Dumb cane

Description:

Dumb cane is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Araceae. It is native to the New World Tropics from Mexico and the West Indies south to Argentina. Some species are widely cultivated as ornamental plants, especially as houseplants, and have become naturalized on a few tropical islands.

Habitat:

They typically grow in warmer climates and therefore temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius or below can kill these plants. Light is also important for Dieffenbachia particularly during the winter. In summer they prefer indirect light.

Notes:

The cells of the Dieffenbachia plant contain needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals called raphides. If a leaf is chewed, these crystals can cause a temporary burning sensation and erythema. In rare cases, edema of tissues exposed to the plant has been reported.