Dieffenbachia seguine, the plant that will leave you speechless

Rumor has it that in the West Indies and South America, voodoo priests use Dieffenbachia seguine to silence their enemies. In our latitudes, this plant of the Araceae family is cultivated for its variegated foliage. But it retains its powers.

Dieffenbachia seguine is a sub-shrub with an upright habit. In the wild, this small shrub is no more than two meters high. In pots and indoors, it rarely exceeds 1.5 meters.

Dieffenbachia has no trunk, but a sturdy, unbranched stem. The stem is covered by petioles, which support the leaves.

The thick, lanceolate leaf blades can reach 45 centimetres long and 30 centimetres wide. Green, they are mottled with cream or yellow. Dieffenbachia 'Camilla has cream leaves with green margins, while dieffenbachia Green Magic is dark green with white veins.

Dieffenbachia is grown for its evergreen foliage. But it sometimes flowers, even far from its native forests. A white or greenish spathe surrounding a yellowish spadix then appears.

When the flowers fade, they are replaced by the fruit, a round, red berry. It contains the globular seeds.

Dieffenbachia seguine is entirely toxic. It causes skin irritation when touched. If ingested, it causes swelling of the mucous membranes. It can even cause paralysis of the vocal cords and tongue, hence the name "mute's cane". To avoid accidents, wear gloves when handling the plant and wash your hands afterwards. Keep it out of the reach of children and pets.