Familiar Stranger Dieffenbachia. Home Care. Photo

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:13

Dieffenbachia is without exaggeration one of the most popular indoor plants. But if at the end of the last century dieffenbachia seemed outdated and out of fashion, today it is irreplaceable. Large, sloppy, prone to degeneration and outgrowth of old varieties of dieffenbachia have long supplanted fashionable novelties with improved tillering, original patterns on the leaves and a variety of sizes of leaf plates. The transformation of Dieffenbachia into a variegated star, fortunately, did not affect its non-capriciousness and ease of cultivation.

Content:

• A new career for indoor dieffenbachia
• Dieffenbachia care at home
• Dieffenbachia transplant and substrate
• Diseases and pests of dieffenbachia
• Reproduction of dieffenbachia

A new career for indoor dieffenbachia

The popularity of dieffenbachia even today, when the choice of decorative leafy stars is almost unlimited, is not decreasing, but only growing. The plant, which has become mandatory in almost any home, office interior and public institution, has come a long way of selection and experimentation in order to appear in a transformed form in the new millennium. Dieffenbachias are varied and beautiful. But they fell in love primarily for their docile disposition: it is difficult to name another plant that is just as easy to grow, easily forgiving mistakes and blunders.

Representatives of the Dieffenbachia genus are irreplaceable and easily recognizable at first sight evergreens, famous for the beauty of their foliage. These beauties are native to Central and South America and represent the Aroid family.

Large, pointed at the ends, most often broadly oval, leaves of different sizes seem thin, delicate, conquer by the contrast of a light basic color with a variety of spots and strokes of white, cream and golden yellow colors - from small ripples to specks, almost graphic patterns and inimitable ornaments modern varieties. But the straight, powerful, fleshy and non-woody shoots of Dieffenbachia are an important part of the spectacular appearance of this plant.

In height, this indoor culture can be limited to both modest 40 cm, and grow up to one and a half meters or more. Dieffenbachias grow very quickly and reach their maximum decorative effect. True, another feature is associated with this talent - a tendency to bare trunks and loss of "shape", the need for rejuvenation. As a rule, indoor dieffenbachia need to be updated once every 3-4 years.

In indoor culture, the dieffenbachia species are increasingly being superseded by magnificent hybrid varieties. But the "familiar" plants from more than 40 types of Dieffenbachia are still found. True, almost all indoor dieffenbachia were combined into one species - both the legendary spotted dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia maculata) and painted dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia picta) now belong to the Dieffenbachia seguine species.

Seguin Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia seguine) - a plant with the broad leaves and delicate patterns, amazing water-loving and grace. This is a species with lodging old shoots, large glossy leaves, on the surface of which cream, yellow white and emerald green spots are mixed.

The length of leaves up to 60 cm with cuttings up to 30 cm turns this dieffenbachia into a giant. But today, somewhat sloppy, similar to overgrown savages, species of plants are rare, supplanted by different varieties that differ not so much in the size of the leaves as in the maximum height of the shoots and the ability to form dense bushes.

A variety of Jenmania is also often found - a slender look with large bright leaves, on the surface of which light cream and white stripes and small specks appear between them.

In addition to the most popular dieffenbachia are also common:

1. Dieffenbachia Bauze (Dieffenbachia × bausei) - an original look with oval leaves, the maximum size is limited to 35 cm harlequin, yellow-green with white dots..

2. Dieffenbachia Oerstedii (Dieffenbachia oerstedii) - a plant with not very large leaves up to 30 cm long. Oval or heart-shaped-elongated leaves flaunt a pure green color and a prominent central vein with discreet watercolor spots on the leaf blade.

Of the many varieties of Dieffenbachia, choosing is not easy. It is always better to focus on aesthetic qualities, personal tastes and interior style. After all, you can find dieffenbachia with soft color transitions to the "classics", and bold contrasting lines for modern styles, and even subtle nuances of ornament or shade to match the textiles used in the design.

Legendary varieties such as "Rudolph Roers" with large, lanceolate-oval leaves with an elongated tip and yellow-green patterns, accentuated by a dark border and central vein, have given way to modern favorites. Dark green with a central white vein "Green Magic", a variety with an apparently glowing light vein and a watercolor glow radiating from it "White Flame", emerald-bright green "Reflector", covered with amazing creamy white marble spots "Vesuvius", almost white with dark border "Tropic Marianne" are everyone's favorites.

Dieffenbachia care at home

Persistent, durable, easy to breed, delightfully well adapted to the conditions of both living rooms and offices, Dieffenbachia delight in their character. They adapt well to both conditions and care, they easily forgive some mistakes, quickly grow and recover. And if you provide them with the simplest care, then dieffenbachia surprise with high decorativeness and unexpected brightness. Even beginner flower growers can grow such a plant, those who are just getting acquainted with their favorite indoor crops.

Dieffenbachia lighting

This plant thrives even in low light. Dieffenbachia achieve the greatest decorativeness in bright, diffused light, but they can endure partial shade and even shadow. True, insufficient lighting does not always affect the patterns of leaves and the height of plants. Dieffenbachia do not like direct sunlight. Diffused lighting will suit them any - both more intense and semi-shaded. The degree of shading can be adjusted individually by observing the plant and how it reacts to moving deeper into the rooms.

Dieffenbachia turn towards the sun. To achieve a uniform, beautiful silhouette, the plant will have to be regularly rotated and displaced in relation to the light source.

Comfortable temperature

Dieffenbachia feels good in normal room conditions. For her, even in winter, the usual temperatures of living rooms will be comfortable. Optimum rates are from 21 to 25 degrees in summer and about 18 degrees in winter. A drop in temperature below 18 degrees Dieffenbachia can only endure for very short intervals, and even then the minimum allowable cooling is only up to 13 degrees. Temperature drops for this plant are not the best option, so the more stable the conditions, the better.

Dieffenbachia is best protected from drafts, which can lead to a partial loss of decorative leaves and the appearance of unattractive details like dry tips. Do not tolerate plants and neighborhoods with air conditioners or heating devices.

Watering and air humidity

The best care strategy for dieffenbachia is to provide it with uniform watering. If you do not overfill or dry out this plant, then Dieffenbachia will thank you with extraordinary beauty, stable decorativeness, and even competes with more modern plants in its catchiness. But this culture is not afraid of mistakes in leaving.

The main enemy of dieffenbachia is dampness and overflow, excess moisture. Of course, a prolonged extreme drought will ruin dieffenbachia, but if you made just a few mistakes and immediately corrected the care, then the plant will only slightly lose its decorative effect, the tips of the leaves will dry out, and the growth rate will suffer. In the summer of dieffenbachia, abundant, but still not excessive, watering will be needed; in winter, it is advisable to slightly lower the moisture content of the substrate, adjusting it to the rate of drying and allowing a larger layer of soil in the containers to dry out.

For dieffenbachia, it is advisable to use settled, soft water at room temperature.

In order for the dieffenbachia leaves to reveal all their beauty, and the plant itself to look perfect, it is worth taking care of the high humidity of the air. Dieffenbachia love not only spraying, but also showering. Leaves can be washed as often as required to keep them clean. Spraying is traditionally carried out in spring and summer, when the crop is actively growing, and in hot weather. In winter, it is better to install humidifiers.

Dieffenbachia feed

This plant needs fertilizers only in spring and summer. The classic frequency of feeding is once a week. But it is better to use a different strategy, applying fertilizer in spring and summer with a frequency of 1 time in 2 weeks, and in autumn and winter - 1 time per month, using half the dose of fertilizer. This approach will allow the plant to maintain high decorative foliage before the start of active growth.

For dieffenbachia, complex fertilizers or special mixtures for decorative leafy plants are used.

Pruning on dieffenbachia

All dieffenbachia, even the trendy varieties, tend to expose the lower part of the shoots and stretch, lift up as a result of this natural process. Pruning allows you to thicken plants, reroot tops and get rid of bare trunks, using them for grafting if desired. Dieffenbachia tolerates pruning very well, usually new leaves begin to develop from the buds on the "stumps" even before the top takes root. The main thing is to use sharp and clean tools.

Dieffenbachia should not allow flowering, break off the buds and flowers in time, otherwise the decorativeness of the plant will be significantly affected.

When carrying out any trimming on dieffenbachia, you should remember about its toxicity, work with the protection of the skin of the hands, clean the tools and dry them, and then disinfect them. After manipulating the plant, the skin must be thoroughly washed, even after gloves.

Dieffenbachia transplant and substrate

Dieffenbachia is equally successfully grown both in individual containers and in mixed compositions in large containers, used for florariums, creating the effect of the forest jungle and various collections. Moreover, this plant can be grown not only in the substrate, but also in hydroponics.

Dieffenbachia are traditionally transplanted annually, but if the plant has not mastered the substrate, then transplantation can be carried out less often. The optimal timing is early spring.

This indoor culture is characterized by a powerful root system, and Dieffenbachia usually pick up spacious containers with a height greater than or equal to their width. But the volume of the pots is increased slightly.

It is easy to choose a substrate for dieffenbachia: any soil mixtures with a neutral reaction, nutritious, friable and high-quality are suitable for it. If possible, it is better to purchase special soil mixtures for Aroids or for Dieffenbachia itself, which have an ideal ratio of components in texture and nutritional value.

If you mix the substrate yourself, then add manure or humus, a small portion of bone meal or its equivalent to peat and deciduous soil. The reaction of the soil should be 5.5 pH. Charcoal and brick chips can be added to the soil, if desired.

The transplant is carried out by slightly deepening the stem in comparison with the previous container to stimulate the formation of additional shoots and roots, the formation of root shoots.

Diseases and pests of dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachiae rarely get sick, but in a severely neglected state or in the vicinity of infected crops, scabbards, thrips, and spider mites or felt mites can settle on them.

Dieffenbachia also have a specific fungal disease, which manifests itself in almost transparent "glazed" petioles, watery transparent areas on the leaves. This is one of the types of bacteriosis, which is considered incurable: the plant must be removed from the collection as soon as possible.

Usually, such infections are characteristic of new varieties. But on classic dieffenbachia, rot is more common. At the first signs of root decay, you need to resort to an emergency transplant with the removal of damaged parts and disinfection of wounds.

Common problems in growing Dieffenbachia:

• blanching of leaves in strong shade;
• leaf burns in direct sunlight;
• yellowing of leaves in the cold;
• wilting of leaves during prolonged drought.

Reproduction of dieffenbachia

Simplicity of reproduction is undoubtedly one of the key qualities of the great popularity of Dieffenbachia. The plant is amazingly easy to rejuvenate or propagate, which makes it easy to get a beautiful interior decoration without much expense and effort.

Dieffenbachia is most often propagated either by the tops of the shoots or by parts of the stems. Such cuttings should retain 1 or 2 buds when rooting the apex and 3-4 internodes when using the shoot. After cutting the cuttings or cutting off the tops, you should not throw away dieffenbachia, even if only stumps remain: new leaves will still begin to grow from the nodes.

Rooting of tops can be carried out simply in water, and in constantly wet sand, and in any substrate. Moreover, you will not have to create any special conditions: dieffenbachia takes root without treatment with a growth stimulant, at normal room temperature (from 20 degrees) and in diffused lighting. To speed up rooting, it is advisable to increase the humidity of the air and regularly wipe the leaves.

Stem sections are laid horizontally in the soil after the sections are dried and treated with coal. Sprinkle plants with soil 0.5 times the thickness of the shoot. Rooting of stems lasts up to 10 months. All this time, it is necessary to maintain a light moisture content of the substrate and prevent the development of rot.