[1][3] It is found on many Caribbean islands and territories, including Cuba, Grand Bahama, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Îles des Saintes, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Saba, Saint Kitts and Trinidad and Tobago.

[1][3] D. seguine is also found on the Galápagos islands of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal, where it was likely introduced by humans.

[3] Within the aroid family—which contains other iconic genera such as Alocasia, Monstera and Philodendron—Dieffenbachia seguine and its relatives, interestingly, do not grow as a vine or from a tuber, instead growing vertically into a "bamboo"- or "cane"-like shrub (hence the common name dumbcane).

Like the entire Araceae family, and indeed all Dieffenbachias, the sap is toxic; the entire plant contains a high concentration of calcium oxalate crystals which may produce negative side effects if ingested, potentially ranging from anaphylactic shock and respiratory failure to even death.

The plant produces the typical whitish inflorescence seen amongst aroids, visually-similar to those found on the common 'calla lily' (Zantedeschia aethiopica) or the 'peace lily' (Spathiphyllum wallisii), distinguished by a whitish bract (spathe) containing an inner spadix.