Chinese Evergreen Plant – Amelia
Aglaonema
A Chinese Evergreen plant is one of the easiest and best-looking houseplants to have in your home or office. Aglaonemas, the scientific name for a Chinese Evergreen, are a hardy hybrid from the aroid family and originally came from the subtropics of southeast Asia. Chinese Evergreen plants can be used as upright table plants or, as they get larger, bushy floor plants. All of the many Chinese Evergreen plant varieties have long shiny leathery leaves with unique patterns of green, gray, and cream. NASA lists the Chinese Evergreen as one of its top ten plants to clean the air of harmful toxins.
These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
Light
Chinese Evergreen plants are one of the few houseplants with light green and gray in the leaves that can grow in low lightWhen you select “Low Light” a list of the most adaptive plants in our database appears. These plants can live in lighting conditions too low to support any other plants in our database, but will grow faster in medium and high light. Variegation (color) in the leaves is often lost in low light. A plant in low light needs less water and fertilizer than the same plant in better light. Place a low-light plant within 2-3 ft. of a window with a northern exposure, 3-5 ft. of a window with an eastern exposure, 4-10 ft. of a window with a western exposure, and 10-18ft. of a window with a southern exposure. A low light area has between 50-150 ft. candles of light. The best low light house plants are: Chinese Evergreen, Dracaena Janet Craig, Peace Lily, Heart leaf Philodendron.. The newer varieties that have bright red, pink, yellow, and orange in the leaves require medium to bright lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light.. Never place a Chinese Evergreen in the direct sun.
Water
Allow the top 25-30% of the soil to dry out before watering. When the soil stays too wet for a long period of time, the stalks rot and die. If the soil gets too dry or too wet, yellow leaves develop.
Fertilizer
Chinese Evergreen houseplants do not need much 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.
. Feed every other month with a basic houseplant food diluted to 1/4 the recommended strength when the plant is actively growing.
Temperature
Temperatures below 50°F (10°C) can damage the leaves of Chinese Evergreen houseplants. Keep these plants out of cold winter drafts and away from air conditioners.
Humidity
Chinese Evergreen plants prefer regular household humidity or higher if possible.
Flowering
If your Chinese Evergreen produces flowers, I recommend immediately cutting them off. The flowers are not very attractive and use energy that the plant needs to produce its beautiful leaves.
Pests
A Chinese Evergreen plant is susceptible to Mealy BugsLearn how to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky, white, cottony residue on houseplants., scaleSoft Brown Scale is the most common scale that attacks indoor houseplants especially ficus, ivy, spider plants, ferns, aralia, and schefflera. It appears as small bumpy brown spots that appear to move. As the scale sucks on the sap of the plant it secretes a sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew attracts black mildew. Because of the shell-like exterior, sprays are only partially effective against scale. Wipe off the lines of brown oval bumps with your finger, a cloth, or a child’s toothbrush then spray the plant with Neem Oil. Use the Green Solution to clean off the black mildew., and AphidsSee a picture, learn to identify, and read about Aphid houseplant pests in the Glossary of Houseplant411.com.. The " green solutionIf you don't want to use a commercial chemical product to treat plant pest problems try the “Green Solution.” This is a mixture of water, alcohol, biodegradable liquid soap, and mineral oil. Always test any spray on one or two leaves to be sure it won’t damage the plant. Depending upon how severe the infestation is, you can use these ingredients in varying proportions. If there are only a few pests, dip a Q-tip in alcohol and gently swab them off. For a more widespread problem, start by using a spray of warm water mixed with a few tablespoons of biodegradable soap. If that doesn’t cure the problem, make a solution using 8oz. water & 8oz. alcohol, add two tablespoons of biodegradable soap and two tablespoons of mineral oil. Spray all areas of the plant. Use this solution on leathery leafed plants (except palms), never on fuzzy leafed plants like African Violets or Begonias. For palms, omit the alcohol from the Green Solution. Never spray a plant that’s sitting in the sun or one with very dry soil.
" (recipe in Glossary of the website), sprayed on the entire plant usually solves the problem.
Diseases
In high humidity, the large leaves of a Chinese Evergreen plant may develop bacterial diseases such as Leaf Spot DiseaseHow to identify and treat Leaf Spot plant disease. See a picture of Leaf Spot disease and learn how to prevent leaf spot disease from attacking your plants..
Soil
The best soil is a basic, well-aerated houseplant potting soil that drains quickly.
Pot Size
Keep a Chinese Evergreen plant in a small pot so the soil can dry out quickly and the roots are not constantly wet. This helps prevent root rot.
Pruning
If a Chinese Evergreen plant becomes thin and leggy, prune the stems a few inches above the soil line. The plant will send out new growth at the bottom of the stem and along the length of the stem.
Propagation
Chinese Evergreen plants are propagated using Stem CuttingsLearn how to propagate plants using stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, cane cuttings, and branch cuttings. and plant divisionLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary.
Clean Air Plant
NASA lists the Chinese Evergreen as one of the top 10 best houseplants to clean the air of harmful toxins.
Poisonous Plant Info
Chinese Evergreen plants are poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets. with a #2 toxicity levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222******
Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant.
Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties.
Level #3: These houseplants are very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities, severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur.
Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening.
Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets.
See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in
Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
due to the calcium oxalate crystals in the plant. Adverse reactions after contact with the sap include: skin irritations, irritation of mouth, lips, throat, and tongue if the leaves are eaten.
Should I cut off the flowers on my Chinese Evergreen plant?
I’d remove the flowers from a Chinese Evergreen plant as soon as they appear. The flowers are really nothing more than white spaths. These spaths hinder leaf development, are not very attractive, and produce berries that weaken the plant.
How do I propagate my Chinese Evergreen?
Propagating a Chinese Evergreen plant is very simple and is done by Stem CuttingsLearn how to propagate plants using stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, cane cuttings, and branch cuttings. or plant divisionLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary.
Why are the stems of my Chinese Evergreen getting soft and mushy and breaking?
The stems of a Chinese Evergreen get soft and mushy when the plant is over-watered. The lower the light the less water a Chinese Evergreen needs. Move your plant to a brighter, warmer location until the soil dries out. Once you move your plant back to its original location, be sure to allow the top 25%-30% of the soil to dry out before watering.
How can I fix a Chinese Evergreen plant that is top heavy, spindly, and keeps tipping over?
To make a Chinese Evergreen plant look full and bushy, cut off the top half of some of the tall stems. Your plant should start sending out new growth fairly quickly.
Why is my Chinese Evergreen plant turning yellow?
The leaves of a Chinese Evergreen plant turn yellow when the plant is not getting enough water and also turn yellow when it is getting too much water. You may have to take your Chinese Evergreen Plant out of its pot and feel the bottom of the soil to see if you are over or under-watering.
What is the sticky stuff that is all over the leaves of my Chinese Evergreen Plant?
The sticky "stuff" on the leaves of your Chinese Evergreen plant is called "honeydew." A Plant PestLearn how to identify and treat the plant pest called Whitefly at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary/whitefly-plant-pests called Mealy BugsLearn how to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky, white, cottony residue on houseplants. excretes the honeydew. Mealy BugsLearn how to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky, white, cottony residue on houseplants. are small sucking insects that look like tiny pieces of cotton on the leaves and stems of the plant.
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