My wife and I received this plant ~5 years ago. It has since outgrown its pot 3 times. What is it and how do I manage the new offshoots?
by Redditreddituser991
My wife and I received this plant ~5 years ago. It has since outgrown its pot 3 times. What is it and how do I manage the new offshoots?
by Redditreddituser991
5 Comments
Congrats on your green thumb. It’s quite pretty.
*Dieffenbachia*, Dumb cane
It’s a *Dieffenbachia*. You can cut and propagate the stems however you want. In the wild they snap off and propagate themselves. Make sure to wear gloves if you cut it because the sap is an irritant.
Eta: the typical common name for this has a problematic history and is not considered appropriate.
Also, keep it away from your pets, it’s toxic to both cats and dogs
⚠️❌🐶🐱👶🏼 FYI for those who don’t already know: Dieffenbachia is dangerous around pets and small children. It’s nicknamed ‘Dumb Cane’ not meaning unintelligent, but meaning dumb as in unable to speak.
That’s because the plant contains needle-shaped calcium oxide crystals that cause burning pain and numbness if chewed. The crystals get embedded in tongue and lining of mouth and throat.
Lovely healthy plant that should be kept up and away from any curious chewers.
[https://www.poison.org/articles/dieffenbachia-and-philodendron-202](https://www.poison.org/articles/dieffenbachia-and-philodendron-202)