A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2002 dieffenbachia

My dieffenbachia seems to be healthy but I noticed this afternoon that it is blooming - I've never seen this before. Is it a good or bad sign.

All plants bloom in some sort of manor. It is a sign of a healthy plant. A lot of times tropical plants taken into a home type setting just don't receive the correct environment to produce flowers. I don't think the dieffenbachia is considered a annual, but not sure. If a seed pod develops, pinch it off, and cut way back on any fertilizing that you may be doing, just to ensure it won't finish up its lifespan. I have never myself seen a dieffenbachia bloom. I would imagine it would look similar to a spath. I would love to see a pic of it, if you have one. Another interesting thing about this plant, if you have kiddies around. The sap in this plant contains a pretty potent nerve toxin, if you ingest it your symptoms can range from temporary loss of voice, to death if you eat enough of it.

Hi Lisa,

The flowers on Dieffenbachias are fairly common and are generally a sign of good health. There is no need to adjust your care in any way. The flowers can stay on the plant as long as you enjoy looking at them.

Keep up the good work.