Dieffenbachia Green Magic

If you like your plants dark, moody, and just a little bit dangerous, the Green Magic is right up your street.

Unlike its highly speckled and loud Dieffenbachia cousins, the Green Magic keeps things sleek and sophisticated. It features deep, velvety green leaves slashed right down the middle with a bold, bright white racing stripe. It looks like it belongs in a Bond villain’s extremely stylish lair, but it will happily settle for a spot in your living room.

While it looks incredibly high-end, it is actually a very accommodating flatmate, provided you give it the right lighting and respect its boundaries.

How to keep it happy:

• Light: She loves bright, indirect light. If you shove her in a dark, dingy corner, that brilliant white stripe will fade to a dull green. Keep her out of direct afternoon sun, though, or those gorgeous leaves will scorch.

• Water: She likes a consistent drink, but absolutely hates wet feet. Let the top two inches of soil dry out before watering her again.

• Feed: A weak dose of standard liquid fertiliser once a month during the spring and summer will keep her pushing out massive new leaves.

Troubleshooting:

• Yellowing bottom leaves? Usually a classic sign that you are overwatering her or leaving her sitting in a puddle. Check the soil, ease up on the watering can, and let her breathe.

• Crispy brown edges? Dieffenbachias love a bit of humidity. If your flat is bone dry with the heating blasting, she might get crispy tips. Group her with other plants or give her a mist to keep the air around her humid.

Pet Safety: ⚠️ Not Pet Safe (Seriously). This plant is commonly known as the "Dumb Cane" because chewing the leaves releases sap that can numb the throat and vocal cords. It is highly toxic, so keep this well out of reach of curious cats, dogs, and toddlers.