This Chinese Evergreen Aglaonema plant care guide will help you get gorgeous and healthy houseplants. There are different varieties of Chinese Evergreens to choose from and are differentiated by the leaf patterns and colors. Chinese Evergreens are easy houseplants to care for even for beginner plant owners. They can be grown successfully as indoor plants, placed outside on patios or in planters.
Chinese Evergreen Aglaonema Plant Care
The Chinese Evergreens produce flat, broad leaves that look amazing. The leaves have different colors and patterns.
The plant is also mostly grown for its beautiful foliage rather than for its flowers. Most people, including myself, often cut off the flowers to allow the plant to focus on foliage. The flowers are nothing spectacular.
The plant can withstand some neglect making it perfect for new plant owners or people who tend to kill plants easily.
Chinese Evergreen Varieties
Some of the common varieties include Silver Queen, Sparkling Sara, Cutlass, Harlequin, Emerald Bay, Nitidum, Stripes, Red Peacock, and Silver King.
Chinese Evergreen Soil Requirements
When it comes to the soil mix, Chinese Evergreen plants love a well-draining soil. If you have the standard soil mix you can grow your Chinese Evergreens successfully.
I normally pot Chinese Evergreen plants in a DIY soil mix. The soil mix consists of coir compost/orchid bark/ perlite/ in the ratio of 70/10/20/. They do well in the soil mix because they have no special soil requirements.
Watering Chinese Evergreens
Chinese Evergreens love when the soil is kept slightly moist. They don’t like the soil to dry out too much in between watering sessions. On the other hand, they also don’t like to sit in soggy soil.
When watering the indoor plants, you have to find a balance between overwatering and underwatering. Once you do, the plants will be happy and will grow, produce new gorgeous leaves, and thrive.
One of the ways of knowing that your Chinese Evergreens are underwatered is droopy and bent stems. It’s important to note that bending and drooping stems can also indicate a lack of sufficient light.
Fertilizing Chinese Evergreens
Chinese Evergreens can do well without any special fertilizer. I use the same fertilizer I use for all my other houseplants to feed the Chinese Evergreen plants. I normally use a diluted liquid fertilizer. Fertilize the Chinese Evergreens once a month during the growing season.
Temperature for Chinese Evergreens
The best temperature for Chinese Evergreens averages around 210 C (70 0 F)or above during daytime and 150 C (600 F) or above during night time. These plants can also tolerate lower temperatures. However, they won’t grow as big or as fast.
Humidity Requirements For Chinese Evergreens
Chinese Evergreens can tolerate various levels of humidity. However, the higher the humidity the better they do. In general, the plants love a nice warm humid environment. High levels of humidity help prevent crispy leaf tips.
If you can keep the humidity at around 60% to 70% you should be good. If you are having trouble keeping up the humidity levels in your home, you can get a humidifier.
Chinese Evergreen Light Requirements
Chinese Evergreen plants are generally low light-loving plants. The more light-colored varieties are more sensitive to light compared to the darker varieties.
The darker the leaves the less light they need. The bright varieties with shades of pink and red require medium to bright light to be happy. Check the new growth in your plant to see how they are behaving to determine if the plant is getting enough light.
If you’re growing your Chinese Evergreens as outdoor plants, provide them with filtered sun or shade. They can also tolerate a little bit of morning and evening sun which is less scorching.
It’s important to note that direct sun can damage the pretty leaves and cause brown patches. Be careful not to get direct Sun on your Chinese Evergreens. Regardless of whether you’re growing them outside or indoor.
Chinese Evergreen Pests and Diseases
The majority of the common pests will leave Chinese Evergreen plants alone. When grown as both house plants and outdoor plants, Chinese Evergreens often grow to maturity without facing any pest or disease challenges.
However, they can still be attacked by aphids and mealybugs especially when growing in the same space as other infected plants. Keep an eye out for early signs of pests and control them using neem oil. If you notice twisting, curling, or stunted leaves it might be a sign of pests.
Chine Evergreen Yellowing Leaves
The plants can sometimes get yellow leaves as well as brown tips. The yellow and brown leaves can be caused by different factors and as the owner, you have to assess what you’re doing to cause the problem.
Some of the issues to address include overwatering or underwatering. The plant could also be overfertilized and experiencing mineral buildup in the soil. If this is the case, the best way to address it is through leaching the plant.
The problem can also be caused by too low humidity when the environment is too dry. Raising the humidity levels will address the problem.
Repotting Chinese Evergreens
You can repot your plants when you notice they are getting root-bound. Chinese Evergreen plants are not super-fast growers. They can be comfortably repotted after about two years.
Remove your plant, break down the roots, and establish it in a bigger pot half-filled with soil mix. Fill the sides with soil and press it down to ensure that it does not grow slanted.
Propagating Chinese Evergreens
Propagating Chinese Evergreens is easy. The plants root easily and it’s easy to get new plants from a mother plant.
Propagation can be done either through water or soil propagation. Make a cutting below several nodes. If you’re using the water propagation method, put the cutting in the jar of water and just wait for the nodes to produce roots. Remember to change the water frequently.
If you are propagating in soil, establish the cutting in soil and water it immediately. Keep the soil moist and wait for the roots to form.
Chinese Evergreen Poisonous to Pets
The Chinese Evergreen plants are toxic to both cats and dogs. The plant is poisonous and causes tongue and mouth swelling as well as irritation if ingested. If your pet chews on large amounts of the plant, it can experience vomiting, drooling, as well as difficulty swallowing. The symptoms can persist for up to two weeks.
Aglaonemas are also poisonous for humans. Keep them away from babies and kids. If you handle the plant, remember to clean your hands before doing other things such as eating.
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Conclusion
Chinese Evergreens produce spectacular foliage in different colors and shades. They are easy to grow and are available in many different varieties. Every plant owner should try these awesome plants in pots.
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