Probably, many of us are familiar with this beautiful plant firsthand. Keeping it at home is often fraught with various false judgments and assumptions regarding the benefit or harm to humans. What does dieffenbachia look like? Is it safe to keep at home? Let's talk about this further.
Features
Dieffenbachia flower is an evergreen perennial plant of the Aroid family. Homeland - South American continent. In nature, there are more than 30 species of this plant. Dieffenbachia is quite fast growing. There are species that grow to 2 m or more in five to six years, but at home the bush rarely reaches this height.
What does dieffenbachia look like?
A common feature of all Dieffenbachia is a juicy thick stalk, on which are oval, large "spotted" leaves. Thanks to the efforts of breeders today, there are many varieties and hybrids of this plant. The growth point is located at the top of the shoot, although there are some species whose dormant spots are located at the base of the shoots, so they can grow in a bush. The dieffenbachia inflorescence is in the form of an ear, but at home the flower blooms very rarely. But for flower growers, the plant is not interesting in flowering. They are attracted by beautiful, large variegated leaves, which in different varieties have a different color.
Dieffenbachia looks like (we will consider flower care later) very effectively, therefore it is often used for landscaping rooms, living rooms, glazed balconies, verandas. Since the shrub quickly releases new leaves and discards the lower ones, its trunk is exposed, and the decorative appearance significantly worsens. To avoid this, the plant must be updated by cutting the top, which can then be rooted. If this is not done, the Dieffenbachia flower will tilt and take a horizontal position. Since her trunk is quite fragile, it can easily break off under its own weight.
When growing this flower, you need to remember that damaged stems and leaves secrete poisonous juice that can burn mucous membranes if accidentally hit in the nose, eyes or mouth. Therefore, the plant is not placed in children's rooms.
For Dieffenbachia, care is very simple. Even a beginner can grow a beautiful flower. This houseplant is very unpretentious.
Main types
The most common types of Dieffenbachia are:
These plants have a large succulent stem and elongated, oval bright green and large leaves with white stripes and spots. Variegated dieffenbachia grows to a height of 2 meters, and spotted - no more than a meter, but its leaves are slightly larger, and at the top they are more pointed. It was the spotted dieffenbachia that became the basis for most of the bred varieties and hybrids. Its most popular varieties:
- Vesuvio is a medium-sized elegant plant with narrow, delicate, white leaves and green specks on white petioles;
- Camilla - is considered one of the most hardy bushy varieties, and therefore has received great popularity among gardeners. Creamy-white lanceolate leaves around the edge surrounded by a light green rim;
- The compacta is a dense, neat bush that has green leaves with light specks located along the central vein.
There are many other types of dieffenbachia. The most common: Leopold, Adorable (or Pleasant), Seguin, Oersted, Magnificent, Large Leaf, Bauman, Bauze. Each species has many varieties and hybrids.
Dieffenbachia: home care
This plant prefers diffused bright light without direct sunlight. Moreover, varieties with variegated leaves need more light than with plain green, because otherwise their original color begins to fade. The most suitable place for this plant is the distance from a brightly lit window - 1-2 m. You can keep Dieffenbachia away from the window, but in this case you need to turn on artificial lighting, otherwise the plant will stretch and quickly turn into a fragile and thin tree with a bunch of leaves on top . The air temperature should be at least 15-17 ° C. It is very important that there are no drafts, since the plant will begin to lose its leaves.
Watering
In the warmer months, Dieffenbachia should be watered abundantly, but it cannot be poured heavily. In winter, watering is reduced, but the land should not dry out.
Air humidity
Since the humidity is high in the homeland of this plant, it is necessary to regularly spray and wash the leaves, as the edges of the leaves begin to dry due to dry air. It is advisable to do this procedure as often as possible. And for wiping, and for watering, and for spraying, you need to use only boiled or settled water.
Top dressing
Dieffenbachia roomy needs seasonal top dressing. Fertilize the plant in the spring-summer period once a decade, applying liquid organic or mineral fertilizers. But you need to remember that varieties of Dieffenbachia with white leaves from nitrogen, which is part of complex fertilizers, lose this varietal property and become greenish, so they are fertilized not with organic matter, but with mineral top dressing (once every three weeks).
Transplant dieffenbachia
It is produced as the space of the pot is filled with roots. The best time for this procedure is spring. The pot is picked up a little larger in diameter than the old one, a drainage layer is poured into it and the dieffenbachia is transferred there together with an earthen lump. Then add the right amount of substrate:
- sheet land (two parts);
- peat (one part);
- crushed sphagnum (one part);
- river sand (half).
Diseases and Pests
Dieffenbachia is most often affected by such harmful insects as spider mites, aphids, thrips, scabies and mealybugs. They are fought mechanically, removing them with a sponge moistened in soapy water and then washing the plant with plenty of water. If the infection is very strong, the bushes are treated with a solution of kalbofos or actellik.
Sometimes dieffenbachia begins to suffer from bacteriosis. It is expressed by the appearance on the leaves of watery areas. Unfortunately, this disease is bacterial, and therefore incurable.
Root rot can also destroy an adult plant. First, it affects the underground, and then the ground part of the plant. If you saw areas with a light gray coating, you need to urgently take measures: reduce watering, replace the substrate, and treat with fungicide.
Dieffenbachia begins to turn yellow
Amateur gardeners often ask why Dieffenbachia turns yellow. This is due primarily to improper care of the plant. One of the reasons is a violation of the temperature regime: the room was too cold or the flower was in a draft. Lack of nutrients in the soil or irrigation with too hard water may also be the cause. The leaves of Dieffenbachia turn yellow and as a result of damage to the root system by rot.
Why does dieffenbachia dry?
If the lower leaves turn yellow, dry and fall, then this is a natural process, which, unfortunately, cannot be prevented. If the trunk is barely exposed, then it is time to rejuvenate dieffenbachia by cuttings. But if young leaves began to dry, the reason is most likely due to insufficient watering, cold air or draft.
Why dieffenbachia wilts?
If the leaves and dry soil are omitted, then the plant is rarely watered, but if the substrate is moist and the leaves are omitted, you need to check the root system for rot. If it is found, the roots should be cleaned of the earth, with a sharp tool removed rotten areas, treat the wounds with ground cinnamon or crushed charcoal and transplant the flower into a new soil.
Plant danger
Among people there is an opinion that this plant is not so harmless as it seems at first glance. Why can't Dieffenbachia be kept at home? What harm can it do? One of the main disadvantages of this flower is the juice of the stem and leaves. When it gets on the skin, itching, redness, swelling appear, and allergic reactions appear only after a while, and sometimes after a whole day. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the ingress of toxic fluid on the mucous membrane and skin. It is not recommended to keep the flower in a place accessible to children, to reproduce and transplant without gloves. If all precautions are followed, the plant will not cause serious harm to health.
There are many popular signs, based on which one can give an answer to the question of why Dieffenbachia should not be kept at home. The most common among them is the “celibacy flower”. There is a superstition that the plant prevents the meeting with the second half, the creation of marriage and dooms to loneliness. In addition, it is believed that the flower has a negative energy that can destroy the marriage bond, bring about misfortunes and troubles.
Beneficial features
One of the advantages of this houseplant is the purification of air in apartments. It is not only capable of intensively releasing oxygen, but also absorbing formaldehyde vapors, which are released, for example, from finishing materials, stretch ceilings, furniture. Dieffenbachia (we looked at flower care in the article) also produces a special enzyme that cleans the air of various pathogenic viruses and microbes.