Dieffenbachia Plant: How To Grow And Care For The Dumb Cane

Dieffenbachia plant pronounced (deef-en-BOK-ee-uh), also known as the “Dumb Cane,” makes an excellent tropical houseplant.

“Dieffs” tolerance of shade makes them a good plant to begin learning the basics of indoor houseplant care.

One of the most popular house plants Dieffenbachia

In this article, we share care tips on common indoor Dieffenbachia care along with answers to some of the most common questions on “dumb cane” regarding:

  • How poisonous are Dieffenbachia plants to cats, dogs, and children?
  • How to on propagation
  • What to do when plants get too tall
  • Leaves turning yellow
  • and much more

Let’s get started!

Table Of Contents
  1. Quick Dieffenbachia Care Guide
  2. Why Is The Dieffenbachia Called “Dumb Cane”?
  3. Where Did The Name “Dieffenbachia” Come From?
  4. Does The Dieffenbachia Flower?
  5. What Is Dieffenbachia Amoena?
  6. How Do You Care For A Dieffenbachia Plant?
  7. How To Propagate Dieffenbachia Plants
  8. Dieffenbachia Pests and Diseases
  9. What Are The Most Popular Dieffenbachia Varieties?
  10. What Are The Best Uses For The Dieffenbachia Plant?
  11. Wrapping Up Caring For Dieffenbachia

    Why Is The Dieffenbachia Called “Dumb Cane”?

    Through the years, the plant Dieffenbachia has also been known as the mother-in-law tongue (the common name used for Sansevieria, aka “snake plant”), referring to the toxic sap with calcium oxalate crystals, which inflame the tongue and throat, causing temporary loss of speech if ingested.

  12. It’s been reported that slaves were given “dumb canes” as a form of punishment (more below). [source]

    Where Did The Name “Dieffenbachia” Come From?

    The name Dieffenbachia was given to the genus by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott, the director of the Botanical Gardens in Vienna, to honor the head gardener Joseph Dieffenbach (1796–1863).

    Schott was a botanist well known for his extensive work on the aroids (Family: Araceae). [source]

    The herbaceous perennial Dieffenbachia originates from the New World tropics rainforests of Mexico to Argentina and the West Indies.

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