How to prune a dieffenbachia? - Knowledgebase Question

Beaumont, Ca
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Question by yvonnepowers
July 22, 2009
My dieffenbachia is about 6ft tall. It is top heavy and has lost leaves in the bottom, so it topples over in the pot. I've had to tie it to a stake, but it still leans over bringing the entire pot with it. How do I prune it back? How do I grow new ones from the cuttings? I've heard of air layering, but seems complex.


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Answer from NGA
July 22, 2009
Photo by Urban_Farmer
 Dieffenbachias are notorious for outgrowing their spaces. Often they lean and require support before they reach the ceiling. The cure for both overgrowth and leaning is pruning. Pruning not only solves these problems, but it actually benefits the plant. New growth will emerge from a point on the stem just below where you make the pruning cut. So if you want new growth to start low, then you should prune back to about a foot above the soil.

The pruned off top can be rooted in plain water, in the base of the plant, or in a separate small pot filled with damp potting mix.

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