Is aglaonema an indoor plant?

Have you ever wanted to grow a lucky plant?

Aglaonema, also called Chinese Evergreen, is a
colorful favorite in China where it is considered
lucky. Native to China and the Philippines,
these leafy tropicals are easy-care houseplants
with foliage that is a combination of white, dark
green, pink, and other colors.

NASA has placed the Aglaonema

modestum variety on its top ten list of clean air
plants because of the plant’s natural ability to
remove benzene and formaldehyde from air
sources. For this reason, aglaonema may one
day be grown in space!
Lush and full of color, tropical aglaonema not only cleanses the air, but it looks
stunningly beautiful in your garden or living space. Learn to care for aglaonemas
in this guide

Common
Chinese evergreen, Philippine evergreen
Name(s):

Scientific
Aglaonema
Name

Family: Araceae

Height &
10″ to 3′ tall and wide
Spread:

Low to moderate, can tolerate short periods of bright

Light
indirect light

Soil Well-draining, with lots of perlite or sand

Water: Lightly moistened soil, do not overwater

Your colorful Chinese evergreens will be somewhat tolerant of low water
conditions, but should never be left completely dry for long periods of time.
Ideally, never allow the soil to dry more than 25-30% of the way down the pot
before giving a deep water.

In its natural environment, humidity is high enough that the plant will absorb
some of its moisture from the air. You can mist your plant occasionally to bring
up the humidity level, or place it on a pebble tray with water in it to offer extra
moisture.

Don’t place your plant under air conditioning vents or in drafty areas. It doesn’t
tolerate dry conditions well, plus colder conditions can cause damage to the
leathery foliage. Avoid placing it directly in the path of a heater vent, as it can dry
out rapidly.

Soil
The soil for your aglaonemas needs to be able to hold some water, enough to
stay lightly moist. However, it should easily be able to drain off excess water
quickly so that you don’t risk root rot damage.

A peat-based potting soil with extra perlite is recommended, but you can also
consider blending in a bark-based orchid mix. The soil itself should be
reasonably nitrogen-rich, but should be loose and not densely-packed.

Lightly-acidic soil in a range of 5.6-6.5 pH is recommended for aglaonema

growers.

Fertilizer
Aglaonema ‘Red Gold’. Source: techieoldfox
It is surprisingly easy to over-fertilize your colorful aglaonema. While it does in
fact require some nitrogen for foliage development and plant growth, houseplant
fertilizer tends to carry a lot of salt deposits in it which can build up in the soil.

I personally recommend using a half-strength balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer

once a month in the spring and summer months. In the fall you can slow this
down to once every couple months, but in the winter you should avoid fertilizing.

Propagation
While aglaonema can be propagated by seeds, tip cuttings, division, or by tissue
culture in a lab, most people opt for division. It’s the simplest for home growers to
do.

To divide your aglaonema, first look to be sure there are multiple points from
which the plant is emerging from the soil. It naturally propagates itself via suckers
beneath the soil’s surface, and a pot can rapidly fill up with young sucker plants.
You want many healthy plants showing.

Then, gently remove your plant and its soil from the pot. If the soil is loose
enough, lightly dust it off with your hands to expose the roots. Provided that the
plants are not rootbound and tangled together, you should be able to gently pry
your aglaonema apart with your fingers for replanting.
If your plant is rootbound, you will need to use a sharp, sterile knife to cut the root
mass into multiple sections for replanting, but be sure to leave an even number
of leaves and stalks on each.

Repotting
Aglaonema
pseudobracteatum. Source:
Nasser Halaweh
Aglaonema should be repotted
into fresh soil every two years.
This not only replenishes the
soil, but it also allows you to
divide your plant if you wish to
or to increase the size of its
pot.

Keep the pot size

proportionate to the plant itself.
Aglaonema likes to have
secure, dense root structures,
but does not need a lot of extra
soil that can hold too much
moisture.

Replant your Chinese

evergreens at the same height
as they were originally planted
for best development.

Pruning
These colorful, low-maintenance plants make pruning not absolutely necessary.
In fact, it’s mostly done for cosmetic adjustment.

You can remove the dead, dark green leaves as they appear by following the
foliage stem down to the plant’s base and using a pair of sterile pruners to snip it
off there.

Avoid pruning off leggy live growth in the same fashion, however. You can
remove some just above a node to encourage bushing, but try to avoid taking the
live growth off at the base of the plant, as you risk severe damage to the plant
itself.
One thing which is always recommended is to prune off any inflorescences as
they start to appear. Aglaonema flowers are not very pretty, and they use up the
energy your plant should be devoting to foliage growth. Trim off flower stalks
before the bud opens to prevent pollen going everywhere!

Aglaonema
Problems
Another view of the ‘Cutlass’
Chinese evergreen
plant. Source: douneika
A surprisingly easy plant to
care for, Chinese evergreens
are popular for indoor growers.
But what happens when
problems arise? While few will
materialize, here’s how to
handle them when they occur.

Growing Problems
The most common issue for these plants is yellowing of the leaves. Yellow
leaves are a sign of under or over watering, usually the latter. Be sure you
maintain a regularly-moist but not wet soil to ensure dark green leaves.

If yellowing still occurs despite maintaining optimal watering conditions, your

plant may be suffering from a copper deficiency. This is surprisingly common in
this type of plant, as it’s a heavy feeder on copper in the soil. Your plant may be
lacking micronutrients and should be fertilized appropriately.

Browning tips on green leaves are usually caused by a buildup in the soil of salts,
chlorine, minerals or fluoride from tap water. To remedy this, you can either leach
the soil of its mineral deposits by thoroughly draining it using distilled water, or
you can simply repot in fresh soil.

Pests
The most common pests are mealybugs. Attaching themselves to the leathery
leaves, they will suck the plant sap right out of them and cause damage.
Other scale insects may also make an appearance.
Less common but still possible are spider mites and aphids. These too like to
consume the plant’s sap, and will affix themselves to the undersides of leaves
and stems.
All of the above can be handled with a light misting of Safer Soap on all plant
surfaces. This organic insecticidal soap should be applied in the evening or when
the plant is less likely to be exposed to light prior to the mist drying, so as to
avoid foliage burning.
Diseases
Aglaonema is susceptible to anthracnose and myrothecium leaf spots, which are
both fungal. These can discolor your leaves and cause holes or patchy dry brown
spots, and can slowly develop into more severe damage over time.
Treating these requires a light misting of a liquid copper fungicide such
as Monterey Liqui-Cop. Again, apply this product at dusk so that it can dry on the
foliage surfaces overnight. Your plant should appreciate the extra copper, as
well!
Bacterial leaf spot may also appear on your plants. Typically transmitted via non-
sterilized tools or by aphids, this will also respond well to Monterey Liqui-
Cop treatment.
If your plant is frequently overwatered, it may develop fusarium root rot. This is
generally fatal, so your best protection against this is prevention. Do not
overwater your plant!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is aglaonema or colorful red aglaonema poisonous to pets or people?

A: It certainly can be. The ASPCA states that it is a toxin to cats, dogs, and

horses. Aglaonema and cats and dogs should not mix. Don’t let them eat it, and if
they do, get them to the vet immediately!
In addition, the sap is dermititis-causing, and can create skin irritations and skin
rashes. Keep this plant away from children.