office plant identification

May 22, 2011 12:18 PM

could you help me identify these two species of plants I picked up? they were sold to me as hardy office plants: image. That’s an indoor bamboo on the top left but there’s two of the same species on the bottom left that I’d like to identify, and one on the bottom right. Thanks!

bonus: is the little hole on the leaf of the bottom right one cause for concern?

posted by the mad poster! to Home & Garden (9 answers total)

Best answer: The one on the lower right looks like a dieffenbachia (I don't think the hole is necessarily troublesome by itself, but if it develops more holes then it's either diseased or something is eating it). I think the "bamboo" might actually be a dracaena of some sort. I'm drawing a blank on the one on the lower leftt.
posted by Balonious Assault at 12:34 PM on May 22, 2011

Best answer: ZZ plant maybe for the bottom left
posted by oneear at 12:39 PM on May 22, 2011

Best answer: The lower right one is definitely a dieffenbachia. Don't let any pets chew it, and wash your hands if you prune leaves off it.

I don't recognize the other one-doesn't look like anything we sell in our shop.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 12:44 PM on May 22, 2011

Response by poster: individual shots:
top left
bottom left
posted by the mad poster! at 12:54 PM on May 22, 2011

I thought ZZ as well for the one on the left. And I think Balonious Assault is right about the dracaena.
posted by bink at 1:12 PM on May 22, 2011

Best answer: yeah, don't let kids or pets near the dieffenbachia - it's known as dumb (as in can't speak (offensive old-skool term), not as in stupid) cane because it's poisonous and can cause unpleasant oral symptoms - drooling, numbness, etc - if it is eaten.
posted by toodleydoodley at 2:19 PM on May 22, 2011

Best answer: It looks like the top left is Dracaena Sanderiana, which is commonly known as Lucky Bamboo but technically isn't bamboo.

For the other one, the information on this page (search "tuberous rhizome") and some careful excavation might positively identify it as a ZZ plant.
posted by Balonious Assault at 2:52 PM on May 22, 2011

Best answer: Bottom left is almost certainly a ZZ plant - if you pick around the soil a little bit, you'll probably find a big bulbous root (as per Balonious Assault's comment). It's a pretty ideal office plant that requires very little care, but is still big and unique-looking.
posted by timetoevolve at 3:15 PM on May 22, 2011

Response by poster: thanks folks. I did some research after your identifications and was glad to find out that I did indeed get some tenacious plants :)
posted by the mad poster! at 12:30 PM on May 23, 2011