How to grow and care for Aglaonema-Chinese Evergreen

Also called a Chinese Evergreen plant, the Aglaonema is an easy to care for houseplant that’s perfect for beginners and plant lovers who want a beautiful yet low-maintenance plant. The Aglaonema features large, lance-shaped tropical foliage that comes in many different colors ranging from deep greens, to silver-tinted, to shades of red, and even bright pink.

These popular houseplants are member of the Araceae family and originate from the tropical forests of Southeast Asia and New Guinea. There are over 20 species of plant and hundreds of Aglaonema cultivars that have been bred to showcase variations of leaf patterns and bright colors.

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Why are Aglaonema called “Chinese Evergreens”?

The common name of the Aglaonema is “Chinese Evergreen” or “Luck Plant” because in Feng Shui the Aglaonema is believed to bring success, good fortune, and prosperity. Their easy-to-grow quality and beautiful look is supposed to advantageous to a person’s financial potential. They are also perennial plants that don’t lose leaves and hence the evergreen name.

How often should I water Aglaonema?

Aglaonema like moist soil without being too wet (too much water can lead to root rot). Water when the top inch of soil is dry which you can check by sticking your finger directly into the soil to check the moisture level. Although the plant can survive short periods of drought, don’t let the plant dry out all the way if you can help it or your leaves may suffer. However, if your plant is in a lower light area, you can let several inches of dirt dry out between waterings.

Like most plants, you’ll need to water more in the growing season (spring to fall) and you can taper off watering to a less frequent schedule in the winter. It’s best to use a pot with a drainage hole and saucer if possible so excess water will drain out into the saucer.

Also, plants that are in sunnier locations tend to dry out faster, so those in brighter indirect light will need more compared to those in low light situations.

How much sunlight do Aglaonema need?

Overall, the Aglaonema prefers medium to bright indirect sunlight but can be happy in many lighting conditions (one reason it’s an easy care houseplant). While too much direct sunlight can lead to leaf burn, the Aglaonema can tolerate varying light conditions based on the variety.

Darker green leafed Aglaonema can handle lower light conditions better than the lighter hued varieties, so keep your Aglaonema in brighter indirect light if its leaves are a lighter color. Rotate your plant every so often to ensure even growth.

If you are taking your plant outside for the warmer weather and bright light, expose it to the new level of light slowly over a few days. Keep it outside in a shaded area to avoid direct exposure and leaf burn.

Should I fertilize my Aglaonema?

It’s a good idea to fertilize your Aglaonema once a month to encourage growth during spring and summer. You can use a general purpose houseplant fertilizer at half strength during the warmer growing season in the spring and summer months and skip fertilizing in the winter months when the growth is much slower.

Temperature and Humidity for Aglaonema

For Aglaonema, 65° to 80° degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature so they are generally very happy inside the house year round. They won’t do well, however, if it drops below 55° degrees, so keep them away from cold drafts and bring them inside if you are experiencing lower temperatures.

Since Aglaonema come from a more humid environment, they thrive at a high humidity level. You can add more humidity to your home with a humidifier or you can put some pebbles and water in a tray and simply place your pot on top (make sure the water level sits below the top of the pebbles). The pot will sit on top of the pebble tray and the water in the tray will evaporate and create humidity around the plant.

Bathrooms are a great spot for Aglaonema (as long as it has the proper light for them) as they are a more humid environment.

Pruning Aglaonema

You won’t need to do much pruning on your Aglaonema plant. Just use sharp scissors or pruning shears to remove dead leaves or stems as they appear to keep your plant looking tidy.

If your plant is getting too tall and leggy, you can snip the stems back with a sterilized tool (to prevent spreading disease) above the 4th leaf node and they will regrow leaves closer to the base of the plant. It’s best to do this kind of pruning in the spring at the beginning of the growing season.

Potting and Repotting Aglaonema

Pot your Aglaonema with well-draining potting mix (you can add some perlite, peat moss, or sand to the soil for extra drainage) and pots with drainage holes are best for good drainage so excess water will drain away. Some people like to add a layer of lava rocks at the bottom of their pot under the soil to also help the water drain away from the plant’s roots.

Aglaonema are a slower growing variety, but you may still need to repot them every few years. Check in the spring to see if the roots are growing out the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, and if they are that’s a sure sign the plant is starting to become root bound. Simply move the plant to a slightly larger pot with well-draining soil and water thoroughly.

Propagating Aglaonema

To propagate your Aglaonema, you can either divide the plant or grow a new plant from stem cuttings and the best time to do this is during the growing season.

Propagate by division:

• Remove the plant from its pot by loosening the soil with a trowel.
• Shake off excess dirt and gently separate the roots and plant into two halves.
• Plant each half into a pot a little bigger than the root ball that’s filled with well draining soil. Water thoroughly and keep on the moist side until roots are stronger.

Propagate by stem cuttings:

• Use a clean cutting tool to snip off a healthy stem that is several inches long.
• Place the stem bottom into a glass of water and place in a bright indirect light location.
• In about a month, roots will form and you can plant your new plant into a small pot of well draining soil and keep moist until roots are established.

Related: How to Propagate Plants

Should I remove the flowers on my Aglaonema?

While not that pretty to look at, Aglaonema can produce flowers that tend to hide among the foliage (so you may not even know they are there). The “flower” is actually an inflorescence (a stem with a group of flowers) usually looks more like a distorted leaf than a traditional flower. Flowers usually consist of a green or white hood with a white spath coming out from the hood.

There is a bit of a debate whether or not to cut the flowers that appear on Aglaonema, but since removal doesn’t hurt the plant and the flowers aren’t much to look at, it’s fine to snip them off with a clean cutting tool as they appear. Just make sure to only cut the flower off and not the original leaf it’s coming out from.

Different varieties of Aglaonema

Green Papaya: This beautiful variety has green lush leaves with papaya colored veins.

Frasher: This variety has dark green leaves with a striking cream variegation.

Pseudobracteatum: This is a cultivar with silver-green patterns spread within dark green edges.

Red Zircon: This eye-catching plant features bright red leaves tinged on the edges with a thin line of dark green.

White Rajah: Bright white veins pop against a lush green for this popular variety.

Silver Bay: This variety boasts a stunning silver middle that is edged with dark green.

Maria: These leaves are accented with silver on a dark green leaf.

Wishes: This beautiful cultivar has dark green leaves speckled with bright pink dappling.

Diagnosing Common Problems

While Aglaonema are generally easy to care for, you may run into some of these common houseplant issues:

• Pests: Aglaonema are not susceptible to bugs, but some common pests are scale, mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites. Treat as needed with neem oil or insecticidal soap to keep bugs under control.
• Burned Leaves: Your plant may be getting too much sunlight, especially if direct sunlight is hitting your plant. Move to less direct light.
• Brown Leaves: Tips of the leaves turning brown can mean the plant is either getting too much light or it may not be responding well to the chemicals in your tap water (fluoride and chlorine especially). Try watering with filtered water or leave your tap water out overnight before watering as that decreases the levels of chemicals.
• Leaf Curling: If you find that your leaves are curling, try increasing the humidity around the plant or placing a tray with water and pebbles under the plant to increase humidity. Leaves can also curl from under watering or from changes in temperature, so try watering more often and check for any cooling or heating vents near the plant.
• Yellow Leaves: Leaves that turn yellow are usually a sign of overwatering. Let the plant dry out until almost fully dry and then water again, making sure at least the top inch of soil is dry before watering again.
• Leaf Color Loss: If you notice your plant is losing color or vibrancy of its leaves, it may be getting too much direct sunlight that is scorching and burning the leaves. Try moving the plant to a location where it gets indirect light rather than full on sun.
• Root Rot: While these plants aren’t susceptible to disease, root rot can be deadly for these plants. Too much water will actually drown the roots, so make sure to have a drainage hole in your planter and use a well-draining potting mix.