Chinese evergreen is one of the easy to grow indoor plants. This plant natively grows in a tropical and subtropical climate. Chinese evergreen is also known as Aglaonema. This houseplant can easily adaptable to any growing condition. It grows around 3-5 feet in height. Plant leaves are highly toxic if your pets consume its leaf.
Care of Chinese evergreen plant minimal. Due to that reason, it is one of the best indoor houseplants. It can survive in low to mid indirect light with artificial light. Therefore it uses for decorating offices and rooms. Like other tropical plants, Aglaonemas require an average 79-74 F. (20-23 C) temperature, lower than 59 F. (15 C) not recommend.
This tropical foliage plant can tolerate any growing condition. However, the aglaonemas plant perfectly grows in the lightly acidic soil mix, which is 6 to 6.5-pH level. The ideal potting mix for Chinese evergreen is a well-drained organic potting mix with good aeration to the root. Too much moisture rot the root. This is one of the best vertical garden wall planters.
Chinese evergreen care.
Potting mix.
This tropical plant requires a well-draining organic potting mix. The ideal soil mix for Chinese evergreen plant is,
- Garden Soil 30%.
- Organic compost 35%.
- Sand 30%.
- Perlite or Activated Charcoal 5%.
Adding perlite or activated charcoal absorbs excess moisture and enhances the aeration. This foliage plant requires medium moisture.
Container.
Chinese evergreen pot size depends on the plant maturity. Fully-grown plants require 10 to 14-inch size, for other plants 8 to 10 inches better. When selecting the aglaonemas plant container, ensure that it has enough large drainage holes. Chinese evergreen is a slow-growing plant, therefore every two or three years repotting required.
Light.
This tropical plant can grow as an indoor plant. Lighting requirements vary by variety. However, Chinese evergreens (Aglaonema) require low light and never expose to direct sunlight. The most significant thing is, Chinese evergreen plants can be easily grown under artificial growing light. When growing outdoor provide partial shade.
Fertilizer.
Chinese evergreen fertilizer requirement low. Every six months add good NPK rich fertilizer. Adding more nitrogen provides more leaves. Nevertheless, excessive nitrogen negatively affects plant growth. For organic growers, you can use homemade compost with animal manure. Animal manure rich in nitrogen. Especially chicken manure.
Water.
This is one of the important things when caring for Chinese evergreen. This plant needs medium level moisture. Like other potted indoor plants, when the soil surface dried start water to the soil, but never let the plant dry. Overly wet soil can increase fungus activities and it can lead to root rot Chinese evergreen.
Temperature and humidity.
Just like other tropical plants, Aglaonemas love the warm climate. Never let the indoor temperature below the 59 °F. (15 °C). Chinese evergreen needs a good humidity level, you can increase indoor humidity level using a pebble tray.
Aglaonema Propagation.
Aglaonema plants can propagate in different methods. They are,
- Stem cuttings.
- Seeds.
- Separation.
Stem cutting is the most popular and easiest method. It is the recommended Chinese evergreen plant propagation method. Select a fully grown plant and cut the stem a few inches (2 to 3 inches) below the last leaf. Once cut the stem properly sanitize and plant the stem in an aglaonema potting mix. Cuttings can directly plant on the soil and water well. This plant has the ability to quickly grow root systems.
Seeds: Properly wash the seeds using distilled water. Place the aglaonema seeds on a coco-peat mix and slightly cover them. Seeds germination will take 40 to 65 days. Place the seeds pots in an indirect light place. Once you see the sprout seeds plant them in a Chinese evergreen potting mix.
Separation: This method can be used when there are many new small plants around the mother plant. First, separate all the plants around the mother plant and plant them directly in the soil and water well.
Few common questions and answers aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) plant.
What soil is best for aglaonema?
The perfect soil for Chinese evergreen plants is slightly acidic soil, which has 6 to 6.5 pH levels. The potting mix should nitrogen-rich and better aeration. The best Aglaonema soil recipe is garden soil (30%), organic compost (35%), and sand (30%) with perlite or activated charcoal (5%).
Why are my Chinese evergreen leaves turning yellow?
Aglaonema yellow foliage’s main reason is too much moisture on the soil or too low light or aging foliage. First, change your watering pattern. When the surface soil dried, water to the soil. Check a few 3 inches deeper soil dried out; if it has enough moisture never water.
This is a good low-light indoor plant, but if the plant is kept in a darker place for a longer time, Chinese evergreen leaves turn yellow. Move your plant to a moderate light area. If the plant kept in darker place for a longer time providing good artificial LED grow light beneficial.
How do I make my aglaonema bushy?
You can easily make aglaonema bushy by adding more nitrogen fertilizer. For organic growers add decomposed chicken manure. Excessive nitrogen will burn the plant. Never let the flowers to bloom, cut the buds whenever they appearing. Plant use more nutrition to bloom the flowers.
Apart from that, when you are repotting the fully-grown plant, cut the top part of the stem. It will grow many new branches within the remaining stem. This stem cutting method applicable if the plant has a thick stem. When plants getting more new branches, they develop more new leaves.
How much light does a Chinese evergreen need?
Aglaonema requires low light and never expose the plant to direct sunlight. Like other houseplants, it grows well in partial shade. The best indoor place to grow Chinese evergreen is close to the windows and door, which are in the eastern direction. Exposure to direct sunlight burns the leaves.
Do Chinese evergreens like to be misted?
Like other native tropical plants, it requires medium to high humidity levels. Though when growing Aglaonema indoors this is not a big issue. This plant can survive in normal indoor humidity. You can increase indoor plant humidity by using a pebble tray.
Is aglaonema an indoor plant?
Though it’s natively growing in the Asian rain forest, Chinese evergreen (aglaonema) can easily grow as an indoor plant. It is one of the low light required houseplant, which is not like bright direct sunlight. Not only that you can use it for purifying the indoor air.
Is the Aglaonema plant toxic to cats and dogs?
The simple answer is No. Unless your pets (cats and dog) or kids ate the aglaonema/Chinese evergreen plant leaves it is not poisonous to animals and humans. This plant contains calcium oxalate crystals which are considered as a low poison severity.
