Easy-to-grow decorative dieffenbachia is an extremely popular indoor plant at home and in the office. Its exotic look invariably attracts attention. Varietal variety of Dieffenbachia is quite large - about 30 varieties. Some of them will be discussed in this review.

The main types of dieffenbachia

This tropical plant with lush foliage is the best choice for brightening the dark corners of the room. She makes the room more elegant, setting color accents. Dieffenbachia grows vertically and is an excellent flower for placement near an empty wall or large pieces of furniture. She looks great in an office, living room, bedroom or other room. In indoor floriculture, those varieties are common whose leaves have the best decorative properties.

Did you know? Dieffenbachia is appreciated in indoor floriculture for its ability to remove toxins from the air.

Among the most common names for indoor cultivars are:

• Camilla - marble sheet with a predominance of light shades;
• Kompakta - below Camilla, with similar leaves, but with a predominance of green;
• Reflector - a dark green sheet with a bright white stripe in the center;
• Tropic Snow is the dark green edge of the leaf plate and many pale yellow veins.

Camilla

Camilla is the most famous variety of Dieffenbachia. It is distinguished by large leaves with cream spots in the center and a dark green border around the edge. The popularity of the variety is due to the fact that it blends perfectly with any color decor. In warm weather it can be used to decorate the outdoor terrace.

Lovely

Lovely Dieffenbachia (amoeena) is distinguished by large, oblong leaves. They have cream or light yellow, with deep green spots and stripes patches located along the veins. It can reach a height of 2 m. It grows well in any light, except in direct sunlight.

Read more about why Dieffenbachia leaves turn yellow.

Although amoeena throws out buds for flowering 12 cm long, they will bloom only in ideal conditions. Her flowers are greenish, not too impressive, so most owners remove the buds, considering them a waste of energy.

Seguin

Dieffenbachia seguin, or spotted, is characterized by pronounced mottled white patterns along the veins. This type includes several varieties, so the appearance of sheet plates may vary slightly. It is considered the largest and reaches a height of 3 m.

Important! After watering, the leaves of the plant become fragile, so if you are waiting for a move, do not water Dieffenbachia for at least a few days to keep it in its best form.

In order to make the plant comfortable, he will need a place with a diameter of about 0.6–1.0 m. It rarely blooms with bright white flowers. After flowering, it forms a fruit - a red spherical berry.

Spotted

Spotted Dieffenbachia (masculine) is a tall plant with alternating large leaves. Distinctive feature: white uneven border around the edge of the sheet plate. The plate itself is very mottled with a predominance of white or beige spots. New foliage appears completely green and becomes colorful when it ripens. Prefers bright light, but may suffer from burns if left in the sun.

Video: Dieffenbachia spotted

Oersted

Dieffenbachia Oersted is a bush with a thick stem and strong elliptic leaves up to 35 cm long. They are painted in a rich dark green color. A white stripe runs through the center of the sheet plate. The veins also differ in a lighter shade from the rest of the surface.

Important! Dieffenbachia contains insoluble crystals of toxic calcium oxalate, which can cause disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. After plant care, do not forget to wash your hands thoroughly.

This is the only species with a completely green leaf plate. Unusual and very attractive Oersted grows only up to 1.2 m. Widely used in indoor floriculture.

Reflector

The uniqueness of Dieffenbachia. The reflector in its spots. The leaf plate looks as if dark green spots are painted on a green background. This flower resembles army camouflage for the forest zone. The veins are “drawn” with a lighter shade. The reflector may lose the contrast of the pattern due to insufficient lighting. The variety does not tolerate cold and is very fond of moisture.

Mars

Dieffenbachia Mars is characterized by large foliage of saturated green color. Along its veins are white spots that merge into a strip of indefinite shape. The central vein is light green. The plant reaches a height of 1.8 m, prefers sunny areas with a "spotty color", does not tolerate drafts and does not need organic fertilizers.

Compact

The variety Dieffenbachia Kompakta was launched in 2002 and is becoming more and more popular every year. The maximum height of the bush is 0.4 m. The compacta shows medium-sized green leaves, abundantly covered with a creamy yellow color in the center.

Did you know? Dieffenbach is named after the Austrian gardener Dieffenbach, who lived at the beginning of the 19th century and served as the main gardener of the imperial palace in Schönbrunn.

The compact resembles Camille, but with the difference that it has a spotty color in the center, and not solid.

Green Magic

A distinctive feature of Green Magic is that in the center of the sheet is the white main vein, and the rest of the plate is painted dark green. Other spots or color changes are not characteristic. The sheet plate is dense, with a glossy surface. The hue may fluctuate and be lighter or darker at different times of the year.

Bauze

Dieffenbachia Bauze is one of the most decorative. The base of the leaf plate is light yellow. The green border of the edge with uneven spots evenly moves to the middle. The height of the plant reaches 1 m. The length of the leaf plate is 35 cm.

Bowman

Dieffenbachia Bowman reaches a height of 40 to 50 cm. It is a single-stemmed plant with alternating egg-shaped petiolate leaves. Plant height - 1.8 m. Can be grown in containers. Bowman is characterized by small marbled white spots that diverge from the center.

Growing and caring at home

Dieffenbachia grows well at a temperature of +21 ... + 26 ° C, but can withstand temperatures up to + 12 ° C. The plant can be grown outdoors in the summer, when the average daily temperature is set at not lower than + 20 ° С. Most dieffenbachia reach a height of 2 m (the minimum growth in the compact variety is 0.4 m). The plant needs well-drained soil. Drainage holes are required at the bottom of the container.

Did you know? Dieffenbachia is loved by the frogs of South America, Mexico and the West Indies. Up to 90% of their eggs, frogs lay on the leaves of this particular plant.

The bush is fed with balanced fertilizers, in which nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are present in equal parts every 4-6 weeks during the growing season. Flowering varieties fertilize 2 times a month. In winter, the plant is not fed. To grow Dieffenbachia well, you need indirect sunlight. The delicate leaves of the plant do not tolerate direct sun and are prone to sunburn.

Each time you water the pot, turn на turn to ensure uniform lighting and the development of Dieffenbachia. It is very important to pay attention to the lighting requirements of a particular variety, since they do not coincide in different species. Most varieties do very well in low light. And although at the same time their growth slows down or stops, but the plant will remain healthy and attractive.

Did you know? If Dieffenbachia does not get enough color, then the new leaves will be small in size and form at a more distant distance from each other.

The optimal soil for the plant is not too wet. Do not water the flower if the top 5 cm of soil is wet. It is desirable that the water temperature be close to room temperature. Remove moisture from the pan so as not to create conditions for the development of phytopathogens. Dieffenbachia is excessively hard water (from the tap) harmful, so it is defended during the day before use.

Propagation Features

There are several ways to propagate dieffenbachia:

1. During the transplant in the spring, the plant is divided into parts and planted in separate pots. At the same time, make sure that you do not damage the root system of the main plant.
2. The top of the old plant is trimmed and rooted in a new pot with new soil. The stump will soon sprout new stems.
3. Pieces of the trunk can also germinate if they are laid horizontally in the soil.

All work related to cutting is carried out with a sterile tool to prevent putrefactive bacteria from entering the plant. The cut site is treated with a growth stimulator. The pot is filled with sand, sphagnum moss or other soil. A hole is made in the ground where the stalk is installed. Deepen it to the desired depth.

Soil should be wet all the time, but not wet. The pot is installed in a warm, bright room so that the sun does not fall directly on it. New roots will grow in 3–8 weeks. Dieffenbachia is planted in a permanent place after 4-6 leaves appear.

Diseases and Pests

The lower leaves of the plant gradually die off as new ones appear in the upper part and growth increases. This is normal for this species. Lower leaves may also turn yellow and fall due to drafts.

Did you know? In Brazil, it is believed that Dieffenbachia protects the house from negative energy and the evil eye.

If you notice a lightening of dieffenbachia, a sticky coating, cobwebs - check for pests on the underside of the leaves and treat with an aqueous solution of insecticidal soap. The concentration of soap in the solution is not strictly defined, so you can make one that you consider necessary.

The main diseases and their treatment:

Disease	Symptoms	Treatment
Excessive watering	Leaves bent down, stained, necrosis appears	Remove excess moisture, dry the plant and normalize watering in the future
Moisture deficiency (insufficient watering or too high room temperature)	Leaves turn yellow	Make watering more often, monitor soil moisture
Anthracnose	Circular and oval spots with a yellow halo, which subsequently lead to wilting of the leaf. They can reach several centimeters in diameter and contain tiny black fungal structures	Treat the plant with fungicide. Avoid heavy watering
Bacterial rot	Small gray or dark green spots on the leaves that grow and take on irregular shapes, and then lead to wilting. There is an unpleasant odor	Remove infected leaves. Change the watering schedule so that the soil is not wet. Treat the plant with a copper-based preparation (brilliant green, vitriol, Bordeaux liquid)
Withering	Lower leaves turn yellow, fade and die	Keep the soil moist but not wet. Move the pot to a shaded place
Leaf burn	Brown spots appear and then the leaf fades.	Reduce the amount of fertilizer, and those that are, flush out the soil with plenty of water. Set the plant so that direct sunlight does not fall on it
Nitrogen deficiency	Plants grow paler, leaves grow shorter and with less internodes	Add nitrogen as a separate fertilizer
Viruses (leaf mosaic virus)	A mosaic of light green color appears on the leaves due to the clarification of individual areas. The plant withers, the foliage is deformed. Some varieties die within a month after infection	Remove infected plants. No treatment
Spider mite	Small cobwebs on the leaves. The sheet plate fades and crumbles	Treat the plant with acarides
Aphid	The presence of a massive accumulation of small green insects	Treat with a solution of insecticidal soap

Dieffenbachia is an indoor flower that is grown due to the high decorative properties of its leaves. There are no particular difficulties in growing this plant. When observing the watering regime and maintaining the optimum temperature, it will delight you with its excellent appearance for a long time.