It so happened that lovers of the roomFloriculture was chosen for their vases, many varieties of plants, home to which are subtropical forests of South America. However, this fact is of little concern to anyone, as pets have taken their place of honor in our homes and become habitual and "native" for the majority of florists. However, from the origin of the flower, from the peculiarities of its growth under natural conditions, the proper care of indoor plants depends directly. Differenbachia is not an exception - home care for this plant has its own specificity of cultivation. 
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The house plant diffenbachia refers tofamily of aroids and is in fact a half-shrub with a lodging stem. The plant received its official name in honor of the gardener Dieffenbach, who in the nineteenth century worked as a caretaker in the Viennese botanical garden and for his years of service made a great contribution to the cultivation of the tropical flower. He also in all the nuances described the essential points in the life of the diffenbahia - caring for and multiplying this plant. The stem of the diffenbachia is very thick and juicy, it resembles the trunk of a tree, on top of which is a cap of large variegated leaves. At the top of the shoot there is a growth point, but some species are bush. At the base of the escaping bifurcate diffenbachia wake up earlier asleep buds, there are cases when the kidneys are located and higher. The size of an adult diffenbachia can reach two meters or more in height, but as the growth grows, the lower part of the trunk gradually becomes bare, and the plant begins to lose its former attractiveness. As it is not sad, but in the room conditions diffenbachia rarely blooms, but there are such florists who manage to create the most comfortable conditions for the plant and observe its bloom more than once. The inflorescence of the diffenbahia is collected in the inexpressive ear, which surrounds the greenish veil, which is a characteristic feature of all members of the family of the aroids. As a result of flowering, a fruit appears in the form of a red-orange berry. Perhaps, the only unpretentious variety, resistant to the specificity of care in the room conditions, is a very popular among the florists variety Diffenbachia amoena (Dieffenbachia charming). This plant differs from others and color - its leaves are painted evenly. The decorativeness of this plant completely corresponds to its name. 
Care for the Diffenbachians
For many growers it is still openquestion about this mysterious flower. How to properly care for a plant in a room, taking into account the peculiarities of its origin? Let's try to figure it out. First of all, you need to determine the right place for the arrangement of the flower. In winter and spring, the plant is put in place, well lit by the sun or an artificial source of illumination, and in summer - on the contrary put in the shade. In principle, diffenbachia can grow in the shade, but in this case its leaves will lose their unusual diversity. The main thing is that the flower does not experience the effect of direct sunlight, otherwise its leaves will begin to turn yellow and burn. Dieffenbachia Camilla is contained in a strictly defined temperature regime. In the spring-summer period, the plant feels comfortable at 20-22 ° C. Of course, the diffenbachia can carry the temperature upward, up to 30 ° C (and even higher!), But only at one important condition - with high air humidity. In winter, the plant is better provided with cooler conditions with a temperature regime within 15-18 ° C. If the temperature is below 15 ° C, then the plant will lose its lower leaves. Drafts and sharp temperature changes are harmful to the health and condition of Diffenbachia. If you decide to ventilate the room, the flower should either be moved to another room, or it must be protected from air currents. Caring for a diffenbahia mix involves abundant watering of the plant during its active growth. Specialists recommend once a month earth clod to defend for 15 minutes in soft water, after which you should let the water drain. In winter, the flower requires moderate watering. If the diffenbachia is flooded with excess water, the edges of its leaves will begin to burn. The flower diffenbachia is very fond of moist air, so it is necessary to sprinkle the leaves of the plant daily with soft water. If lime water is used to moisten the leaves, they will be covered with white spots. Once a week, you can wash the plant under the shower so that the leaves can be cleansed of dust. If the air temperature exceeds 20 ° C, it is advisable to set the diffenbachia in wet peat or on wet gravel. Tropical flower very quickly has time to consume nutrients, so during the active growth of diffenbachia it should be fed 1 time per 10 days with the help of liquid mineral fertilizer intended for indoor plants. During the rest period, the amount of fertilizer should be reduced, and during the winter, and completely stop the supply of fertilizers. Rapidly growing dienenbachia requires an annual transplant. How correctly to transplant a diffenbachia? Experts advise to pass the flower from a small pot to a deeper, without destroying the integrity of the earthy coma. At the bottom of the pot lay drainage from broken shards or small pebbles. Too large pots is best not to use for planting, as excess land leads to soil silt and death of the flower. Aeration of the roots should be increased regularly - for this the soil is constantly underflooded. 
Reproduction of the diffenbachia
Diffenbachia multiplies in most casesstem cauline cuttings, much less often - with the help of air layers. From the apical cuttings, diffenbachia reproduces in spring and summer. Wet sand is an ideal soil for rooting cuttings. A mini-greenhouse is used for a 100% successful result. Air layers serve to multiply diffenbahia between May and September. To do this, take an old plant, the stem of which was lowered from the bottom, and make on it an incision from below upwards of 5 mm on the trunk below the leaf. Then take a wet match and dip it into a dry hormone powder, intended for propagation. Match the powder with a fresh cut so that it can not close. Place the layering with wet moss, tie with raffia, and top cover with a film. A few months later, the roots begin to break through directly through the moss. When the new roots are strengthened, the petiole is cut just below the roots and transplanted into a pot 10-12 cm in size. After separation of the air layers, the remaining part of the stem is cut into several equal parts. Each part must have at least one thickened place, in which there was once a leaf (such a place is called a little eye). It is in the eyes that the sleeping buds are hidden. Stem cuttings are sprinkled with crushed coal and left for a day to dry up. Prepared cuttings are planted in a substrate, combining the direction of growth of the stems. You can lay the cuttings horizontally on the substrate, deepening it halfway. After watering, the stem cuttings are covered with a polyethylene bag or jar. For layers, daily ventilation is required 2 times a day. Rooting takes place at a temperature of 22-25 ° C. If the air temperature is lower, it is better to use a mini-greenhouse with a lower heating. 
Diseases and pests threatening dienenbachia
Unfavorable lighting, or violation of the regimewatering leads to the loss of the flower of its decorative features. Moreover, the plant begins to ache. If the leaves of the dienenbachia turn yellow and dry, it means either the air is too cold for it, or the soil has dried, or the flower has experienced the effect of a draft. Direct sunlight or strong bright light leads to a change in the color of the leaves and the appearance of spots. In order for the diffenbachia not to hurt, it must be placed in a moderately lit warm place, in which there are no drafts. The poisonous juice of diffenbachia, unfortunately, does not save it from damage by various pests - scab and spider mite. Occasionally there are infections of aphid plants. When infected with a scabbard, it is necessary to save the dienenbachia. To do this, a special soap-tobacco solution is diluted, to which a little bit of denatured alcohol or kerosene is added, and the plant is sprayed with it. Since adult pests do not take such a solution, they are collected with a moist tampon, and the larvae of the scabbard are removed by an insecticide. Spider mites are destroyed by washing or spraying the leaves with water with a weak tobacco infusion, green soap or pollination with ground sulfur, paying special attention to the underside of the leaves. Occasionally, the plant is treated with ready-made insecticides. If the treatment uses infusion with green soap, then 2-3 hours after the procedure, the diffenbachia should be washed under warm water. A favorite place of aphids is the underside of the leaves. It feeds on aphids from the plant, causing drying and curling of the affected leaves. Insects quickly multiply, so it is better to destroy them with ready-made drugs. You can prepare yourself an aqueous solution of nicotine sulfate with soap (1 g of nicotine sulfate is taken 1 liter of soapy water). After treatment with any solution, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the leaves every day, protecting the soil with polyethylene. If necessary, re-treat the plant against insects. Knowing how to care for dienenbachia, you will certainly achieve success in its cultivation. Good luck! We advise you to read:
