How to grow Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia seguine · Dumb cane, Leopard lily

A tropical foliage plant with large leaves splashed and spotted with cream, white or yellow, grown indoors for its decorative leaves and tolerance of shade.

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Family	Araceae
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Soil for sowing	from 16 °C
Where it grows	At home

When to plant

Sow straight into the bed after your last spring frost, once the soil has warmed.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	16…24 °C	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 44 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 74 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 104 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 134 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 164 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 194 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 14 days	16…24 °C	—

Growing notes

Light

Bright, filtered light from spring to autumn; in winter bright light, even some direct sun, is best. It tolerates low light, but then grows very little.

Soil

Any well-drained potting mix for container plants; poor drainage leads to root rot.

Care

Water thoroughly, then let the top 2.5 cm of soil dry before watering again. It likes ordinary warm rooms of 16–24 °C; protect it from cold and sudden temperature changes. From March to September feed every two to four weeks with a half-strength liquid foliage-plant fertiliser; too much feed burns the leaf edges. Lower leaves drop naturally with age, revealing a cane-like stem. All parts contain needle-like calcium oxalate crystals; chewing them causes painful swelling of the mouth and throat in people and pets, and the sap can irritate skin and eyes, so wear gloves when cutting it.

Pests and diseases of Dieffenbachia

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.