Plants native to the tropics require specific care during cultivation in mid-latitudes, even indoors. This also applies to the dieffenbachia flower. A healthy and high-quality plant can not be obtained without observing agricultural practices.
What does Dieffenbachia look like to which family
A common sign of dieffenbachia (dieffenbachia) is a thick and powerful stalk that bears the same large variegated oval-shaped leaves. It is worth noting that the juice of the flower contains a dangerous poison.
The poisonous foliage of dieffenbachia
Important! The growth point is usually at the apex. But there are varieties in which it is located at the base of the shoots, due to which the plant begins to cluster.
Common varieties
In nature, there are at least 50 species of Dieffenbachia, and a huge number of varieties have been bred by scientists. The most popular among them are those that have an interesting, not monophonic color:
- Dieffenbachia spotted Compact - has dark green leaves with small inclusions of white.
- Dieffenbachia varieties Camilla - the foliage of the plant is almost completely painted white.
- Green Magic - the bright green foliage of this flower has a beautiful bright center.
In addition to variegated varieties, there are plants with a plain green color.
Healing properties
Dieffenbachia spotted is a poisonous plant, even the ingress of juice on the skin causes burning sensation and discomfort. However, the flower has positive properties, for example, it perfectly cleans the air in the room from any toxins and chemical impurities.
On a note! The best place in the house for Dieffenbachia will be the kitchen.
Dieffenbachia flower: home care
At home, Dieffenbachia must be properly taken care of and maintain an optimal microclimate in the room. Only in this case it will be possible to achieve high decorativeness and absolute plant health.
Temperature
Dieffenbachia is a flower that loves warmth and the absence of drafts. In the summer, the optimum temperature for the plant is + 20 ... +26 degrees. In winter, the thermometer should not fall below +16 degrees. If the air in the room becomes cooler than 10 degrees of heat, the plant may not tolerate this, and its roots will rot.
Lighting
Despite the fact that the flower tolerates the shadow well, it is better to provide it with a sufficient amount of light. When grown in the shade, the decorativeness of Dieffenbachia leaves decreases. In the summer, it is better to shade pots with plantings so that burns from direct sunlight do not form on the foliage.
Dieffenbach must be shaded in summer
Watering
A prerequisite for good flower development is regular watering. Significant drying of the soil should not be allowed. In the warm season, watering should be frequent and plentiful, and rare during the dormant period.
Spraying
When the air in the room is very dry, the leaves of Dieffenbachia begin to turn yellow and dry. In order to prevent this situation, it is necessary to carry out frequent spraying of foliage.
On a note! The more often you make a shower for a plant, the better it will look.
Humidity
Dieffenbachia loves high humidity, because its homeland is the tropics. The main method of increasing humidity is daily spraying of leaves with settled water. In winter, when the air is dry, when the batteries are working, the flower will feel uncomfortable.
Priming
In the wild, the flower grows on well-moistened soils with a high content of humus. The basis of the soil should be turf land. You can prepare the soil yourself. Additionally, peat, river sand and humus are needed. Charcoal or crushed brick will be a good drainage.
The plant needs nutritious soil
Top dressing
In the warm season, you need to feed a flower 1 time in several weeks. You can buy a ready-made mixture for variegated plants or use complex mineral compositions for fertilizer.
Features of winter care, rest period
From the end of September until the onset of heat, and this happens around March, daylight hours are significantly reduced. During this period, diffinbachia spends almost no energy on growth and development. This gives the right to significantly reduce watering and completely remove fertilizing.
Note! It is better not to disturb the plant until it leaves its dormant state.
When and how dieffenbachia blooms
Subject to perfect care, the plant will bloom at home, but this can adversely affect the growth and development of the bush. To prevent this from happening, many gardeners cut off the appeared inflorescences, preventing them from blooming. In this regard, the flowering of Dieffenbachia can be seen quite rarely.
Pruning
An important measure for growing a plant is pruning. You can form a flower at any time of the year, the main thing is not to harm the plant. Basic rules for trimming dieffenbachia:
- All parts of the plant are poisonous, and the trunk is no exception. The place to cut the flower should be wet with a rag and remove the resulting juice.
- Gloves are always used in the work, after which the hands are thoroughly washed.
- To exclude the development of Dieffenbachia diseases, the stems should be cut with a sharp knife or scissors disinfected with alcohol, and the cut should be treated with crushed coal.
Flower pruning
How Dieffenbachia propagates
There are several ways to propagate dieffenbachia.
Seed germination
This method is practically not used, since the plant rarely blooms. Female inflorescences have a partially closed floral part. For this reason, pollination is carried out manually. When seeds appear, they are dipped in water for a day, after which they are sown in moist soil. Planting is left under the film and waiting for the sprouts to give a few leaves. At this point, you can dive.
Rooting cuttings
To obtain the cuttings, cut off the top of the plant and place it in water or peat. The main thing in this business is to regularly spray the stalk and prevent direct sunlight from falling on it. When roots about 2 cm in size appear, you can move them to the ground.
Air lay
An incision is made on the stem, to which wet moss attaches itself. The material must be constantly moistened. When the roots appear over the moss, the stem is cut and planted in a new pot.
Propagation of dieffenbachia by rooting of cuttings
How to transplant dieffenbachia flower
A transplant should only be done when the roots have completely filled the pot. It is not difficult to determine this, the roots will peek out of the drainage holes of the container. Sometimes a transplant is required several times a year. The best period for carrying out such work is the time from the end of February to the end of May.
The pot needs to be selected more than the previous one. A good drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the container. A new loose substrate of weak acidity, which consists of crushed sphagnum, leaf soil, peat and river sand, is poured into the pot.
Important! Transfer from pot to pot is carried out without damage to the root system, but the roots should be cleaned of soil residues.
Possible problems in growing and disease
Non-observance of elementary rules during care often leads to the fact that the plant becomes ill or is attacked by pests.
Dieffenbachia drops buds and leaves
This situation suggests that the plant should be fed. With a lack of nutrients, the foliage will begin to fall, and the buds that appear will never have time to blossom.
Adult Dieffenbachia plants with large variegated leaves
Leaves turn pale
This is due to non-compliance with the temperature regime. Either the flower was in the cold, or stood in a draft. Perhaps he lacks nutrients in the ground.
The tips dry on the leaves
If the young leaves begin to dry out, first of all this indicates insufficient watering. Maybe the plant is grown in a cold room.
The dried ends of Dieffenbachia foliage
Lower leaves fall off
The process of falling of the lower foliage is natural, and therefore no measures need to be taken.
Pests
Bush dieffenbachia is often attacked by such pests as aphids, scale insects, thrips. Insects are usually removed mechanically. To control pests, a soap solution is used, which is used to wash the foliage, and then wash everything off with clean water. If the infection is strong, you can’t do without chemicals.
Signs and superstitions
Diffenbachia can be called one of the most magical plants, many signs are associated with it. In ancient times, a flower was used to torture slaves, so it is believed that such a plant can not bring anything good. Dieffenbachia was not planted in their homes, not only because of its toxicity, but also because the flower promised unhappiness and death to all residents.
Important! If the house has children or pets, it is not recommended to keep such a plant.
Getting a healthy Dieffenbachia flower is not so difficult. The main thing in its cultivation is to pay attention to humidity and top dressing in the warm season.
