How to Grow and Care for Dieffenbachia

These popular houseplants give a lush, tropical look to any room.

Give dieffenbachia lots of bright, indirect light.
When indoors, pot dieffenbachia in Miracle-Gro® Tropical Potting Mix.
Water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry.
A month after planting, begin feeding with Miracle-Gro® Tropical Houseplant Food.
Prune when the plant is too tall or the stem is naked.
Use stem cuttings to create new dieffenbachia plants.

Dieffenbachia is an easy houseplant to grow and adds a lush, tropical look to the room. This plant's common name is "dumbcane," and for good reason: the sap of the plant can cause numbness when touched and interfere with the ability to speak if it gets near your mouth, causing you to temporarily become mute, or "dumb." Be sure to wear gloves when handling the plant, and keep it away from children and pets.

There are a variety of cultivars available, most with variegated white and green, cream and green, or all-green leaves that can be speckled, splotched, or loosely striped. Primarily grown for foliage, dieffenbachia rarely flowers, but when it does, the bloom looks a bit like a peace lily.

Where to Grow Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia is a tropical plant that grows well indoors in lots of bright, indirect light. It can tolerate low light, but its growth will slow dramatically. Given more light, it will quickly begin to grow again. If your plant starts leaning toward the light, give your plant a quarter turn every time you water to help it straighten out.

How to Repot Dieffenbachia

When repotting dieffenbachia, be sure to use a lightweight soil that's made for tropical plants. Miracle-Gro® Tropical Potting Mix is lightweight and formulated to be less prone to gnats (a common problem with houseplants), as it contains no compost or bark for the gnats to shelter in. The mix also contains lava rock to provide the drainage that tropical plants need.

Select a container that is no more than 1-2 inches wider in diameter than the plant's original pot or root ball.
Fill the bottom ⅓ of the container with Miracle-Gro® Tropical Potting Mix.
Place the plant in the container so that the top of the root ball is about an inch below the top of the container. This way, you can water the plant without the water running over the pot.
Fill in around the root ball with more potting mix.
Thoroughly water the plant and let it drain before putting it in its chosen spot.

How to Water Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia grows best with soil that's not overly moist. Hold off on watering the plant until the top 2 inches of soil are dry, then water thoroughly, directing the water towards the base of the plant, keeping the leaves dry. Droopy leaves are usually, but not always, a sign that the plant needs to be watered.

How to Feed Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia are known to be heavy feeders and benefit from a regular boost of nutrition. Feed your plant regularly when it’s actively growing (spring and summer) with Miracle-Gro® Tropical Houseplant Food. Add 4 pumps of plant food into a quart of water and use it to water your dieffenbachia once a week.

Troubleshooting Problems with Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia are plenty chill, but you may notice it's not looking its best from time to time. Not to worry, these problems are typically easy to fix with some minor care adjustments.

Droopy leaves: Dieffenbachia plants may get droopy or lose their leaves if the room gets too cold, and too much sun can have the same effect. They're happiest at 65-75 °F in bright, indirect light. Keep in mind that drooping leaves can also indicate both an over- and underwatered plant.
Yellow leaves: This usually means too much or too little water, but in rare cases can mean a nutritional deficiency. Water only when the soil feels dry about two inches deep, but don't let it remain dry for too long. If you're watering properly, give the plant an extra dose of fertilizer.

Dieffenbachia is a unique choice to add to your indoor garden! While you'll want to remember to be careful when handling this plant, it's a great way to brighten up your space.