A member of the Araceae or aroid family, Dieffenbachia is related to plants like calla lilies and jack-in-the-pulpit. Native to tropical America, several species of Dieffenbachia have been cultivated and bred for use as foliage house plants. A wide variety of green-and-white leaf patterns occurs. The common name, dumb cane, refers to the numbing quality plant sap shows when touched to the tongue, making speech impossible. Commercial propagation is by tissue culture, layering, or division of shoots from the root clump. By dividing, or splitting, the plant you can make more to fill out your indoor garden.
Put on a long-sleeved shirt, protective eyeglasses and disposable waterproof gloves.
Cover the work surface with the plastic sheeting.
Open the pruning shears and put them and the knife with points down in the plastic container.
Pour hydrogen peroxide over the shears and knife so it touches all cutting surfaces. Allow excess hydrogen peroxide to drain from the implements. This helps protect fresh divisions from pathogens, such as bacteria and fungi.
Time the division so the soil around the Dieffenbachia roots is only slightly moist.
Unpot the plant from its container. Turn the pot upside down for smaller containers and thump the container edge against the work surface edge to loosen the root ball so it slides out of the pot. Lay large containers on their sides, thumping and rotating the pot to loosen the root mass.
Put the unpotted Dieffenbachia on top of the plastic sheeting. Work the soil loose and remove it from the roots so you can see where stems and shoots are emerging.
Inspect the root system for location of possible cuts to divide the root mass. Plan to have three to five stems and/or shoots per division.
Start dividing the root system from the outer edge. Use the pruning shears for small cuts and the knife for thicker cuts. Set aside the freshly cut divisions on a clean portion of the plastic.
Discard woodier non-productive pieces of roots, soil, unwanted divisions, and plant debris. Remove the selected divisions to a clean piece of newspaper. Roll up and discard the plastic sheeting.
Repot the divisions in pots that leave 2 inches of room around all sides. Keep the top of the division at the same level it was in the original plant. Use clean well-draining potting mix. Put potted divisions in growing area and water thoroughly.
Remove and discard waterproof gloves. Remove and wash shirt and protective eyeglasses.
Things You Will Need
- Disposable waterproof gloves
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Protective eyeglasses
- Plastic sheeting sufficient to cover work surface
- Hydrogen peroxide
- 8-inch tall plastic container
- Sharp pruning shears
- Sharp knife
- To prevent bacterial and fungal root infections, use well-draining potting mix and allow established plants to become dry half-way down the pot between waterings.
- Dieffenbachias should not be exposed to temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Plant sap contain sharp crystalline structures called raphides that contain calcium oxalate. Sap also contains a toxic protein, asparagine. Sap should not touch skin, mucous membranes, or eyes to avoid painful toxic reactions. Keep plants out of reach of children and pets.
- The Encyclopedia of Container Plants; Ray Rogers, Rob Cardillo.
- University of Florida: Dieffenbachia Diseases
- University of Florida: Cultural Guidelines for Commercial Production of Interiorscape Dieffenbachia.
- University of Connecticut: Dieffenbachia
- University of Florida: Tropical Foliage Plant Development
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images