Dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Sparse (3 studies) · ★☆☆☆☆
scientifically known as Dieffenbachia, is a popular tropical houseplant celebrated for its striking, variegated foliage. Often called Dumb Cane due to calcium oxalate crystals that cause swelling if ingested, it adds lush, dramatic texture to indoor spaces. With minimal care, it remains a stunning, statement-making addition to any collection.
- Family
- Not available
- Native range
- Africa
- Parts used
- Leaf · Stem
- Common names
- Not available
- Scientific synonyms
- Not available
Names and Synonyms
Scientific Names
Accepted name
DieffenbachiaDistribution
This plant exhibits a diverse range of habitats across several tropical regions. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found around the Gulf of Guinea Islands. Its distribution extends to the Western Indian Ocean, specifically within the Comoros and the Seychelles. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, the species is documented in Bangladesh. Finally, its presence reaches into Malesia, where it grows on the island of Borneo.
| Region | Area |
|---|---|
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. |
| Western Indian Ocean | Comoros |
| Western Indian Ocean | Seychelles |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh |
| Malesia | Borneo |
| Malesia | Malaya |
| Southwestern Pacific | Vanuatu |
| South-Central Pacific | Cook Is. |
| South-Central Pacific | Society Is. |
| Northwestern Pacific | Caroline Is. |
Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)
Plant Parts
Dieffenbachia has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.
| Plant part | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Stem | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Leaf
- The Journal of emergency medicine
Stem
- The Journal of emergency medicine
Conditions
Dieffenbachia has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include edema.
| Condition | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Edema | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Edema
- The Journal of emergency medicine