Question

  Hello Mr. Creed.

I have this plant I received as a 4 in long piece of green trunk rooting in water 3-4 yrs ago. It's grown into a 5' tall monster since. I have no idea what type of tree this is or how to care for it in it's current state.

My concern is with the trunk. The bottom is skinny, the top is fat basically. It can't be good and I have it staked like crazy because it can't hold itself up. I want to put it in a much deeper pot in the hopes that would give it stability, but I'm beginning to wonder if this is normal. Maybe it's a tree not meant to be indoors. I have a very green thumb so I'm not surprised it's thriving, but I don't want the trunk to break and it to die.

The biggest leaves on top are about a foot long and somewhat oval, no pointed edges. I've been searching frantically for an affordable, bigger pot to move it to so maybe I wasted valuable time. It grows like a freak! It has yet another curled-in leaf standing straight up on top ready to open any minute. I've attached a photo.

Let me know if you can be of help. Thank you SO much!

Christina Ford

Answer
Hi Christina,

Your plant is a Dieffenbachia and it is clear you do have a green thumb! Dieffenbachias do grow quite tall and quite quickly when properly cared for. The problem is that their large, heavy leaves cause them to become top-heavy. A larger pot will not help. You can stake them, but eventually they outgrow their stakes and stakes are not very attractive to look at.

The only real solution is to prune these plants back when they become top-heavy. Pruning will shorten the plant, but it will not harm it in any way. Wherever you decide to prune the stem, new growth will subsequently emerge from a point on the stem just below the pruning cut and grow upward from there. If you prune back only a little, then it will soon become top-heavy again. So it is generally recommended to prune back by half to two thirds.

The portion that you cut off can be rooted in water, as you know, or it can be inserted and rooted in the base of the existing pot so that you have two stems. The two stems will help support one another as they grow inevitably taller. They will also make for a fuller plant.

Other than pruning, keep doing what you have been doing because you clearly know what you are doing!

I have written an article on Dieffenbachia care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com