Dieffenbachia /ˌdiːfɪnˈbækiə/,[2] commonly known as dumb cane or leopard lily, is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Araceae.

[1][4][5] Dieffenbachia is a perennial herbaceous plant with straight stem, simple and alternate leaves containing white spots and flecks, making it attractive as indoor foliage.

The English names, dumb cane and mother-in-law's tongue (also used for Sansevieria species) refer to the poisoning effect of raphides, which can cause temporary inability to speak.

The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families lists the following species:[1] In a survey that began in 1998, researchers in Costa Rica noticed that the strawberry poison frog Oophaga pumilio, deposited almost all (89%) of their tadpoles on the leaf axils of Dieffenbachia.

Researchers concluded that the reason for the rapid decline in Dieffenbachia was due to increased abundance of the collared peccary Dicotyles tajacu in the La Selva Biological Station research area; a small pig-like animal that feeds on Dieffenbachia and other plants.

[9] As Dieffenbachia seguine comes from the tropical rain forest, it prefers to have moisture at its roots, as it grows all the time, it needs constant water, but with loose well aerated soils.

[14] With both children and pets, contact with Dieffenbachia (typically from chewing) can cause a host of unpleasant symptoms, including intense numbing, oral irritation, excessive drooling, and localized swelling.