheet can be over 40 cm in size and 15 cm wide.
Spotted, or painted (Dieffenbachia maculata)
Another species that is very popular. It is notable for the more compact size of the bush, its height usually does not exceed one meter. Due to this, low susceptibility to temperature fluctuations and general unpretentiousness, such dieffenbachia is often grown both in homes and offices. Its slightly oblong foliage of almost half a meter in length gives the bush a spectacular look. The color of the leaf plates is rich or, conversely, light green with a motley ornament of spots of white or yellowish color. Each has pronounced veins.
Leopold (Dieffenbachia leopoldii Bull)
The species is distinguished by the presence of a thick, but very short stem, only up to 6 cm in height. It has elegant foliage with a light yellow center and green edges. The petioles of each leaf are almost invisible. Homeland - Costa Rica. In floriculture, this type of flower is quite rare.
Lovely, or pleasant (Dieffenbachia amoena)
Another rather unpretentious flower. Can easily tolerate low humidity and almost does not react to proximity to heating devices. The main thing is to make sure that the earth in her pot does not dry out. The size of the bush is quite impressive: about 1.5 m, while the foliage reaches 60 cm in length. Its color is green, with light stripes in the vein area.
Seguina (Dieffenbachia seguina)
It resembles the spotted variety, but has wider (about 15 cm at half a meter in length) foliage on shorter petioles. In addition, the leaves are slightly pointed and have slightly fewer lateral veins. Several popular varieties have been bred on the basis of this dieffenbachia. Among them is the well-known and very elegant "Green Magic", which is distinguished by monochromatic green foliage with a contrasting light vein in the middle. Seguin varieties differ from each other in the shape of the leaves and the degree of their elongation, their size, as well as the pattern and color of the pattern.
Oersted (Dieffenbachia oerstedii)
The foliage of such a dieffenbachia is more elongated, and at the end it has a sharpness. In the center of each leaf there is a light, seemingly glowing vein. The length of the sheet plates can be up to 35 cm.
Magnificent (Dieffenbachia magnifica)
The green leaves and petioles of this species are covered with white streaks and dots of varying intensity. This gives the plant an incredibly spectacular look.
Large-leaved (Dieffenbachia Macrophylla)
Forms bushes of one meter height. The foliage is ovoid and colored in a uniform shade of green. A thickened vein is located in the center of the leaf.
Baumann (Dieffenbachia bowmannii)
The species is distinguished by a particularly impressive leaf size, which reaches 80 cm under optimal conditions for a plant. Other varieties of dieffenbachia grown at home are usually not able to form such large leaf plates. In Baumann's Dieffenbachia, they are painted in dark shades of green and have yellowish streaks.
Bause (Dieffenbachia bausei)
The size of leaf plates of this type usually does not exceed 40 cm. It attracts with a pattern on the foliage: it is decorated with a greenish-white ornament. Sometimes such dieffenbachia is considered one of the forms of the Seguin species.
