Probably, many of us are familiar with this plant firsthand. Keeping this plant at home is often associated with a number of various false judgments and assumptions regarding its harm or harmlessness to humans. So how harmful is dieffenbachia and is it safe to keep it at home?
Dieffenbachia, main features and characteristics
Dieffenbachia is a plant belonging to the aroid family. Her homeland is the South American continent. The most correct would be to attribute dieffenbachia to perennial shrubs of the evergreen type.
The name of this shrub came from the name of the German botanist J.F. Dieffenbach... The plant has a fairly high growth rate and can reach two meters, however, when kept at home, it rarely reaches this height.
Dieffenbachia is distinguished by rather beautiful leaves, which have a peculiar "spotted" color. The shrub quickly begins to release new leaves and shed those that are located in its lower part. This property significantly impairs the appearance... In order to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to update the plant in a timely manner by cutting off the top. The very top can be rooted. If this is not done, dieffenbachia will begin to tilt and the trunk can take a horizontal position.
The flowering of the shrub is rare, and the flowers themselves are not of particular decorative importance. But with a favorable set of circumstances, the appearance of small "flowers on the cob" is quite real. The point of emergence of new leaves is located at the top of the plant.
Home maintenance
Can this flower be kept at home and grown? Dieffenbachia does not tolerate drafts and temperature changes quite well. It is important to pay attention to this nuance when transplanting a plant or airing a room during the cold season. In a certain period it is necessary to give the plant an opportunity to rest, during which watering and feeding decreases. As a rule, it is autumn-winter.
In the rest of the time, you can safely transplant a flower (usually the plant needs it once every 2 or 4 years, as it grows). Drainage (expanded clay or small pebbles) is placed in the bottom of the dieffenbachia container. It will not be superfluous from time to time to loosen the soil and feed the plant with mineral fertilizers.
Problems and diseases
Due to improper care, the plant can have certain problems. Like yellowed leaves the appearance of spots on them, the appearance of parasites.
In order to avoid this, it is important to water the plant on time, to ensure the optimal temperature regime in the room, and to arrange treatment from pests if necessary.
Dieffenbachia propagation
A flower can reproduce in a variety of ways.
- Cut reproduction... The parts cut off from the plant are either rooted in the ground (can be watered with a growth enhancer), or placed in an aqueous / humid environment (container with water, wet moss).
- Seed reproduction... This method is possible only if there are flowers on the plant. The female flowers have a distinctive feature in the form of a partially closed floral part.To pollinate a flower, it is necessary to take the pollen from the male inflorescence with a brush and distribute it along the half-closed part of the female flower (after making an incision on it, at the end - the incision must be sealed).
- Propagation by the stem part of the plant... Usually the stem is divided into several parts, about 10-12 cm each, the cut is processed with crumbs of coal or sulfur. Then the stem is placed in a container with soil. If everything went well, the rudiments of leaves will appear on the stem.
Dieffenbachia: benefits and harms
Dieffenbachia has a large number of species, but the most common for home keeping, there are only a few hybrids of this shrub. What is the benefit or harm of a flower, can it be kept at home? In fact, this shrub has a number of useful features that make it stand out from many other plants.
- In those rooms in which dieffenbachia is located, the chemical composition of the surrounding air is significantly improved;
- Shrubs affect the amount of dust, which is important, for example, for people suffering from allergic diseases;
- It is known that dieffenbachia is characterized by the presence of phytoncides, which in turn have bactericidal properties. They are able to reduce the overall quantitative characteristics of microbes such as staphylococcus aureus.
On the safety of home content dieffenbachia
Along with the beneficial features of dieffenbachia for humans, one cannot reject the fact that there are also properties that can cause some harm when keeping a shrub at home.
Dieffenbachia, the harm of which lies in the content of a number of substances in its juice, can cause allergic reactions. This usually happens by direct contact of dieffenbachia juice with the skin... Therefore, it is very important to follow certain precautions when caring for a shrub. And do not allow the juice of the plant to get on the mucous membranes or skin.
It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the plant is out of the reach for small children and pets (it is noticed that cats show some interest in this plant). Also, you should not place this plant in preschool institutions and centers.
findings
From the features and properties of dieffenbachia we have considered, one can come to certain conclusions about its safety (benefits and harms to humans).
Subject to simple precautions, during transplanting, cutting off stems and leaves (use of protective gloves, washing hands after finishing work with the plant), prevent children from contact with the plant, Dieffenbachia will not differ in any way from other plants in the house.
Thus, finding a dieffenbachia flower in a house is not only not dangerous, but will also bring positive properties to the microclimate of the room. Also, this shrub with "marble leaves" will perfectly complement and decorate your interior.
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