Star Bright Dumb Cane Dieffenbachia Star Bright

Star Bright Dumb Cane breaks from the usual dieffenbachia shape. Instead of broad paddles it carries long, narrow, pointed leaves, roughly half the width of a standard dumb cane, with pale yellow green to cream centres blotched in green, dark green margins and whitish leaf stalks, all held arching outwards from a compact, multi stemmed base. The slimmer leaf gives a lighter, finer texture, so it sits comfortably on a hall table, in a narrow corner or in a group with other indoor plants, where a big leaved dumb cane would take over. Like every dieffenbachia it is poisonous if chewed, to people, cats and dogs, because of the calcium oxalate in its sap, so it belongs up on a shelf or sideboard, which suits its compact habit anyway.

Bright for colour, tolerant of a dimmer room

Star Bright copes with lower indoor light better than most dumb canes, and that is much of its appeal for rooms that never get direct sun. Its colour is strongest in bright, indirect light, and a dark hallway or a corner far from any window will still stretch the stems and dull the contrast over time. Harsh sun through glass is the opposite problem, browning the pale centres first, so filter afternoon light with a sheer curtain. It likes warmth and humidity. A dry, heated room invites spider mite: look for leaves that turn dull and finely mottled, with a faint web where the leaf meets its stalk. Standing it among other plants, or over a saucer of wet gravel, lifts the humidity around it through winter.

Narrow leaf or broad leaf

The broad leaved Dieffenbachia Amy has bigger, greener leaves and more presence as a floor plant in a living room. Star Bright is the choice when the space is narrower, when the plant will be seen up close, or when you want the paler, brighter colouring, and it is the one to try first where the light is modest. Both carry the same warning about sap and pets. With a cat or dog at home, look through Indoor Plants for a species that is not toxic to pets, and check what each plant's notes say before you choose.

Watering and keeping the colour

Lift the pot, and water only when it feels clearly lighter, letting the excess run out of the drainage holes. Cold, wet mix in winter is what kills most dieffenbachias, so stretch the gaps between waterings once the weather cools. Use a free draining indoor potting mix, and if the plant sits inside a decorative cover pot, tip out whatever collects in the bottom, because that hidden puddle is often behind a sudden collapse. Repot only when roots circle the pot, moving up one size in spring. Wear gloves for repotting or pulling off a spent leaf, because the sap stings the eyes and can redden skin. It stays fairly compact, but an old stem can still drop its lower leaves, which is normal. If new leaves come up with more green than cream, move it closer to the window rather than feeding it more.

Choosing a size

This plant is supplied in one size, 300mm, at $85.95 per plant. The size shown is the pot it arrives in, which is the rootball, not the height of the plant. Not sure which to choose? Read our guide to when to plant in Australia.