mute cane a very democratic houseplantwith some awful side effects :
“ Sap from the dumb cane plant that father into a human back talk will make the natural language swell , causing speechlessness in adult and sometimes killing children . This effect was used by striver - owners to excruciate unruly slaves crop in Caribbean refined sugar plantations . ”
Though I ca n’t find any further quislingism on the hard worker torturing write up , there ’s no doubt the dumb cane plant is a beggarly , mean herb .
When I had myfirst piddling plant greenhouse as a youngster , I grow and sold mute cane , AKADieffenbachia bowmannii .
See the dumb cane , just to the left of my face ?
They take promptly from cuttings and basically NOTHING eat the leaf , so they always depend nice as a potted plant . They ’re also tolerant of implosion therapy and drying out , making them difficult to pop – another circumstance most worthy when choosing houseplants .
Thisdescription ofDieffenbachia bowmanniifrom Infogalactic made me laugh , albeit very , very restfully :
“ The common name , “ dumb canes ” refers to the intoxication effect ofraphides , which can cause temporary inability to speak ; for this reason it is also live as the female parent - in - constabulary flora . ”
More onraphides :
“ Raphides can develop severe toxic reactions by facilitate the passage of toxin through the herbivore ’s skin when the tissue containing the raphides also contain toxin . The deadly dose to mice is around 15 mg / kg.[5]Raphides seem to be a defense mechanics against plant predators,[6]as they are potential to shoot down and harm the soft tissue paper of the pharynx or esophagus of a plant piranha chew on the plant ’s leaves.[7][8]The venomous process is in two stages : mechanical pricking and injection of harmful proteinase . Typically ingestion of industrial plant containing raphides , like those common in sure houseplant , can cause immediate numbing follow shortly by painfuledema , vesicle formation anddysphagiaaccompanied by painful sting and burning to the oral fissure and pharynx with symptoms occurring for up to two weeks.[9]Airway appraisal and management are of the high-pitched priority , as are extensive irrigation and pain pill in centre pic . ”
Takeaway: dumb cane is a pretty plant – just don’t eat it.
Unlike strainer vine , which is a trickster , this plant is never comestible .
- Image at topvia Starr Environmental . Creative Commons licence .
