If the leaf tips are brown see below for another possible cause. As the water evaporates, the air around the plant will become more humid. All true stories if you believe those annoying email chains / Facebook shares. This is one houseplant which probably wont mind a routine watering regime. 16°C - 27°C / 60°F - 80 °F. Note: This plant is toxic and creates sap that is irritating, so take care around children and pets. Wear protective gloves and eyewear, as the sap could easily find its way onto you and cause pain and discomfort. Generally speaking, the plant will need much less water during the winter months (Missouri Botanical Gardens). The leaves will be at their most vibrant when the plant receives a good amount of bright, indirect light, though any direct light should be avoided as this can burn the leaves or cause the foliage coloring to look bleached or faded. The temperature got too cold, you subjected the plant to draughts, you didn't water correctly or provide enough light to sustain it. The best period for repotting is spring or immediately after purchasing the plant. Dieffenbachia can be affected by most of the common houseplant bugs, including mealy bugs, scale and spider mites. The length of time this takes will vary depending on the variety of Dieffenbachia you have, but it will be between three and eight weeks. Find the balance that works for your plant and stick with it. This houseplant likes to be kept cozy and warm. To trigger this you need to cut back the stems harshly and yes for a few weeks you will have nothing more than some bare canes a few inches tall sticking out of the soil. If your child does ingest some of the plants, the most common side effects will be vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and tummy ache. During the hot months of the year, you will need to give the plant plenty of water to keep the soil moist. It's not as quick as the Doctor Who version of regeneration but given time new growth will emerge from the tops of these canes and voilà you'll soon have your old Dumb Cane back (check out the photo in the Propagation section above to see what we're talking about). Red Spider Mites normally only arrive when humidity is low, therefore try to increase it to deter them. The foliage base color is green, with deep green margins between the white colored veining. Leaf spots appear anywhere leaves are wounded, especially at the leaf tips and along breaks in the main vein. Diseases Fungal diseases that affect dumbcane include fusarium stem rot, Anthracnose and brown leaf spot, all of which occur in the presence of and spread through moisture. Dieffenbachia plants will benefit from generous watering followed by a short period where the soil is allowed to dry out partially. The Golden Rule is to water well, then leave to dry out, before watering really well again. This disease may also increase in severity during winter months when production facilities limit external air exchange, again raising the humidity. Side effects of getting the sap on your skin will likely include an itching or burning sensation, and redness. Dieffenbachia or (to use its common name) Dumb Cane has a bad reputation as a houseplant. The second is that many cultivars will grow tall if they are allowed to. Root rot is the result of overwatering, so your best line of defense is prevention. If you do get the sap onto your skin, wash thoroughly and avoid touching your mouth or eyes. The Dumb Cane does flower indoors every once in a while but they can never match the impressive and splendor of the foliage so don't worry if yours isn't producing flowers. No lower than 10°C / 50°F (and even then this should be infrequently reached). Overwatering can be a cause of root rot, weak growth, and stems might become mushy. Feed in the growing season at half strength every month or so. Should this be the case you could try and use the top parts as cuttings. This is know scientifically as guttation and is typically harmless, however this "water" also contains various salts from the plant which if left to dry can cause leaf burn resulting in brown tips. You can also grow new dieffenbachia from stem segments that contain 3-4 growth rings. It is one of the larger varieties of Dieffenbachia, working well as a floor plant. (C ourtesy A.R. The soil should be moistened before planting the stem cutting. This method will increase your chances of a healthy and thriving plant. You don’t want the soil to be wet, because it can cause root rot. When it gets colder outside during the winter months, you will be able to reduce the amount of water that the plant r… You should remove the effected stems, if the damage is severe you will have to discard the plant entirely (you can't reverse rotting once started). This is a houseplant that can live and thrive easily, but it’s known for some toxicity to human and pets. Dieffenbachia plants are easy to propagate with cuttings, so from a healthy mother plant, you could have an endless supply of new Dieffenbachias. Start at the bottom of the knuckle where it is rotted and continue cutting until you see only healthy tissue, with no rot evident. A good potting medium for rooting dieffenbachia stem cuttings is half sand, half peat moss mixed thoroughly. Once the cutting has a few small roots, you can transfer it to a pot filled with well-draining soil and continue usual Dieffenbachia care. Symptoms appear 7 to 18 days after infection. Red Spider Mite can be a problem in such situations though. Also, avoid areas that get too hot, such as sunrooms or locations near heaters. Grown outside, the plant can reach heights of six feet, but this can be limited with pruning when kept as a houseplant (University of Florida- Institute of Food and Agricultural Services). This cultivar is another compact plant, growing up to three feet tall. Brown edges suggest overwatering. Dieffenbachia is a great houseplant, but it does require specialized winter care. Dieffenbachia. Keep an eye on the Dieffenbachia and take note if your plant starts to react badly in a low humidity environment, as you may need to address the issue. Repeat with all the other pieces of stem you wish to root. Constantly moist conditions should be avoided. As a Team, we've almost 50 years of hands on experience as well as a variety of horticulture skills. Fortunately, as the sap gives a burning sensation as soon as it touches the mouth or lips, it’s very rare that anyone continues munching on it and ingests a large amount. Symptoms:Petiole rot on older leaves. Frequently attacks Dracaena and Dieffenbachia. He is the main content writer for the Ourhouseplants Team. Once the cutting has several new shoots of its own, you can pot it into a more permanent home and continue care as usual. This variation of the Dieffenbachia plant is popular in homes and offices because it does well in dim conditions with very little light. If a human, most commonly a young child, has nibbled on the Dieffenbachia, they may encounter symptoms such as a burning sensation on the lips, tongue, inside the mouth, or in the throat. Associated with too-high temperature and humidity; also with poor air circulation. For even more Houseplant articles you may like our. The bright and bold colors of this plant make it perfect for bringing fun and vibrancy to a dull corner of a room. Root rot is the result of overwatering, so your best line of defense is prevention. However, slightly moist soil is recommended. Trees.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Dumb Canes almost always look best as smallish compact bushy leaved plants, so by repotting you allow it room to grow taller and risk loosing the attractive nature of a smaller plant. Be extra careful not to overwater when temperatures are cold. Propagating in water is quite fascinating because you can visually keep track of every stage of the new roots growing, which is something you don’t get to witness when propagating in a rooting medium. Dieffenbachia also respond well to chopping of the plant at a desired height and planting the top which should root. Arguably one of the easiest ways to get new Dieffenbachia plants is through stem cutting propagation. Given the plant’s adaptability to a variety of lighting conditions, it makes for a good easy-care houseplant in most homes and offices. Dieffenbachia, otherwise known as dumb cane, comes in a lot of varieties, all of which make great houseplants. Dieffenbachia is one of the most popular houseplants because it lives for a long time. You can take only a few cuttings from part of a stem or prune an entire stem to the base and section it into cuttings. Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Florida- Institute of Food and Agricultural Services, 9 Different Indoor Tropical Plants - Growing Guides & Photos. Like all houseplant, the Dieffenbachia is susceptible to root rot. Place the jar in a warm spot with bright indirect light, and wait for roots to grow. Our website is here to help you succeed with houseplants and get your indoor plants thriving. You can then root this in a rooting medium as above, or you can propagate it in water. 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