Dieffenbachia - withdrawal and possible difficulties

Dieffenbachia is a genus of the Aroids family, represented by perennial rhizomes, native to the tropical forests of South and Central America. These spectacular plants with strong stems resembling tree trunks, and variegated large leaves are widely used in the floriculture of the enclosed soil. Any room, from the post office with the "Soviet" interior to the office in the style of high-tech, is transformed, if it grows diffenbachia.

Care of the plant requires certain knowledge and some experience, as the microclimate of any room, with the exception of greenhouses, is strikingly different from the natural conditions of its growth. In the rainforest is always warm, daily rainfall occurs, providing high humidity; The soil is airy, friable, weakly acidic, with a low concentration of nutrients; Sunlight scattered (due to the high closeness of crowns), but bright (due to the latitude of the terrain), and the light day is equal to the night. Ideally, it is in such conditions that dienenbachia should grow, care of which is rather difficult, despite its popularity.

The plant needs good lighting with protection from direct sun. Species with monophonic leaves grow well in the penumbra, but the variegated cultivars lose their decorative qualities with a lack of light.

The optimum temperature during the vegetation period (spring - summer) is 20-25 ° C, in winter - about 18 ° C. The plant does not like sharp temperature fluctuations.

All inhabitants of the tropics can not stand drafts. Diffenbachia is not an exception. Care, even the most thorough, will not work if it is in a room where cold air flows periodically. The plant will lose leaves, wither, and may even die.

In the summer, the dienenbachia needs abundant watering, and in the autumn-winter period the moistening regime depends on the temperature regime. If the plant is in a cool place, watering is reduced. With a warm winter (above 20 degrees), moisture is consumed quickly, and therefore watering remains abundant. In any case, you need to focus on the state of the substrate. As soon as its surface dries slightly, it is time to water the plant.

Another important condition is high air humidity. Proper maintenance of the diffenbachia necessarily includes regular spraying of its crown. In addition, at least every two weeks, it is desirable to wash the leaves under a warm shower, protecting the soil from tap water. In dry air, at the tips of the leaves, dull dark brown spots develop, gradually covering the entire plate. In addition, the dust attracts a spider mite, scabbard, mealybug and other pests, which can be very difficult to get rid of. So water procedures are simply vitally necessary diffenbahia, however, like all the inhabitants of the rainforest. It is important that the water for both watering and spraying is soft and not cold. Otherwise, black-brown spots appear on the beautiful large leaves of the plant, sharply reducing its decorativeness.

Soil acidity and its structure are also very important for a culture such as diffenbachia. Care is greatly complicated if the plant is planted in an unsuitable substrate. Therefore, this issue will have to be approached seriously. The soil mixture should be loose, water-permeable, with a weakly acid reaction. Too fertile substrates are not suitable, since where dienenbachia grows in the wild, most of the nutrients are washed out of the soil by rainfall. Good drainage is required.

The plant is propagated vegetatively - by pieces of stem or apical cuttings, which take root in different substrates and in water. Young specimens are transplanted annually (or even more often), adults - every 2-3 years.

In good conditions, the plant can give its owner an unusual flower. Dieffenbachia in captivity blooms infrequently, and the appearance in its motley foliage of the inflorescences-cobs covered in a light green veil is the main sign of proper care and the best reward for the trouble.