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Name: dumb cane, leopard lily, Dieffenbachia spp.
Height: up to 1.8m.
Plant type: perennial.
Climate: warm, frost-free climate outdoors, but happy in most indoor conditions.
Soil: rich, well-draining soil when grown outdoors. Indoors, use a good quality potting mix.
Position: prefers part shade or filtered light outdoors and a well-lit spot indoors, out of direct sunlight.
Flowering and fruiting: flowers are made up of a pale green spathe and cream-white spadix (like that of a peace lily), followed by small red or orange fleshy berries. Both are rarely seen on indoor plants.
Feeding: use a liquid fertiliser from spring to autumn.
Watering: allow the top 2.5-5cm of potting mix to dry out between each watering.
Dieffenbachia has great colouration and patterning, so it’s an ideal plant to liven up an indoor space. It thrives in a brightly lit spot out of direct sunlight, but it will also grow in medium light zones. Dieffenbachia can grow into a large specimen, up to 1.8m tall, making it a great standalone feature, but it can also be grouped with other foliage plants for visual interest.
In the garden, use dieffenbachia to brighten up shady areas- under trees for example. The broad, patterned foliage is a fabulous statement piece, especially when paired with solid-green foliage plants.
When growing outdoors, position in part shade or filtered sunlight. Ensure the soil is well-drained and enriched with organic matter (compost, for example), prior to planting.
Indoors, use a good quality potting mix and position in a well-lit spot, out of direct sunlight. It can tolerate medium to low light, but it’s best to avoid prolonged periods of low light as the leaf colour will fade or the plant can become long and ‘leggy’, losing its bushy habit.
Dieffenbachia loves humidity, but it is not necessary for it to grow. If humidity dips too low, leaf edges may brown and may look unsightly. To increase humidity, place the pot on a saucer filled with pebbles and water. Avoid cold draughts or heat sources.
As dieffenbachia grows, it may shed its lower leaves, revealing the thick, cane-like stem. The plant can also shed its leaves due to low light, but the stem is also noticeably thinner, and the foliage is paler than it would be in perfect light conditions. If it’s the latter, move it to a spot with better lighting.
If the plant becomes top heavy because of age, support it with a stake or dowel. The stem is also prone to leaning, especially if the light source is one-directional. Rotate the plant to help balance the growth.
Water when the top 2.5-5cm of potting mix is dry. To check, simply insert your finger into the top of the mix. Alternatively, use a moisture meter.
Feed dieffenbachia with a controlled release fertiliser from spring to autumn, and supplement with an organic liquid fertiliser periodically throughout the season.
If the dieffenbachia has outgrown its spot (for example, the crown of foliage is pushing up against the ceiling), simply trim it back to a manageable height. This may mean removing the entire crown of foliage, leaving a bare stem. Wearing gloves and using a clean, sharp pair of secateurs, make the cut just under a node – the raised ring or scars along the stem. While this might sound terrifying, new leaves will soon emerge, allowing the plant to become bushy again.
The tip cutting can be used to propagate new plants. (See below.)
Sap-sucking pests like mealybug and spider mites can attack the stems and foliage. Mealybugs resemble cotton fluff and leave a sticky residue on the plant. Spider mites are difficult to spot, but they cause the foliage to become silvery and mottled; in severe infestations, webbing is often seen between the leaves. Treat with a suitable insecticide.
Dieffenbachia can be propagated by tip or stem cuttings and root division.
A tip cutting is typically taken when the plant is being cut back to help manage its size. Wear gloves and use a pair of clean, sharp secateurs to cut the tip back to the desired height. If the tip cutting is greater than 30cm, divide it into 10-15cm sections for multiple cuttings. Remove the lower leaves, dip the ends into rooting hormone gel and insert into a premium potting mix, ensuring node(s) are covered. Alternatively, place the cuttings in a jar of water.
Stem cuttings can be taken the same way, even if no leaves are present on the stem.
Dieffenbachia can also be propagated via root division. This is best with a large, mature specimen with multiple canes growing in a single spot. Remove the plant from its pot and tickle the rootball to loosen the potting mix. Locate the individual plants and separate the rootball, ensuring there is a good amount of roots attached to each plant. Pot up into fresh mix and water with diluted seaweed solution to help reduce transplant shock.
Syngonium (Syngonium podophyllum): hardy, easy-to-grow plant with climbing or trailing stems and ornamental, arrowhead-shaped foliage.
Mother-in-law’s tongue (Dracaena trifasciata): virtually unkillable and highly adaptable to a range of indoor conditions; ideal for beginners.
Zanzibar gem (Zamioculcas zamiifolia): a handsome foliage plant with thick, fleshy rhizomes, making it tolerant of drought-like conditions.For more plants for beginners, browse our range online or in-store.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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