NOTE: Dieffenbachia may be referred to as Dieffenbachia spp. in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Dieffenbachia spp. is the botanical name for Dieffenbachia.
There are a variety of leaves in green, cream, and white colors. A large, well-grown dieffenbachia can grow up to 10 feet tall. 3 to 5 feet is more common in indoor environments, where the plants will rarely reach this size.
If it gets enough light, Dieffenbachia can grow to 2 feet in height within a year. The plant is highly toxic to humans, dogs, and cats, so it was called “dumb cane”, even though it has fallen out of favor as a derogatory term.
Why does my Dieffenbachia spp. roots have rot?
Root rot on your Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia spp.) can be dangerous if left untreated. In order to keep your plant alive, we strongly suggest that you follow our advice if the signs start to show: blackened and mushy roots.
Why does my Dieffenbachia have gray mold spots?
A particular fungus that frequently affects flowers and spreads quickly is known as gray mold spots. This fungus is most likely to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. Don’t ignore these signs because doing so could cause your plant to die.
Our Solution
The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Dieffenbachia spp.. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.
Why does my Dieffenbachia have leaf spots?
If your plants exhibit symptoms like rapid color changes in the leaves or leaves that wilt or droop, we give you all the information you need to recognize them and rescue your plants. For owners of Dieffenbachia, this kind of illness is among the most distressing.
Why are my Dieffenbachia leaves turning yellow?
This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.
Reduce your watering frequency when you fear your plants are being overwatered, and follow these steps to determine whether they may be lacking in nutrients:
Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Dieffenbachia spp. in question:
- The first symptom of a magnesium deficiency is yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves. The leaf’s core turns yellow while the veins stay green. The edges of the leaf yellow last.
- Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
- The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
- Leaf edges turning bright yellow but inside leaf remaining green are signs of potassium insufficiency. The symptoms first appear on older leaves, and the leaf edges quickly become dark.
- A broad yellowing indicates a nitrogen deficiency. Yellowing starts with older, inner leaves. Yellowing spreads as it advances, eventually touching new leaves as well.
Our Solution
According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.
Is my Dieffenbachia sunburned?
You can easily tell if your Dieffenbachia (your Dieffenbachia spp.) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
As we saw above, if your Dieffenbachia receives too much water or not enough light, the leaves may also change color.
The bottom of the yellow leaves with a shaded area closer to the base can be examined to determine if they have been sunburned. If this part remains greener, the yellow leaf is most likely sunburned and not something else.
Why are my Dieffenbachia leaves turning brown?
Most of the time, leaves of a Dieffenbachia that turn brown is a sign that your plant has been sunburned, it has probably been exposed to too much direct sunlight. Don’t panic, your plant probably won’t die from this, but its growth will take a hit.
Should I leave my Dieffenbachia spp. in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Dieffenbachia spp. (or Dieffenbachia) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.
Our Solution
As stated in the paragraph above, the cure is straightforward: simply position your plant’s Dieffenbachia so that it is out of direct sunlight. With proper watering and this method, your plant should quickly come back to life.
Why are my Dieffenbachia spp. leaves drooping or wilting ?
When you become dehydrated, this usually happens. Large plants are more vulnerable since they need more water on a regular basis than smaller plants.
Whether your Dieffenbachia spp. plant’s pot appears light, the soil and roots are likely fairly dry and need water, so you can readily tell if it needs to be hydrated.
Our Solution
If the soil in your plant’s pot is completely dry, you will need to start by moistening it so that the roots will also benefit from the water. A common mistake is to drown the Dieffenbachia right after a dry period thinking that it needs a lot of water.
This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Dieffenbachia spp.
Water Occasionally
Water is necessary for your plant to live, but timing and amount of watering must be balanced. Overwatering could have disastrous effects on your own name, as we already mentioned.
You can tell if your plant needs water by touching the soil; if it still feels damp, it’s usually preferable to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
It is also a good idea to keep your Dieffenbachia spp. at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Dieffenbachia spp. near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.
Keep your Dieffenbachia Dust-Free
This one concerns indoor plants, just like on your furniture, dust is also deposited on the leaves of your indoor plants, the problem is that it can prevent them from receiving the necessary light, this would slow down (or even stop) the photosynthesis process, and eventually, they would lose their colors.
This would be a true journey into hell for your Dieffenbachia and would also satisfy the pests.
To remove the dust, gently rub the plant’s leaves with a microfiber cloth. Dust can be removed more easily with a damp cloth, but stay away from corrosive substances like rubbing alcohol!
Keep drainage in mind
If you have a tendency to overwater, you need to keep an eye on your drainage, we advise you to opt for a pot with drainage holes if it is not already the case and a saucer.
If your pots don’t already have holes in them, you can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the meantime. This will assist in creating a channel and keep the water from pooling there for an extended period of time, protecting the roots from decay.
