Temperature
65–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Dumb cane
Dieffenbachia seguine
Dumb cane wants medium light and water every 7 to 12 days, once the top inch is dry. Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.
Light
Medium
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
Four to six feet back from an east window. Direct sun burns pale patches straight through the variegation.
Water
Every 7–12 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Scores 2 of 5: fast and tolerant of low light. Loses points because the sap burns skin, so it wants gloves at repotting.
Habit
Upright
Grows to 24–72 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans — poison severity high
Contains insoluble calcium oxalates. Reported signs include intense burning of mouth and tongue, excessive drooling, vomiting.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says 2 sources concur
- ASPCA — genus-level entry: Dieffenbachia
- Toxic to cats and dogs · insoluble calcium oxalates
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: High · Calcium oxalate crystals, oxalic acid
DISPLAY — in-content responsive
Light
Medium light. Four to six feet back from an east window. Direct sun burns pale patches straight through the variegation.
Water
Every 7 to 12 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 2 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. The individual diagnosis pages are not built yet.
- Yellow leaves page not written yet
- Drooping page not written yet
- Brown crispy edges page not written yet
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-11.
Propagation
Stem cutting in water or soil. Roots in 14 to 35 days.
A cutting without a node will not root. It may stay green in water for months and never produce a single root, because it has no growth point.
| Preferred method | stem cutting |
|---|---|
| Medium | water, soil |
| Time to root | 14–35 days |
| Node required | Yes |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Dieffenbachia Checked 2026-09-11.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Dieffenbachia seguine Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q141806 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Dieffenbachia seguine Accepted name; family Araceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Dieffenbachia seguine Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: Forest & Kim Starr, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY 3.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02