Aglaonema aka Chinese Evergreen

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The aglaonema, or Chinese Evergreen, is a highly decorative plant with several interesting varieties. Aglaonemas are slow growing, attractive, and make excellent foliage plants. It has large, narrow, oval leaves on short stems. They can flower, but modestly at best. The flowers are under the leaf and grow in an ear surrounded by a bract, with female flowers at the base and male flowers higher up. The male flowers have the tiny shiny stamens from which the plant derives its name. As the flowers are pretty unimpressive and Aglaonema puts a lot of energy into them, it is best to cut them off in order to preserve the plants decorative value.

 

Aglaonemas grow wild in the subtropical rainforests of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, where the plant is happy beneath the leaf canopy of larger trees and shrubs which ensures that the sun can hardly reach the Aglaonema. The plant is a member of the Araceae family, also known as the Arum-likes, and includes some forty species. Indigenous Aglaonemas also have variegated leaves and generally remain quite small. Alongside the fantastic foliage, this plants greatest strength is that it's very easy to look after compared to other foliage plants.

 

Aglaonema can take a knock, tolerates forgetful waterers and is not quick to disappoint. That makes it a real boon if you're a plant lover who's just starting out. As well as being an attractive foliage plant, Aglaonema also purifies the air.

 

Growing Conditions:

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Light: Bright to moderate.

Temperature and humidity: Moderate to warm, avoiding fluctuation. Moderate humidity.

Feeding: Weekly, using foliage houseplant fertiliser. Monthly in winter.

Watering: When dry.

Propagation: Division, tip cuttings, stem sections.