Dieffenbachia or Dumb Cane One of the most popular of house plants thanks to its' ease of care as to be almost fool proof. Since it is very tolerant of low light, inherited from its' understorey niche in sub-tropical forests, Dieffenbachia now gladdens dentists' waiting rooms world-wide.
Supposedly, it is unkindly called Mother in Law's Tongue plant, although it's a name that I never hear actually being used. Most folk are happy with Dieffenbachia which makes me happy since it is botanically correct.
It has nothing whatsoever to do with Canada's 13th Prime Minister, John George Dieffenbaker. He was a great talker and loved the sound of his own voice. Dumb Cane refers to the effect of the plants sap on the human voice box
that can be so inflamed as to make you speachless.
Dieffenbachia is not a 'poisonous' plant but an 'injurious' plant; a distinction that is made in the title of the A.M.A. Handbook. It is a distinction that I would like to stress as I would prefer that the word poison be reserved for life threatening conditions not merely the unpleasant.
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