Dieffenbachia

Improve your indoor air quality and enliven your décor with a Dieffenbachia houseplant.

A longtime favorite of indoor gardeners the dieffenbachia is covered with lush leaves marked with cream, yellow or white variegation. Larger plants can be set on the floor to decorate a bare wall or next to furniture as an accent.

Grow this tropical beauty in a warm bright location. It will tolerate relatively low light but will drop its lower leaves if you have pushed it beyond its limits.

Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil slightly moist. Soggy soil can cause leaves to yellow and roots to rot. Overly dry soil can cause leaf tips to turn brown.

Keep this plant out of the reach of pets and children. On a positive note, NASA found this plant helped filter harmful chemicals out of the air.

A bit more information: Dieffenbachias contain calcium oxalate crystals that can irritate skin and are toxic to people and pets when ingested. These crystals can cause a variety of symptoms such as redness or swelling, a burning sensation, numbing, oral irritation and excessive drooling.