The appearance of dieffenbachia in the house is alwaysis accompanied by a lot of not very pleasant signs. What they don’t say about the poor plant: it takes away men’s strength and even drives representatives of the stronger sex out of the house, and it can’t be put in the bedroom, because then there will be no heirs (apparently for the reason that a man and dieffenbachia are not compatible). It’s quite difficult to say where so many prejudices come from. Therefore, let’s sort out all the nuances together and find out whether dieffenbachia is really harmful and how poisonous it is.
General information about diffenbachia
This flower came to us from the humid tropics— forests of Central and South America. It belongs to the genus of perennial herbs of the Araceae family. Most species are decorative and are very popular among lovers of indoor plants. This bush blooms quite rarely, and its flowers are not particularly beautiful. There are such types of dieffenbachia that grow up to two meters in height, and the size of the leaf can reach half a meter in length. However, at home, this plant most often sheds its lower leaves and turns into a very unsightly tree. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to periodically update it. Dieffenbachia is distinguished by fairly rapid growth and pleases with new leaves almost every week. Usually, from an already unfolded leaf, you can immediately see the top of the next one. The color of the leaves can be variegated or simply green. The two most popular types have become spotted dieffenbachia and multi-striped. They served as the ancestors of many hybrids with a wide variety of leaf sizes and patterns on them. The growth point of the plant is always located at the top of the stem. There are some varieties of dieffenbachia that have dormant buds at the base of the stem; when these buds awaken, the flower begins to bush out. If a tall specimen is not renewed in time, it will grow as long as the support allows, and then the trunk bends and lies horizontally. The top will still strive upward until it falls due to its own weight. In the tropics, in a lying position, dieffenbachia comes into contact with wet moss and takes root, giving life to new plants. It is not difficult to break the flower - its stem is very fragile. But it is also easy to root a broken top or any other part of the plant.
Flowering diffenbachia: is it harmful to man?
Witness the flowering at homeIt is almost impossible to become a dieffenbachia. But this does not mean that this plant does not bloom: under favorable conditions, the release of buds occurs every summer. Externally, the flower looks rather nondescript - a cob with small yellow-white flowers and a gray-green cover. Neither the fleshy cob itself, nor the ripening fruits after flowering are of any decorative value. And given that during the formation of cobs and fruits, the plant weakens, it can begin to shed leaves. Experienced gardeners recommend removing buds at the stage of inflorescence formation. There is definitely no reason to suspect that the flower can harm a person during this period.
Dieffenbachia in the house: a description of the properties of the plant
As it turned out, the appearance in the apartmentsdieffenbachia is caused not only by the desire to decorate the interior. These plants have a lot of advantages, although people know little about them. People often remember that dieffenbachia is harmful and poisonous than its beneficial properties. Let's consider the advantages of this flower in more detail.
- The presence of diffenbachia in the house makes it possible to improve the chemical composition of the air. This is due to its ability to absorb and neutralize various toxic substances;
- Also, diffenbachia have phytoncidal properties, which can significantly reduce the number of pathogenic microbes in the air, for example, staphylococci;
- Wherever the diffenbachia grows, allconditions for increasing humidity, thereby reducing the amount of dust in the room. This not only improves the ecological situation, but also brings relief to people suffering from allergies.
And yet it is poisonous
However, there is one factor that gets in the wayflower distribution. The disadvantage of dieffenbachia is that the leaves and stems of the plant contain alkaloids, which, when they come into contact with the skin, can cause an allergic reaction in the form of swelling and irritation. What is characteristic is that when in contact with the juice of the plant, the reaction does not occur immediately, but after some time. There is even a version according to which in Brazil dieffenbachia was used to punish slaves: the offender was forced to eat a piece of the plant leaf. As a rule, after this, the unfortunate person experienced severe swelling of the larynx and oral mucosa, and for some time he could not speak at all. This method of punishment was called "silent rods". And yet it is categorically impossible to say that the harm from dieffenbachia does not allow it to be grown at home. Of course, if there are small children in the house who simply love to taste everything, you should be careful and remove the plant as far away as possible. Of course, it is better not to grow dieffenbachia in kindergartens, but to give preference to safer plants. In other cases, the harm from this plant is too exaggerated, but the flower can be of considerable benefit. The most important thing is to follow basic safety rules when pruning and replanting the plant and not allow dieffenbachia juice to get on the mucous membrane. After replanting, be sure to wash your hands with soap, and it is advisable to use rubber gloves when caring for the plant. So, we conclude - the benefits of dieffenbachia are undoubtedly underestimated, and the harm is clearly exaggerated. This flower can be kept in apartments, houses, offices, production workshops, where it will perfectly complement and decorate the interior. Caring for the plant is not at all difficult, so you can become the owner of a chic bush with beautiful leaves in the shortest possible time. The plant will purify the air in the room from harmful impurities and pathogens. And this, you must admit, is a serious advantage. Especially if you take into account the ecological situation in our cities. So, feel free to buy a plant and put it in the most visible place in the house. The main thing is to try to take precautions when replanting and keep the flower out of reach of children. In this case, dieffenbachia will not cause you any trouble!
