Dieffenbachia Turning Yellow

I got this dumb cane a few weeks ago. These little baby leaves at the bottom of the smaller stalks are turning yellow, some look faded and pale also, all the larger ones are health and green. I wait for it to dry before watering. It’s in a west window with filtered light and seems to get plenty. Inspected for bugs and can’t find any at all. What could the problem be?

Hi Brie,

Since you’ve only had the plant a few weeks, I don’t think you caused the problem. I think the store where you purchased the plant probably had it in an area where the bottom leaves were not getting enough light or the plant was near an air conditioner or cold draft. These are the main reasons a dieffenbachia gets yellow leaves at the bottom. As long as new leaves are developing at the top and the lighting is good, the problem should get better on its own. You can read all my care tips for a dieffenbachia in the Popular Houseplants section of the website.

https://www.houseplant411.com/houseplant/dieffenbachia-how-to-grow-care

Large green and cream colored leaves on dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia amoeba

All parts of a Dieffenbachia are extremely poisonous which is how they earned the nickname “dumb cane plant”and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants