Dieffenbachia: influence on a person. dieffenbachia

Belongs to the aroid family. It grows in the tropics of Central and South America. called given flower in honor of the German botanist J.F. Dieffenbach. The plant lets out color in April-May and literally a couple of days, after which the flower fades. Its inflorescence is associated with a green-cream coverlet. The dieffenbachia flower grows quite quickly, but only if the care is carried out in accordance with all the rules. At home, a new leaf appears on the plant every week, and when it unfolds, you can see the top of the next one inside. The beauty and power of this plant is widely used in decoration. modern interiors houses and offices. The flower may be different size. Large varieties by 5 years grow up to two or more meters in height, and smaller varieties - up to 1 meter. It has a very thick, juicy stem that resembles a tree trunk in appearance. Do not forget about what harm can be from Dieffenbachia if you carelessly handle this plant. The plant is quite demanding to care for. It does not tolerate extreme cold, drafts and requires regular watering. But look at the photo - what beauty and power of the Dieffenbachia flower can be in the end:

Dieffenbachia care at home

How to care for dieffenbachia correctly at home? I'll tell you. This flower can be grown on outdoors, as well as in room conditions. There are no special rules for growing in certain conditions. The plant prefers a well-lit place, but direct sun can harm it. With insufficient light, the color of the leaves changes, becomes more faded. A houseplant with a solid green leaf color grows well in a shaded place, while its leaves become a brighter green color. Also indoor flower feels great at a distance of one or two meters from the window in intermittent sunlight. Proper care for dieffenbachia at home should begin with the organization of the place of its growth. Throughout the year, flowers of this species contain room temperature, and in summer - within 20-25 degrees of heat. And in winter, a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius is suitable for the plant.

The plant does not tolerate temperatures below 15 degrees. It is better that the ambient temperature at night also does not drop below 15 degrees. The plant does not tolerate drafts, from them it loses leaves. In spring and summer, the plant should be watered abundantly, but should be avoided. excess moisture, but it is not worth overdrying the soil. Excess moisture is the result of yellowing of the leaves of the plant. In autumn and winter, it is advisable to reduce the amount and regularity of watering, but, again, do not allow the land to dry out. By the way, it is necessary to water the flower with water, which must first settle. The flower requires high humidity. To do this, it is advisable to regularly spray the plant with soft, chlorine-free or boiled water, and wash the leaves once a week. If the plant is not that big, then you can spray it in the shower, while avoiding getting water on the soil in the pot. It is advised to feed the flower in spring and summer every ten days at half the dose. The main thing is that lime is absent from the composition of the fertilizer. Suitable as a feed mineral fertilizers You can also use organic. However, do not forget that palm varieties with leaves that are painted white, with an excess amount of nitrogen and insufficient light, can turn green, while losing their varietal properties. Therefore, for such varieties, it is recommended not to use organic fertilizers as top dressing, but to use mineral fertilizers every 20 days. The leaves of the flower are short-lived, so that the stem becomes bare after a certain period of time, so the plant must be rejuvenated from time to time. The upper part with leaves is advised to cut off approximately 1.5-2 centimeters under the knot. Milky juice should be removed from the cut with warm water, dry the lower part paper napkin and powder lightly with charcoal, which must first be crushed.

Dieffenbachia turns yellow: what to do?

If you notice that the leaves of a palm tree turn yellow, then the reason for this is an excess of moisture. The whole point is that root system plants is fragile and tender. If the roots of the flower are kept moist all the time, then in just a few weeks they will begin to rot. What to do if dieffenbachia turns yellow, despite all the correctness organized care? Only one thing can be advised here: completely free the root system, inspect it, remove rotten parts, treat it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and plant it in new soil with good drainage. Re-rooting of pruned shoots is also widely practiced. The first signal to be wary is the yellowing of the lower leaves of the palm tree, which do not so much change color as fade. If you do not immediately, without delay, transplant the plant, then it may die. Another reason why this flower may turn yellow leaves. It is covered in excessive sunlight. This plant is much better in a shaded room, so if a pot with a palm tree is on the window for a long time, then on its leaves you can notice the appearance of initially small light dots, and later - huge size spots. In order to restore the color of the leaves, it is recommended to simply remove the palm tree in the shade. However, in the cold season, when the day is shortened, it is advisable to regularly place the pot with the plant on the window. a lack of sunlight, as well as its excess, can lead to yellowing of the leaves. It is possible to solve a similar problem, but not always - try to illuminate the room where the flower is located, using fluorescent lamps, however it should not be too bright. If you notice that the upper leaves turned yellow on your palm first, and not the lower ones, then this means that the soil lacks phosphorus and potassium, maybe even nitrogen. In this regard, the palm tree should be fed with complex fertilizers, which contain certain doses of nutrients. They also say that due to constant drafts, the leaves of the flower may turn yellow. In this case, the leaves change color along the edges, which initially turn yellow and then dry out.

Transplantation and propagation of Dieffenbachia

How to transplant a plant and when? It is advisable to do this every year at the end of April. But you can transplant in the winter, spring period- from February to May. Dieffenbachia transplant begins with preparatory phase. The new pot in which you plan to transplant the palm tree should be more spacious than the one that was previously, only 1-2 centimeters on the sides and in depth. The soil for transplantation should include sod, humus, peat and dry mullein in a ratio of 1:1:0.5:0.5. You can also use humus, coniferous soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 0.5. You can also add to the soil if you wish. charcoal. In large pots, it is recommended to replace part of the soil coma. Reproduction of dieffenbachia at home is mainly carried out by cuttings and subsequent rooting of apical buds. the upper part of the shoot with leaves or part of the stem, on which at least two internodes must be present, either by dividing the bush, or else air layers. A flower is propagated by seeds, for the most part, only breeders. When the flower is exposed, more precisely, the leaves fall, it can be propagated by apical cuttings. To do this, cut off the upper part of the cuttings so that they have at least a few pairs of leaves. Then you need to put them in a vessel with water or in a mixture of sand and peat. All this is recommended to cover plastic bag to reduce evaporation. After two or three weeks, sometimes even longer, roots can appear. As soon as you notice the first leaves on the cuttings, the plant can be transplanted into small pots. Propagation of Dieffenbachia palm using stem cuttings is as follows: cut pieces of the stem into single-buds and lay strictly upside down in a low container with soil, which consists of peat and sand in the same ratio. To speed up rooting, you can add sphagnum. Propagation by air layering is rarely used. To do this, first make marks on the stem and cut them. However, if there are not big size adventitious roots, then this is not recommended. After all this, it is desirable to overlay the stem with sphagnum, on top of it with a plastic bag and tie it on both sides. It is important that the plastic bag must be transparent. As soon as the roots appear, the stem, together with the plastic bag, must be cut off. A layering, along with moss, should be planted in the substrate. Be careful, the moss must be moist and not dry out, otherwise the young roots will die off.

What can be the harm from dieffenbachia? And can you keep it at home?

Dieffenbachia palm sap is very poisonous. When it gets on the skin of a person, irritation immediately appears. The most dangerous thing is the contact of the juice of the plant with the eyes and mouth. In this case, a person is threatened with blindness or swelling of the tongue with the simultaneous disappearance of the ability to speak. What harm can be from dieffenbachia for people and pets, it becomes clear from the fact that all parts of the plant, without exception, are very poisonous. Related to this is a very interesting historical fact. In slave-owning times, for the fact that people chatted a lot or verbally squabbled, American planters forced slaves who were guilty to bite the stem of this flower. Its milky juice fell on the mucous oral cavity and contributed to the occurrence of edema of the larynx and tongue, later a person long time remained mute. That is why the population of South America called this palm "mute rod". Quite a few fans of growing various plants are interested in the question of whether it is possible to keep dieffenbachia at home? There is no doubt that it is poisonous, but its juice cannot seriously harm the health of an adult. The maximum that can happen when palm juice gets on the skin of the hands and face is the appearance of a frivolous sore, which heals rather quickly. To avoid such troubles, it is recommended to use gloves when propagating the plant by cuttings and forming a crown, and after working with special care, wash your hands with warm water and soap. It is a completely different matter when the juice suddenly gets on the mucous membrane of the mouth or eyes of a small child, who, in most cases, pulls everything he sees into his mouth. The consequences can be much more serious, for example, temporary blindness will appear, the child will not be able to speak, and he may also have severe dizziness or spatial disorientation. In this regard, it is desirable to remove the plant away, you can hang it on the wall or put it on a tall cabinet. For pets, especially cats, the palm tree is deadly. If a cat bites a leaf of this flower, it will suffocate due to severe swelling of the larynx.

Thus, we can say that it is possible to grow dieffenbachia palm at home, but it is recommended not to forget about the precautions when working with the plant. If you want to give a palm tree to someone, then it is better to do this to a family in which there are no small children and pets, so that, albeit without intention, not to harm them.

The tropical plant Dieffenbachia belongs to the group of evergreens. perennial shrubs. The flower migrated to our homes from the wild nature of North and South America. Consider why you can not keep it at home.

Dieffenbachia Milky Juice contains toxic substances: after contact with liquid, dermatitis, burns appear on the skin, allergies begin. The juice that gets into the eyes causes swelling of the tissues, as a result of which a person develops conjunctivitis, temporary blindness.

The pet is so dangerous that it can cause serious harm to a person

Contact with the mucous membrane of the mouth ends with a strong swelling of the tissues of the throat, as a result of which the ability to speak is temporarily lost.

How does a flower allergy manifest itself?

An allergic reaction to a bush looks exactly the same as a reaction to dust, wool, citrus fruits. A person begins a dry cough and / or runny nose, which does not go away for a long time, itching appears, watery eyes.

Usually allergic causes only minor inconvenience. In rare cases, the disease can become the basis for the development of bronchial asthma.

Is dieffenbachia poisonous: can I keep it at home or not?

There is an opinion that appearance is often deceptive - this statement completely coincides with the description of dieffenbachia. Under the beautiful appearance, lies the poisonous juice, which provokes the occurrence of edema and burns, and is also a trigger for the development of a severe allergic reaction.

After contact of the fluid enclosed inside with the mucous membrane of any living organism (eyes, nose, mouth), the place of contact burns and swells. These phenomena are so strong that the person becomes temporarily blind and dumb.

It is not surprising that a person can end up in the hospital after contact with the juice of this plant.

At the same time, a drop of milky juice that has fallen on the skin will not cause any harm to an adult, only a slight reddening may appear on the site.

An exception to this rule are people with individual intolerance: the patient develops an allergy, which in some cases provokes the development of heart failure.

For children and pets, which are most susceptible to poisoning, because they show curiosity to any interesting object, poison has a stronger effect.

In the house where they live, it is better to refuse to grow a tropical pet. IN last resort, dieffenbachia can be kept in inaccessible places.

Is it harmful only during flowering

The shrub rarely enters the flowering phase. The flowers of a poisonous tropical plant are not particularly beautiful.

There is an opinion that the flower blooms only in a room where there are a lot of negative emotions: quarrels and scandals often occur. However, this fact has not yet been scientifically proven.

Biologists are convinced that flowers are quite safe for a person. Despite this, they recommend that gardeners cut off the arrow on which flowers form. Flowering negatively affects the condition and appearance of dieffenbachia - the plant is greatly weakened, and in some cases even sheds leaves.

The level of toxicity does not depend on whether the plant blooms or not, since the milky juice contains substances harmful to humans all year round.

Existing signs and superstitions regarding dieffenbachia

Among ornamental varieties grown at home, dieffenbachia is located in the top five in terms of the number of. The meaning of most of these superstitions is that unmarried girls and women may not use a flower as the color of their dwelling.

Dieffenbachia belongs to the group of indoor flowers called Muzhegon. It is believed that they are able to weaken the energy of men, thus driving them out of the house.

No matter how hard the owner of the flower, unencumbered by marriage, tries to build a strong relationship, they end in a complete fiasco, gradually developing into a fleeting affair.

Mostly signs relate to family problems.

dieffenbachia not only hinders the creation of a family, but also destroys long-established strong alliances: between the spouses there is a misunderstanding, quarrels. Such a negative emotional situation after some time ends with a break in relations.

According to the ancestors, people who have Dieffenbachia in their home become infertile. It is generally accepted that married couple can have a child only after the notorious plant disappears from the house.

At the same time, some of our predecessors are sure that the flower has such a detrimental effect only on the representatives of the stronger sex, reducing their potency.

According to the reviews of the numerical owners of a tropical plant, most of these signs are not implemented in practice..

Use in traditional medicine

Since the milky juice contains many toxic substances, the plant is not used for targeted treatment of both external and inner shell body.

Benefits of Difinbachia

Biologists know that the flower is an air purifier in the house from microscopic and chemical particles.

The variety can be called a natural humidifier because of its properties.

It also has other benefits:

The leaves of the plant are capable of absorb formaldehyde, which is used for the manufacture of varnishes intended for processing various surfaces. This harmful substance also used in the manufacture of furniture.
The plant can absorb the chemical components of cleaning and detergents- benzene, ammonia, chloroform.
With the help of reproducible phytoncides, it kills pathogenic bacteria.
In the winter season, when the air in the house is overdried by heating appliances, it’s great works as a moisturizer: an impressive amount of moisture evaporates from the surface of large sheet plates.
It is worth getting a bush for people who are allergic to dust. The thing is that the flower is able to reduce the number of microscopic particles in the air.

An interesting fact: the appearance of a drop of moisture on a Dieffenbachia leaf indicates the next precipitation.

The chemical composition of the plant

The flower juice contains calcium oxalate, oxalic acid, phytoncides, enzymes, alkaloids, essential oils, toxins. Thanks to such an explosive mixture, dieffenbachia is considered one of the leaders in the rating of dangerous indoor plants.

flower description

Dieffenbachia (erroneously called Difinbachia, Difinbachen) forms large sheet plates variegated coloration. In nature, the height of the plant often reaches 2 m, but it is almost impossible to grow a shrub to such an impressive size at home.

During active growth, the shrub throws off the lower leaves, and then forms new ones at the top. Due to this feature, the flower becomes similar to a palm tree.

Amateur gardeners who decide to bring dieffenbachia into their home need to know about some of the secrets of this beautiful plant. We described various aspects of care in the article.

Dieffenbachia can be grown in the house carefully following all the rules, since careless handling can adversely affect health.

In the house you need to protect the pet from the access of children

Before buying a plant find a place for him on a hill, which will be a kind of barrier for the small inhabitants of the house.

Dieffenbachia is an interesting, widespread plant that can decorate the interior of any office or apartment. Flower growers love him for his colorful appearance, fast growth and easy care.

Photo gallery

plant at favorable conditions grows to a height of 2 m. Should be considered in detail beneficial features and harm dieffenbachia, a description of its varieties.

What are the types?

Dieffenbachia has large, beautifully colored leaves, but inconspicuous flowers. As a result of the work of breeders, more than 40 varieties of this indoor plant have been obtained. The most common of them are:

Camilla is a hybrid that has a light lemon leaf color in the central part with a dark border around the edges;
Bause - no more than 90 cm high, with a marble pattern on large yellow-green leaves;
Bowman - with large oval leaves, reaching a length of 75 cm, with a light line in their middle part and small specks extending from it;
dieffenbachia spotted - with a pattern on pointed leaves, over the entire surface of which spots and specks of color are scattered Ivory;
Oersted, which differs from other types of plants in solid dark green leaves with a wide light vein in its center;
Charming (Seguina), which stands out with a herringbone pattern in a contrasting color on the leaves;
Green Magic - a hybrid with an even dark green leaf color, giving off to blue, with a white central stripe and light rays extending from it;
Compacta is a miniature plant variety that has many similarities with Camila;
Reflector, the memorable color of the leaves of which is presented in the form of yellowish spots along the lateral veins on a dark surface;
Mars, on large leaves of which there are many small strokes of light light, merging into a solid background.

All types of dieffenbachia are divided into 2 groups: bush and tree. Trees have one strong stem. Bush plants are characterized by the presence of several stems and outwardly resemble a lush bush.

How does it bloom?

Not every grower can boast of blooming dieffenbachia. When it is for landscaping the interior, the emphasis is on colorful decorative leaves and not on flowers. At home, flowering is observed quite rarely.

Under favorable conditions, in mid-spring, an inflorescence of small light yellow buds collected on the cob may appear on the top of the plant from the leaf axil. From above, the inflorescence is tightly wrapped in a delicate cream-colored veil.

After a few days, the flower withers, continuing to remain on the stem. During this period, the inflorescence should be removed, because it, taking nutrients from the plant, can cause a stop to its further development.

With natural pollination by insects, a dieffenbachia flower would please flower growers with orange or red small berries, spectacularly looking against the backdrop of rich foliage.

plant description

This exotic belongs to the aroid family. Native to the tropical forests of South America. The plant is named after the Viennese gardener Josef Dieffenbach, who cultivated it.

The flower has large variegated leaves with an expressive pattern that varies greatly depending on the species. Leaves, reaching 25-30 cm in length, are arranged alternately on a strong trunk of a tree-like dieffenbachia or on multiple herbaceous stems of its bush variety.

As they grow, the lower leaves fall off, hiding the decorative effect. The flowers are inconspicuous and rarely appear at home. The plant is characterized by rapid growth and can reach a height of 1.8-2 m.

Dieffenbachia is one of the dangerous plants, so care must be taken.

Its feature can be called the release under certain conditions from the surface of the leaves of caustic juice in the form of drops. Creates the effect of a weeping plant. This property is especially expressive on contrasting leaves (Dieffenbachia Seguine).

The cause of "tearfulness" is high humidity, a sharp change in pressure, an excess of moisture in an earthen coma. The plant acts as a barometer: before precipitation, it begins to "cry".

The flower will delight with stormy vegetation, subject to right conditions content. He loves humidity, heat and good lighting. The period from February to May is considered a suitable time for its transplant.

The plant is thermophilic. The temperature in the room where it is located should be + 22 ... + 24 ° С. In winter, you need to ensure that the temperature does not fall below 18 ° C. Otherwise, the flower will stop growing, rot and may die.

Dieffenbachia does not tolerate drafts, access to light is mandatory for her. In the hot season, you need to protect the plant from direct sunlight. So that she does not lose her attractiveness, she needs to be cut about 1 time per year.

From spring to autumn, dieffenbachia should be watered abundantly, spraying the leaves with water. Likes a humid microclimate. It should be fed 1 time in 2 weeks with complex fertilizer.

Winter for a plant is considered a time of relative rest. During this period, it is necessary to reduce watering, stop feeding.

Why can't you keep dieffenbachia at home?

It can be dangerous to humans and animals with its toxic sap. Subject to the rules and warnings, the plant can be safely grown at home, delighting yourself and others. interesting solutions interior decorations. When keeping the indicated indoor flower at home, it is necessary:

keep small children and animals away from the plant;
to carry out all work with him, using protective equipment;
avoid getting juice on exposed parts of the body and mucous membranes
sensitive people beware of the plant, so as not to cause allergies;
pick up for flower appropriate place away from the bedroom.

It is not recommended to grow dieffenbachia in the bedroom for the following reason. Plants in the light absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, thereby improving the microclimate in the room. But at night, the reverse process occurs.

If you put a flower in the bedroom, then its large leaves will quickly fill the room with carbon dioxide at night. In the morning, a person will wake up with a headache, will not feel rested and alert.

Positive properties

The benefits of dieffenbachia, with its proper content, are as follows:

Due to the wide leaves of the plant, humidification of dry indoor air is constantly and intensively carried out.
Phytoncides secreted by the flower make it possible to cleanse the room of pathogens.
IN daytime the plant cleans the space well from dust and enriches it with oxygen.
Neutralizes harmful effect on the human body of formaldehydes, harmful impurities contained in construction and fuel and lubricants.
Compositions from living plants bring great aesthetic pleasure, especially in winter.

In means traditional medicine dieffenbachia is not used due to toxic juice.

Signs and superstitions

According to esotericism, this flower is incompatible with male energy, male power is lost, the possibility of procreation disappears, it turns out negative impact on health.

It becomes uncomfortable for a man to stay in the house where the plant is located, and he leaves. Then his woman is doomed to loneliness. Dieffenbachia is popularly called "husband".

According to Feng Shui, the Taoist practice of organizing space, there are no plants that are harmful and dangerous, with bad energy. Knowing how to choose the right place for keeping, even the active energy of a plant can be curbed and forced to provide positive influence per person.

Then the plant will enhance the creative and mental potential. If dieffenbachia suddenly bloomed, then the family will face dramatic changes in the near future.

Whether it is worth keeping a beautiful exotic at home, everyone decides for himself. But it is better for superstitious people to refuse it at once.

What is the harm of the plant?

Dieffenbachia juice is toxic because it contains calcium oxalate crystals and other dangerous enzymes. If it comes into contact with the skin of humans and animals, the juice of this indoor flower can cause severe burns or dermatitis. At the site of the lesion, swelling, redness, blisters and ulcers occur.

The situation is more complicated when poisonous juice gets into the body or into the eyes. In this case, there is a burn, swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and mouth or eyes, allergies, difficulty swallowing and breathing, increased salivation. The person is unable to speak. Severe poisoning may occur.

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Gorgeous Dieffenbachia without problems.

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About the most important thing: Dangerous house plants - dieffenbachia and boxwood

Dieffenbachia is a fairly common houseplant that can be found in offices, hotels or residential areas. It belongs to the aroid family. IN natural environment these plants grow in the tropical forests of Central and South America. They have a thick fleshy stem, and the root system is a rhizome. In nature, dieffenbachia can reach 2 meters in height, but indoor specimens are much smaller. There are quite a few varieties of dieffenbachia, there are plants with plain leaves, with spots, strokes, and so on. The size of the leaves can also be different, some are large, reaching a length of 50 cm, while other plants have smaller leaf blades.

Precautionary measures

Dieffenbachia is loved for its beautiful and lush foliage, which is of decorative value. But not many people know that dieffenbachia is also poisonous plant capable of harming a person. But to be precise, dieffenbachia juice is poisonous. It contains substances that can cause severe irritation on the skin. The most dangerous is the contact of dieffenbachia juice with the mucous membrane of the eye or mouth. Getting on the mucous membranes, the substances contained in the juice cause a very strong swelling. A person temporarily loses the ability to talk and see. In order for dieffenbachia to bring no harm, but only benefit and joy, precautions must be taken.

You should always work with the plant only with rubber gloves, and put on goggles over your eyes. It is necessary to cover the arms above the hands, so it is better to wear long-sleeved clothes or special gardening gloves.
If there are small children in the house, then the flower must be removed to a place inaccessible to them. Plant juice that has got on children's skin causes more severe reactions than in adults. They are manifested by severe dizziness, nausea and general weakness.
After trimming or other work is completed, thoroughly rinse all tools.
Keep pets away from the plant. Cats and dogs often have a habit of chewing the leaves. Some indoor flowers will not do any harm to the animal, and dieffenbachia will cause significant harm to health, and maybe even fatal. When a flower is bitten by a cat or dog, the juice that gets on the mucous membrane causes severe swelling of the larynx, causing shortness of breath. The animal may suffocate and die.

If you take precautions and place the flower in an inaccessible place, then dieffenbachia will not harm, but will become worthy decoration premises.

plant benefits

The harm that this flower can cause to humans and animals is quite significant. But in addition to toxicity, Dieffenbachia, like many pets, has useful properties.

Air cleaning

Like all plants, in the process of life, dieffenbachia leaves absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Due to the fact that the plant has large leaves growing in in large numbers, this flower does a great job as a filter. The main thing is to free the leaves from dust in time and refresh the plant, then it will be able to photosynthesize normally. In addition, airborne toxins released from furniture household chemicals and other items are perfectly absorbed by the plant. Biologists recommend that you definitely have dieffenbachia in your home for those who live in industrial cities, near factories and factories, highways and other similar objects.

Bactericidal properties

The plant contains substances - phytocins, which have an antimicrobial effect. Therefore, in a house where there are always fewer germs.

Maintaining an optimal microclimate

The level of humidity in the apartment is important not only for plants, but also for people. Where the air is dry, dust particles are present in large quantities. And this increases the risk of developing allergies in children and its manifestations in adults. Therefore, to increase the humidity of the air, dieffenbachia should be brought into the house. She loves moist air, so it needs to be sprayed regularly. Such a measure will help increase its level, and reduce the amount of dust in the air.

Energy properties

It is believed that this plant brings success to people involved in business. It creates a positive energy background, helps to concentrate on solving problems, activates mental work. The flower also has a positive effect on women. It is believed that the hostess caring for dieffenbachia receives positive energy from the plant and looks much better.

Like many plants, dieffenbachia can bring harm and benefit. But, if you learn how to properly handle it, then the beneficial properties will outweigh the possible harm.

Brought from tropical forests, Dieffenbachia at first sight wins the hearts of lovers of decorative - deciduous plants. But at the same time, few people know that it is by no means harmless. And more and more often among growers you can hear about her negative impact per person. Whether dieffenbachia is really dangerous and whether this magnificent plant can be kept at home without fear remains a question for many exotic lovers. Let's try to figure it out.

Brief description and features of cultivation

Dieffenbachia - magnificent tropical plant all the unique charm, which lies in the special color and patterns on the leaves. With age, the plant is able to reach a height of two meters. True, it is worth mentioning that the older the flower, the more it loses its attractiveness. This is due to the fact that the lower leaves gradually die off, exposing the trunk.

The dieffenbachia flower, despite the fact that it seems to be a wild and unpretentious plant, in reality turns out to be very capricious in terms of care. It is especially demanding on the temperature regime and the quality of lighting. Like most natives of tropical countries, this is a light-loving plant, but at the same time it is very sensitive to the direct rays of the sun on the leaves. When growing it in a home or office, you should carefully monitor temperature regime. Minimum optimum temperature for its growth should not be below 17-18 degrees.

Watering is moderate, it is recommended to wipe the leaves from dust at least once a week and completely spray the flower. Make sure that no excess liquid remains in the pan, as over watering often leads to plant diseases.

Dieffenbachia flower: invisible benefits

Dieffenbachia is not just beautiful plant, it can still bring tangible benefits. Not many people know that indoor plants have their own "immune" protection, these are the so-called bactericidal properties. Dieffenbachia is no exception, it contains phytoncides, which actively purify indoor air from pathogens. In addition, large voluminous leaves contribute to air humidification, intensively evaporating moisture from their surface. Thus, this indoor flower also reduces dust in the premises.

Dieffenbachia is recommended to be grown in apartments and offices located in ecologically unfavorable areas of the city, for example, near factories, factories and landfills. The thing is that this plant, like the ficus, effectively cleans the air of the room from formaldehyde. It's harmful Chemical substance, as a rule, is used in the manufacture of furniture, as it is part of various building varnishes. By absorbing it, Dieffenbachia protects our health from harmful chemicals.

Dieffenbachia flower: harm

Despite all the useful properties, dieffenbachia as a houseplant has one significant drawback. Its milky juice is very poisonous. Getting on the skin, it causes severe irritation, but the most dangerous thing is its contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth. In this case, a person is threatened with blindness or swelling of the tongue, while the ability to speak temporarily disappears.

An interesting historical fact is connected with this. During the days of slavery, American planters forced delinquent slaves to bite the stem of this plant for excessive talkativeness or verbal bickering.

Its milky juice fell on the mucous membrane and caused severe swelling of the larynx and tongue, after which the person remained mute for a long time. That is why among the population of South America dieffenbachia, harmful properties which forced the slaves to endure pain in silence, was called the "silent rod."

Poisonous dieffenbachia: is it possible to keep this plant at home?

A lot of plant growers who love decorative and deciduous plants are very interested in actual question about whether it is possible to grow dieffenbachia at home? What harm can it cause to an adult and a child? And what about pets who from time to time strive to nibble on the leaves of indoor plants? But first things first.

There is no doubt that dieffenbachia is poisonous, but its juice is unable to cause significant harm to the health of an adult. At most, if milky juice gets on the skin of the hands and face, a slight ulcer may form, which will pass very quickly.

To avoid such troubles, when cutting and forming a crown, you should use gloves, and after work, wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap.

In fairness, it should be noted that there have been cases of severe allergic reactions and even acute heart failure, but these are isolated cases caused by individual intolerance to the body chemical elements flower juice.

Another thing is when the juice gets on the mucous membranes of a small child, who usually pulls into his mouth everything that catches his eye. The consequences can be much worse, such as temporary blindness or loss of speech, severe dizziness and spatial disorientation. Therefore, it is best to remove the plant away, hang it on the wall or put it on a tall kitchen cabinet.

For pets, especially cats, dieffenbachia is deadly. A pet that has bitten a leaf of this plant will most likely not be able to breathe due to severe swelling of the larynx. Another question is that cats are quite wise animals and try to bypass this plant.

In general, we can conclude that it is possible to grow Dieffenbachia at home, but only if all precautions are observed. The main thing is to do everything deliberately, as they say with your head. If in doubt, it is better to give a flower to a family where there are no small children and animals.