Home  •   Ask Judy  •   Chinese Evergreen – Plants Poisonous to Cats

Chinese Evergreen – Plants Poisonous to Cats

After many years of trying to get my wife to buy house plants (we have cats) she has finally given in, but she seems to always get the plants with no identification (got to love her ) we were woindering what this plant is we have had it for about 3 months and i had to repot it due to its growth spurt. Please help

Hi Will,

Your plant is a Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema), the variety is probably “Miss Thailand.”

Here are some care tips for this very beautiful houseplant.

Light: Chinese Evergreen plants are probably the only indoor plant with large colorful variegated leaves that can live in low-light conditions. If placed in medium light, these plants do grow more quickly.
Water: Allow the top 25-30% of the soil to dry out before watering. When the soil of a Chinese Evergreen is too wet, the stems become “mushy” and die. When the soil gets too dry or too wet, yellow leaves develop.
fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.: Chinese Evergreen plants need very little plant food. Feed a Chinese Evergreen every other month with a basic houseplant food at 1/4 the recommended strength.
Temperatures below 50° may damage the leaves so keep Chinese Evergreen plants away from cold winter drafts and air conditioners.
You can read all my care tips for a Chinese Evergreen plant in the Popular Houseplant section of the website. The picture is of a different variety, but the care is the same.
These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets (esp. cats) and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat!  A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants