Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema sp. )
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), is one of the best plants for beginners (or folks too busy to keep most houseplants alive). This sturdy plant is wonderfully easy to grow; it tolerates just about every indoor condition. While it’s one of the toughest plants, it’s also beautiful. Most varieties have rich green leaves attractively patterned with silver. It also has cute, calla-lily-like blooms in spots where it gets enough light.
Aglaonema commutatum
Chinese evergreen is an herbaceous perennial in the Araceae (arum) family, native to the Philippines and northeastern Celebes and commonly grown as a houseplant. This tropical shrub grows to 1.5 feet, is erect and bushy, and resembles dumb cane (Dieffenbachia). The tendency to have only 5-8 main lateral veins distinguishes it from Dieffenbachia.
It has elliptic, dark green, lance-shaped leaves that reach 4 to 8 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. Attractive silver-gray blotches appear on upright stems. It blooms rarely as a houseplant in the late summer or early fall with a white spadix and greenish-white spathe. Red clusters of berries follow the blooms.
The plant does well in diffuse sun or good indirect light and prefers high humidity but will tolerate dryer air. Keep the potting mix moist from spring to fall. It does not require a winter dormancy period but prefers a reduction in watering during the winter. Remove flowers and fruits to direct energy to plant growth. It is an excellent plant for low-light, indoor locations; it can also be used outdoors as a filler plant or low hedge in warm regions. Grow it in an Asian or shade garden, in a container, beside a patio or walkway, or in a woodland setting.
Quick ID Hints:
- Lanceolate leaves are green and variegated with yellow/cream, grey, or pink/red
- Leaves contain 5–8 main lateral veins
- Inflorescence is white spadix and greenish-white spathe
- Stem is present, becoming sugarcane-like with age
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: There are no serious disease or insect problems, but watch for aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, and scale. Root rots can occur with over watering; allow the medium to dry between waterings and avoid using cold water. The leaves may turn brown in very dry air or a drafty location. It is intolerant of cold temperatures and prefers a daytime temperature in the 70 to 80 degree F range. The plant tends to get leggy with age as the stem grows.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for “Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants” a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- ‘Frasher’
Leaves are milky green with cream variegation and white petioles. - ‘Pseudobracteatum’
Leaves are spattered gray-green, spotted white with white coloration around main veins and with white stems spotted with green. - ‘White Rajah’
Leaves have massive amount of white coloration throughout.
- ‘Frasher’
Leaves are milky green with cream variegation and white petioles. - ‘Pseudobracteatum’
Leaves are spattered gray-green, spotted white with white coloration around main veins and with white stems spotted with green. - ‘White Rajah’
Leaves have massive amount of white coloration throughout.
- Attributes: Genus: Aglaonema Species: commutatum Family: Araceae Life Cycle: Perennial Recommended Propagation Strategy: Division Stem Cutting Country Or Region Of Origin: Philippines, northeastern Celebes Fire Risk Rating: low flammability Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems): high humidity Dimensions: Height: 1 ft. 0 in. – 1 ft. 8 in. Width: 1 ft. 0 in. – 1 ft. 6 in.
- Whole Plant Traits: Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial Houseplant Perennial Habit/Form: Clumping Dense Erect Multi-stemmed Growth Rate: Medium Maintenance: Low Texture: Coarse
- Cultural Conditions: Light: Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours) Soil Texture: Clay Loam (Silt) Sand Soil pH: Acid ( <6.0) Soil Drainage: Good Drainage Moist Available Space To Plant: 12 inches-3 feet USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 10b, 11a, 11b
- Fruit: Fruit Color: Red/Burgundy Fruit Value To Gardener: Showy Display/Harvest Time: Fall Summer Fruit Type: Berry Fruit Description: Red clusters of berries follow the blooms. A globose to cylindroid berry, green ripening to white or red.
- Flowers: Flower Color: Gold/Yellow Green White Flower Inflorescence: Spadix Flower Bloom Time: Fall Summer Flower Petals: Bracts Flower Size: 1-3 inches Flower Description: Blooms rarely as a houseplant in the late summer or early fall with a whitish-yellow spadix with yellow-green spathe. Cylindrical to club-shaped; spathe, stalked, ovate, greenish to yellow.
- Leaves: Leaf Color: Gold/Yellow Gray/Silver Green Pink Red/Burgundy Variegated White Leaf Feel: Glossy Leaf Value To Gardener: Showy Leaf Type: Simple Leaf Arrangement: Other/more complex Leaf Shape: Elliptical Lanceolate Oblong Leaf Margin: Entire Hairs Present: No Leaf Length: > 6 inches Leaf Width: 1-3 inches Leaf Description: It has elliptic dark green lance-shaped leaves that reach 4-12″ long and 2-4″ wide. Alternate, simple, oblong-lanceolate, acute, cuneate, entire, often with banded yellow-white, grey-white, or pink-red along primary veins or spotted. Veins are curved and minor veins are not visible. Petioles sometimes white and shorter than the leaf length.
- Stem: Stem Color: Gray/Silver Green Pink White Stem Is Aromatic: No Stem Description: Attractive silver-gray blotches appear on upright stems, usually white or green, sometimes with a pink cast. Erect, becoming decumbent, encircled with leaf scars.
- Landscape: Landscape Location: Container Houseplants Patio Small Space Walkways Woodland Landscape Theme: Asian Garden Shade Garden Resistance To Challenges: Heavy Shade Humidity
- Poisonous to Humans: Poison Severity: Low Poison Symptoms: This plant contains calcium oxalate crystals, which is toxic if ingested or if the juice/sap is touched (dermatitis). More so a concern for dogs, cats, and horses but can a concern for humans. Animals may have the following symptoms: struggle to swallow, irritated/painful–even burning/swelling mouth (including lips and tongue and esophagus), may vomit, foam at the mouth, and much drooling. To humans and animals, it is poisonous if ingested (or if the juice from the plant is touched). Other symptoms (more so for humans) include a rash, pain where the rash is, and mucous membranes irritated. Poison Toxic Principle: Calcium oxalate crystals Causes Contact Dermatitis: Yes Poison Part: Bark Flowers Fruits Leaves Roots Seeds Stems
Aglaonema commutatum
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Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema sp.)
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), is one of the best plants for beginners (or folks too busy to keep most houseplants alive). This sturdy plant is wonderfully easy to grow; it tolerates just about every indoor condition. While it’s one of the toughest plants, it’s also beautiful. Most varieties have rich green leaves attractively patterned with silver. It also has cute, calla-lily-like blooms in spots where it gets enough light.
Chinese evergreen, when it’s young, is small enough to fit on desks, tabletops, and other surfaces. It’s a slow-growing plant, so you can enjoy it without worrying if it will grow out of bounds. Older, larger plants are suited to growing on the floor — in corners, next to furniture, or as an accent piece along a wall. The silvery tones in Chinese evergreen’s leaves let you have some fun choosing pots; the neutral color works with just about every decor color palette and style.
Chinese evergreen questions?
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Chinese Evergreen Growing Instructions
You can grow Chinese evergreen just about anywhere in your home — it tolerates low light well, but also grows well in bright spots. It doesn’t even need natural light to thrive — Chinese evergreen does just fine in offices with fluorescent lighting.
The plant is equally low-care when it comes to water; you can water regularly, keeping the soil evenly moist, or water once every few weeks and Chinese evergreen will do equally well. It doesn’t require fertilizer, but will grow best if fertilized once or twice a year in spring or summer (or every six months) with a general-purpose houseplant fertilizer.
- Water Low water needs
- Light Indoors: Low light Indoors: Medium light
- Colors Green Silver Variegated
- Special Features Super-easy to grow
Complement your Chinese Evergreen
Pothos
Chinese evergreen has an upright, mounding shape. Contrast it with the vining stems of pothos.
Snake Plant
Snake plant is the perfect partner for Chinese evergreen. They’re both some of the best indoor plants and look beautiful together.
ZZ Plant
A fellow Plant of Steel, ZZ plant is as tough as they come. Its shiny green foliage complements Chinese evergreen perfectly.
Our favorite varieties
Silver Queen
Aglaonema ‘Silver Queen’
Silver Queen’ is a variety of Chinese evergreen that features dark green leaves striped with silver. It’s a great indoor plant for medium or low light.
Maria
Maria’ is a stunning variety of no-fuss Chinese evergreen that offers shiny, dark green leaves that have silvery markings.
Romeo
A lovely variety, Romeo Chinese evergreen has long, narrow silver leaves marked with dark green.
Queen Juliana
Aglaonema Queen Juliana
An excellent Chinese evergreen to mix with other varieties in your collection, Queen Juliana shows off mostly green leaves is a cinch to grow.
Silver Bay
Aglaonema Silver Bay
One of the most common Chinese evergreen varieties, Silver Bay bears silvery leaves outlined in rich, deep green.
Emerald Beauty
Aglaonema Emerald Beauty
Emerald Beauty is a stunning variety of Chinese evergreen that offers dark green leaves accented by feather-like markings of silvery gray.
Nicole
You’ll love this Chinese evergreen, which offers medium-green leaves that have a broad silver stripe running down the center.
Golden Bay
Aglaonema ‘Golden Bay’
Golden Bay Chinese evergreen was developed by the University of Florida and shows off gray-green leaves with a creamy-white center and silvery variegation. It’s one of the easiest houseplants to grow.
Cecilia
Cecilia is an exceptionally beautiful Chinese evergreen that features wide, silvery-green leaves variegated with dark green speckles.
Slim Jim
Aglaonema Slim Jim
Giving your Chinese evergreen collection a decidedly different feel, Slim Jim shows off long, narrow leaves that offer a stunning textural contrast to other varieties. The foliage is dark green with lighter green variegation. It also offers striking white stems.
Edgy White
Aglaonema Edgy White
Edgy White is an amazingly tolerant variety that shows off dark green leaves edged in white. The petioles and stems are also white, adding to the contrast.
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