How to Successfully Grow an Aglaonema Plant

The Aglaonema, is one of the most popular houseplants. It is slow growing and comes with beautiful leaves. The most popular of which is the Aglaonema red valentine. How easy is it to successfully grow an aglaonema? We will take you through the best practices to ensure you have a beautiful healthy plant.

Aglaonema Background

The Aglaonema, also known as Chinese Evergreen, is a member of the Arum family, Araceae. There are over 100 species of Aglaonema, and within each species there are many varieties. The colours and shapes of the leaves make this plant a favourite for decorating public indoor spaces such as offices, and lobbies.

Keeping Aglaonema is not complicated and that is why they are one of the most popular houseplants for beginners.

As with any plant care we start with the original environment of the plant. The Aglaonema plant hails from tropical and sub-tropic parts of Asia and New Guinea where the light is filtered through lush forest and the humidity is high.

Purchase

Make sure you purchase a healthy plant in the first place unless it is on sale and you want the challenge of seeing if you can save it. Make sure there is no discolouration on the leaf. Check the petioles to see if they are robust, and look for the plant which has the most new shoots showing in the soil.

If you buy a plant in the winter in a cold climate make sure you protect the plant on the way to the car. I have made the mistake of taking a tropical plant a short distance in cold temperatures to the car and it did make a difference as the plant suffered some damage.

Home Care:

Light

Provide your plant with bright indirect light for the best results, however, aglaonemas do okay in low light but will have a much slower growth rate. Direct sunlight will scorch the leaves. The variegated varieties need more light to maintain their variegation. An east facing window is usually recommended. It’s a good idea to rotate the plant around as it is phototropic and will bend towards the light.

Soil

Like most tropical plants the soil must have good drainage. If you are making up the soil, a balance of Orchid bark Perlite and Potting soil will do the trick.

Water

With any soil, it is the watering which has to be well monitored. I do recommend a moisture meter, as this will be the most accurate way to detect the moisture levels. Too much water and you will have a root rot problem which is very hard for the plant to recover from. The ideal watering schedule is around every 7 to 10 days.

Propagation

Algaonemas can be propagated in soil or water. make sure you get your cutting from a healthy plant.

Take a long stem and cut it below the root nodule on the stem and place 2 to 3 inches in water. What is left in the soil will put out more stems.

Temperature

Anything between 60 -80 is ideal humidity for this plant, but Algaonemas adjust to normal household humidity. It is also important to keep them away from drafts.

Dormancy

In winter,they go dormant and do not require as much water, so adjust accordingly. It is best not to fertilise them during this time, but only during their growing season. It usually flowers once per year.

Pests

This plant is susceptible to the usual suspects: aphids, spider mites and mealybugs.

Toxic

Be aware that this plant is toxic to both pets and children if ingested.

Houseplant Tip – If you have found it difficult to grow Calathea Ornata Robusta, then the aglaonema variety Pride of Sumatra is for you. It is very similar in appearance to the ornata robusta and is much easier to care for under normal household conditions.