Question
QUESTION: I have a cordyline ti plant that is SICK...it's leaves are wilting.I recently brought this plant(1 feet in height)...it's a baby plant.Everything was okay for 3 weeks but suddenly the old leaves started drying,I watered the plant thinking of water deficiency,but the problem continued, so at last I removed the old leaves...but now the new leaves are also drying.The plant is potted in a terracotta pot & is placed indoor with no sunlight.I have a picture of it to forward, but I don't see a way to send it to you.Please suggest me the way to save the plant from dying.

ANSWER: Sami,

It sounds like you are giving the plant too much water and the roots are rotting. It also is not getting enough sunshine.  It needs some sunshine. Set it in a south facing window with the drapes and blinds open all day. Do not water it until the top half of the soil in the pot is dry. It is not a swamp plant and cannot stand to be constantly wet, that causes root rot. It may take time for it to regrow roots if it is not too late. You also should never leave it sitting with water in the drain tray. Empty it an hour after you water it to prevent root rot. The sun will help it dry out faster. Don't water it till it drys out even if it takes 2-3 weeks. Good luck.

Darlene






---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


dieffenbachia plant   QUESTION: hi Darlene'
how r u?
i got a mail from a friend saying:

"This plant that we have in our homes and offices is extremely dangerous!
This plant is dieffenbachia plant, in many offices and in homes. It is a deadly poison, mainly for the children. It can kill a kid in less than a minute and an adult in 15 minutes. It should be uprooted from gardens and taken out of offices. If touched, one should never touch ones eyes; it can cause partial or permanent blindness. Please alert your buddies.

Is this true?


regards

sami

Answer
Sami,

Dieffenbachia plants have a somewhat poisonous sap. Just touching the plant and touching your eyes will do nothing unless you damage a leaf and get the sap on your fingers and rub it into your eyes. Then it will cause severe swelling but probably not blindness unless you are very allergic.

If you eat a leaf or two and ingest the sap in them then you could suffer the following effects:

Burning in mouth or throat
Damage to cornea of the eye
Diarrhea
Eye pain
Hoarse voice
Nausea or vomiting
Swelling in mouth or tongue

In rare cases, these plants may cause swelling severe enough to block the airways and cause death if proper medical attention is not sought.

Here is a web article that explains it in more detail:
http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/poison/dieffenbachia/overview.html

Basically you just need to keep kids and pets from eating the plant. It is safe as long as you do not eat the leaves. If you do it will usually make you very sick for a day or so but will not kill. You do need to seek immediate medical care for a child who eats a leaf. Your friend only seems to have part of the information on the plant. Good luck.

Darlene