dumb cane

American  

noun

1. a West Indian foliage plant, Dieffenbachia seguine, of the arum family, having yellow-blotched leaves that cause temporary speechlessness when chewed.

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dumb-cane British  

noun

1. a West Indian aroid plant, Dieffenbachia seguine , chewing the stem of which induces speechlessness by paralysing the throat muscles

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Etymology

Origin of dumb cane

First recorded in 1690–1700

Example Sentences

So, it fell to me to tell her the plant earned its common name, dumb cane, from the archaic term for mute.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 2, 2023

Journal, is that Dieffenbachia�it is also called dumb cane and mother-in-law plant�is such a common house plant that anybody could easily be accidentally poisoned by it.

From Time Magazine Archive