Time for fresh soil: Foliage & Houseplant Compost – 10 litres.
8.95 € ( 0.90 €/ l)
Best repotted in spring when new growth starts.
Delivery time: In stock · 1–3 days (DE)
Incl. VAT, plus shipping costs
Dieffenbachia · Dumb cane
Dieffenbachia seguine (Syn. D. maculata, D. picta)
Indoor
Partial shade
HouseplantEasy
What your Dieffenbachia needs
In November: Reduced care
Has your Dieffenbachia been in the same soil for more than a year?
Repotting
Feeding
Fertiliser is enough: Dieffenbachia Fertiliser 250 ml – makes approx. 50 l of feed solution.
11.95 € ( 47.80 €/ l)
Feed every 2–3 weeks.
Your Dieffenbachia is resting now – start feeding again in March.
For several plants: Twin pack · 18.95 €.
Delivery time: In stock · 1–3 days (DE)
Incl. VAT, plus shipping costs
All products for your Dieffenbachia Plant looking poorly? Find the cause
All products for your Dieffenbachia · Dumb cane
Profile
Plant group
Upright foliage plant for bright living spaces
Growth & habit
Upright, sparingly branched green stem with large leaves.
Foliage
Large oval leaves patterned cream to pale green.
Family
Arum family (Araceae)
Origin
Caribbean to tropical South America.
Height
According to NC State 0.9–2.4 m tall and 60–90 cm wide; usually smaller indoors.
Bloom
White spadix in a pale green spathe; rare indoors.
Toxicity
Highly toxic: sap, leaves, stems and roots contain calcium oxalate. It causes burning and swelling in the mouth and throat and irritates skin and eyes. Wear gloves when cutting, wash your hands and keep away from children and pets.
Care calendar
Guidance for Germany and Central Europe. Position, weather, species and cultivar shift these windows; indoor and container plants also depend on their winter conditions.
Your seasonal care plan
-
Check moisture
Water when the top 2–3 cm have dried; drain off excess.
-
Feed active growth
Months: Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
Feed only during growth, every 2–3 weeks according to the label. Follow the product dosage.
View product dosage and application → -
Refresh the root space
Months: Mar · Apr · May
Repot in spring when roots fill the pot; wear gloves.
-
Care through the darker months
Months: Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb
Keep bright and warm, ideally above 15 °C; water less and do not feed.
Highlighted months are guidance, not fixed dates. Observe the plant, root ball and weather; water, feed and repot according to actual need.
Seasonal care intensity
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seasonal guidance for Germany. Needs depend on location, weather and species. Check moisture in winter too; these markers are not a feeding schedule.
Peak care
Active
Reduced care
Care tips
- Provide bright, indirect light and protect from direct sun.
- Water only when the top 2–3 cm have dried.
- Always wear gloves when cutting.
Fruit & seeds
Fruit and seed formation
Fruit is unusual indoors.
Harvest and use
Not a food crop. All parts are toxic.
Plant knowledge at a glance
Position, benefits & character
Position & soil
Bright to partial shade without direct sun; loose, humus-rich, free-draining medium.
Distinctive features
Older plants lose lower leaves and become bare; the top can then be re-rooted.
Benefits
Large patterned leaves for brighter corners.
Partners & symbioses
Group with other aroids; keep away from areas used by children and pets.
Pruning & growth habit
Upright, sparingly branched green stem with large leaves.
1. Bare stems
Cut off the top of an overtall, bare stem and re-root it; the stump often resprouts. Wear gloves.
Nursery forms
This overview explains nursery supply forms. It does not indicate current availability in the GREEN24 shop.
Container-grown
Common formRooted potted plant; check firm stalks, healthy pale roots and clean leaf undersides.
Young plant
Common formSmall young plants develop into larger specimens with suitable light and warmth.
Propagation & grafting
Propagation
Tip and stem cuttings, division or root cuttings; wear gloves when cutting.
Grafting
Not grafted.
Species & cultivars
Dieffenbachia 'Camille'
Compact, leaves with a pale centre.
Dieffenbachia 'Tropic Snow'
Large leaves with cream markings.
Dieffenbachia 'Exotica'
Heavily spotted leaves.
Pests & diseases
These signs support an initial assessment. Different causes may look alike; choose a treatment only after identifying the problem.
Spider mites and scale
Check leaf undersides and stem bases regularly.
Fungus gnats
A sign of constantly wet compost; let the surface dry.
Root rot and leaf spots
Avoid waterlogging and do not keep leaves wet.
Hardiness · USDA
Warm indoor cultivation all year
Frost-tender. Keep indoors all year in Germany; the USDA zone applies only to outdoor growing in warm climates.
- Dieffenbachia seguine
- USDA 10a–11bNC State USDA range for outdoor cultivation in a warm climate.
USDA zones describe long-term average winter extremes. Containers, young plants, wet soil, wind and late frost need separate consideration.
Understand USDA zones and maps →A closer look
Botanical features vary with age, species and cultivar.