Some people call it the Aglaonema Chinese Evergreen. Others know it as the Philippine Evergreen or the Poison Dart Plant.
Either way, one thing remains the same: the Aglaonema is one of the most beginner-friendly houseplants out there.
That said, some tips can help you figure out how to care for Aglaonema plants like a pro. That’s what we’ll go over in this post, so stick around!
What Are Aglaonema?
Aglaonema (pronounced ah-glah-oh-NAY-mah) is a genus of perennial plants from the family Aracea, native to Asian subtropical forests.
Interestingly, the name can be split into two parts: aglaos and nema. The first means bright, and the second means thread.
What’s thread-like? Well, the plant’s flower has rope-like stamens. So, that could explain the name.
Besides the spathe flowers, Aglaonema actually has more of the family’s characteristic features. For instance, if you’ve ever raised other arum family plants, like Monstera, you’ll recognize the iconic lanceolate leaves right away!
Quick Summary of Caring Tips for Aglaonema
In a rush? Check out these key tips:
- Keep all Aglaonemas out of direct light, but give the variegated varieties more sun time.
- Use fertilizers once a month during spring and summer.
- Don’t expose the arum to cold drafts or temperatures below 50°F.
- Water the Chinese Evergreen only when the topsoil is dry.
- Prune the inflorescences to boost leaf growth.
- Use pebble trays or humidifiers to maintain a micro-climate of humidity.
Growing and Caring
Aglaonema’s natural habitat is dense rainforest forests. So to get the plant to thrive, you’ll have to mimic the hot, humid conditions.
Don’t let that intimidate you; the species is forgiving.
How to Plant Aglaonema?
You can get a fully established Aglaonema from most nurseries. Then, you’ll have two options: plant the arum indoors or outdoors.
Outside, the tropical plant works best as a low hedge or a filler plant. To boost the ornamental aspect of it all, some people keep their Chinese Evergreen as a potted plant on their patios.
Speaking of pots, you can always grow your Aglaonema indoors. A 5–6 inch pot will do the trick as long as it has drainage holes.
How do you decide between growing indoors and outdoors, you ask?
Well, the temperature is a crucial factor here. Ideally, Aglaonema plants are cold-hardy in USDA zones 10–11. Once the temperature drops below 50°F, the flowering plant is at risk and could die.
So, if you live somewhere colder, you might want to move the pot inside since room temperature (70–80°F) works well for the genus.
If you decide to keep the arum as a houseplant, you’ll need to confirm that you have enough room for it first. It won’t go as high as a rubber tree or a bird of paradise, but it could spread 1–3 feet. Note that window sills might not work since cold drafts wither the leaves.
The best part about keeping your Aglaonema indoors? It’ll help purify the air of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like toluene. That’s a double win in our books!
How to Grow Aglaonema?
Once you figure out where you’ll put your Aglaonema, tackling the care routine shouldn’t be a tough feat. After all, it made it to Consumer Reports’ list of 7 low-maintenance plants for combating winter blues for a reason!
Let’s take a closer look at this arum beauty’s water, soil, light, and pruning needs.
Water
There’s no fixed watering schedule to go by. Instead, you have to check the soil and water as needed.
Yet, the main perk that makes Aglaonema beginner-friendly is drought tolerance. Even if it goes three weeks without a splash of water, the plant could still make it—not that you should neglect it.
Usually, the plant needs a top-up when the soil’s surface (1–2 inches) is dry to the touch. However, if you have a particularly large pot, you might want to wait until more of the soil’s bulk is dry.
Depending on where you live, this could mean watering the Aglaonema deeply every week or every other week. When we say deeply, we mean pouring water until you see excess fluid going out of the pot’s drainage holes.
However, once winter rolls in, you’ll have to cut back on the frequency to avoid overwatering. Even then, it’s crucial that you don’t leave the plant until the soil dries out completely.
Soil
Thankfully, Aglaonema plants aren’t picky when it comes to soil. Whether you prefer clay, loam, or sand, you can make it work for this arum beauty.
The main requirements that you’ll have to consider are acidity and drainage.
Drainage is a no-brainer for any houseplant; you’ve got to make sure the soil has a place to let out excess water, or else the roots will rot!
To boost drainage capacity, you can add perlite to your peat-based mix. Perlite’s granular nature will keep the soil structure loose. Plus, it happens to be highly porous and capable of soaking in any extra water from the substrate around it!
What about the acidity?
As it happens, Aglaonema plants like their soil slightly acidic, with a pH that’s only a bit below 6.0. So, you’ve got to keep those acidic cations in mind when you’re picking a potting mix.
It’s also worth noting that the Aglaonema isn’t the only member of the arum family that prefers acidic soil; the popular Monstera and Philodendron share this aspect as well.
Sun Light
Aglaonema plants, in general, aren’t huge fans of direct light. In fact, their leaves scorch off easily. So, for a start, you’ll want to shelter it from the noon sun.
The tricky part is that not all Aglaonemas are created equal; some tolerate (and even need!) more sunlight than others. One way to judge how much light your Chinese Evergreen needs is to look at the foliage.
Some varieties have light-colored variegation, like Ernesto’s Favorite and Curtissi. Even if the chlorophyll levels don’t technically change in the “bleached” spots, the variegation can still affect the amount of light available for photosynthesis.
That’s why it’s a good idea to expose those variegated varieties to more sunlight to balance the drop in photosynthetic activity. Just keep the light indirect, or aim for the early morning hours!
Meanwhile, varieties with non-variegated dark green leaves, like Aglaonema modestum, can handle full shade.
Pruning
Although Aglaonema is a slow grower, it does get leggy with age. So, occasional pruning will help keep it in tip-top shape.
All you need to do is identify those leggy growths, grab a sterilized pair of garden shears, and snip the stem near the base. Remember to leave a few inches above the soil to allow for regrowth.
Keep in mind that pruning a lot of the plant at once can put it under stress. If your Aglaonema is in desperate need of pruning, it’s better to try and cut one leggy part at a time and keep the process going over the course of a few weeks.
You could also prune your Chinese evergreen if it has a lot of brown leaves. Plus, some people also use pruning to control the potted plants’ size.
Finally, one tip is to prune the inflorescences. Yes, as weird and counterintuitive as that may sound, it does help redirect the plant’s energy to the foliage.
The good thing here is that some people find the flowers inconspicuous anyway. If we’re being honest, the lance-shaped foliage is the true star of the show!
How to Care For Aglaonema?
So, you’ve just set your Aglaonema in a pot of slightly acidic soil, placed it away from direct sunlight, and set a watering schedule to keep the top layers of the soil moist. What now?
Well, those are the basics required to keep your arum alive. If you want it to thrive, you’ll need to tackle two extra plant care aspects: humidity and fertilization.
For one, the Aglaonema is tropical by nature and prefers humid areas. That’s why many owners opt for pebble trays or humidifiers, but manual misting will do fine. This is a nifty trick to keep in mind during the winter.
Spring and summer, on the other hand, are the Aglaonema’s growing seasons. So, that’s when you could go for a fertilizing boost.
Most people opt for time-release pellets before and after the season. However, a dose of liquid fertilizer once a month during spring and summer works, too.
When to Plant Aglaonema?
If you’re trying to establish an Aglaonema in a new pot or grow a full plant from a cutting, your best bet is the growing season (spring and summer).
Those are warm enough to support the Chinese Evergreen during its first phases and ease the transition after repotting. Plus, since the plant is actively growing, you can expect it to take root quickly.
Propagation and Growth
The most common way of propagating Aglaonema is through cutting. The good news is that it’s one of the easiest (and cheapest!) propagation methods.
It’s also possible to opt for air layering. However, this approach can be tricky for beginners. It’s also a little counterproductive since the arum takes roots easily with simpler methods.
Propagation
Propagation by cutting means splitting a shoot from the mother plant and then planting it in a temporary growth medium (usually water) until it forms roots. Then, the shoot is transplanted into its “final” home.
We find that using water is straightforward—being able to see the roots form is just a nifty bonus!
Here’s how:
- Grab clean, sharp shears.
- Fill a large jar with tap water and let it set overnight to reduce chlorine leaves.
- Look for a stem with 4–5 healthy leaves.
- Hold the stem and snip at a length of about 6 inches (diagonal cuts work best).
- Put the stem in the jar so that the water reaches the nodes.
- Place the cutting on a windowsill with indirect light.
- Change the water whenever it gets cloudy.
- Wait for the first roots to appear (should take about 4 weeks).
You might want to try this with more than one stem cutting to boost your odds.
How to Plant Aglaonema
See those little thread-like growths extending from the bottom of the cutting? Those are your new roots. The stem is now officially the “daughter plant.”
Once you see a few healthy roots, you can transplant the baby Aglaonema into its pot or flower bed if you’re growing it outdoors.
Here are some tips to help you out:
- Use well-draining potting mixed with perlite.
- Keep the substrate moist at all times.
- Top-dress with fresh potting mixture in the spring.
It’s also worth noting that some people manage to successfully plant a fresh cutting into the soil directly.
Pests and Diseases
Although Aglaonema isn’t a particularly sensitive houseplant, it’s still susceptible to a few pests, including:
- Mealybugs
- Scale
- Aphids
- Spider mites
These can all stunt the plant’s growth and wilt the leaves. Thankfully, they’re easy to treat with insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils, like neem.
Putting those infections and infestations aside, the Aglaonema plants are also prone to copper deficiency (results in yellow, strap-shaped leaves). That’s where the fertilizer boosts come in handy!
FAQS
Which Aglaonema varieties are easy to grow?
Pretty much all Aglaonema plants are beginner-friendly, so it all boils down to your needs.
For instance, if you want a variety with slightly more cold hardiness than average, Maria Christina is the gal for you.
Meanwhile, if you want something popular and low-maintenance, opt for the Silver Queen (A. treubyi or A. commutatum). It was awarded the Award of Garden Merit by the RHS, which speaks volumes about its stability, availability, and general resistance to pests and diseases!
What is the Aglaonema potting mix for lilies?
The typical Aglaonema mix is peat-based potting soil with perlite, usually in a 3:1 or 2:1 ratio. Meanwhile, a mix of equal parts sand, peat moss, and vermiculite works well for lilies.
How many types of Aglaonema are there?
According to Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens, there are 25 accepted Aglaonema species. Some of those are variegated, while others aren’t.
