Dieffenbachia highly toxic

DIEFFENBACHIA, or dumb cane, is a beautiful indoor plant that can have a huge variety of variegations on its leaves. Some display shades of red on their leaves, others yellow or through to white, and they can have spotted or striped effects or blotches. Because of its beauty the plant is very popular for indoors in pots in many countries.

However, there is a down side to these plants. They are quite toxic and from references on its toxicity it is the sap that requires special care. For anyone cutting the canes or clearing away old leaves, don't get the sap on your hands because it has a toxic effect if you have a scratch or cut on your hand. It needs to be especially kept away from children who may break a leaf off and get sap on their hands, then put the hands in their mouth or eat something without first washing their hands.

At great risk of course are any puppies in the house or older dogs that tend to chew things. The sap contains calcium oxalate crystals which puncture the cells of soft tissue and release a protein into them, making them swell. A puppy that chewed this plant would soon die of asphyxiation as the tongue and mouth tissues swell, causing the airways to be blocked. Cats, rabbits and other animals are also at risk from this plant.

There is still some argument as to whether it is the crystals in the sap that cause the irritation or whether other enzymes it contains are the source of the severe contact irritation. However, whatever the cause, this is a plant to keep well out of reach of animals and children, or preferably give it to a someone in an adult household without pets.