50 Aglaonema Varieties to Look Out For

Aglaonema varieties are easy houseplants to grow, with growing traits similar to succulents, making Aglaonema care exceptionally simple. In this guide, we’re going to look at the brilliant benefits of these plants, plus some of the more unusual care requirements for more serious growers!

Often mistaken for Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia), Aglaonema has soft, tender feeling leaves, and stems that store water incredibly efficiently, but has a significant difference in the range of foliage colors and flower forms.

To distinguish the two, be sure to check our Dieffenbachia growing guide and plant care.

What is Aglaonema?

Aglaonema is an air-purifying, evergreen houseplant grown for its informally patterned leaves, and as a carrier of good luck in many East Asian cultures. 

Aglaonema are excellent low maintenance houseplants for forgetful gardeners, and will happily go for a few weeks without water, and their low nutrient requirements make them relatively inexpensive to care for too.

While Aglaonema is unlikely to suffer from overwatering or underwatering once in a while, it does like a steady location, as its thin leaves are easily affected by light and temperature changes.

Aglaonema is an Air Purifier

Aglaonema is one of the most effective air-purifying houseplants you can grow but is usually left out of air-purifying plant lists because it’s a relatively uncommon houseplant.

One particularly beneficial property of Aglaonema is that it filters out formaldehyde from the air which is particularly high in homes with gas fires, or near busy roads.

To benefit from their air-purifying nature, make sure they are in a bright location, away from direct light, and water them heavily once a fortnight in summer.

Aglaonema’s Natural Habitat

There are twenty-two commonly recognized species of Aglaonema, all native to Southeast Asia, mostly found in the tropics. 

Aglaonema’s common name, Chinese evergreen, is a misnomer likely given to them in 1885 when they were brought to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, at a time when British plant finders and botanists were obsessed with eastern botany.

Around this time, most Asian species were either referred to as Chinese, Japanese or Oriental to appeal to wider markets (probably to do with the British reluctance to acknowledge the emergence of Indochina in the late 1800s).

Today, the 22 recognized species of Aglaonema are mostly found growing wild in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Sumatra, Borneo, and Myanmar, and have naturalized in the West Indies.

50 Best Aglaonema Varieties

The vast majority of Aglaonema varieties are variations on Aglaonema commutatum, but serious plant collectors might want to look for more species rather than simple variations on A. commutatum. 

Get to know the 22 Aglaonema Species

1. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema brevispathum)

Native to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, A. brevispathum is a gorgeous waxy leaved species of Aglaonema, with long tall leaves, reaching up to 3ft tall in its native environment on humid forest floors.

If you manage to find one for sale, they need shady rooms or dappled sunlight. The closest common variety in cultivation is Aglaonema ‘Silver Bay’.

2. Aglaonema chermsiriwattanae

A. chermsiriwattanae is only found growing wild in Thailand with foliage sprouting from long trailing stems that typically lie flat along the ground. Because of their trailing habit, they don’t make great houseplants so are rarely found in cultivation. 

Because they grow from the main stem unlike most Aglaonema, chermsiriwattanae are easy to propagate from cuttings.

3. Aglaonema cochinchinense

The parent of many cultivated Aglaonema varieties, the naturally variegated leaves of A. cochinchinense are responsible for many of the paler leaved varieties, whose leaf veins spray out white pigment across their predominantly green leaves.

Cochinchinense is native to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia – likely due to its more open flowers which are more readily pollinated making natural spread faster.

4. The Poison Dart Plant (Aglaonema commutatum)

A. Commutatum is present in the genes of almost all cultivated Aglaonema varieties, with a neat clump-forming habit that makes it especially easy to grow indoors, retaining a neat shape as it matures.

This species was one of the earliest Aglaonema varieties brought to the attention of the west in the late 1800s, originally discovered in the Philippines and Indonesia, though the same species has become naturalized throughout the West Indies – though no one quite knows how it got there.

5. Aglaonema cordifolium

Also called Aglaonema Schott, this upright, woody variety is significantly different from most other species of Aglaonema, and is sometimes considered a genus in its own right.

A. cordifolium is only found growing naturally on the Philippine island of Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines.

6. Spotted Evergreen (Aglaonema costatum)

Also called Fox’s Aglaonema, or the spotted evergreen, A. costatum is native to most of Southeast Asia but particularly prevalent in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

Particularly notable is how well it thrives in Langkawi, the exposed group of islands off the northeast coast of Malaysia. 

7. Aglaonema densinervium

Found throughout the Philippines, and on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi you’ll be incredibly lucky to find this rare Aglaonema species, which grows only in deep mountainous forests.

Its leaves are completely green so it's best identified by its red berries that form after flowering.

8. Aglaonema flemingianum

A. flemingianum has satin leaves with uniform veining but is much paler than most other species in this genus. The rounded leaves would make for excellent structural houseplant foliage if one ever turned up in a garden center, but they are not grown in cultivation so it’s pretty unlikely.

9. Aglaonema hookerianum

As you might have gathered, this list comprises mostly of Aglaonema species that are found growing in isolation on tropical islands, so you won’t be surprised that A. hookerianum, which grows in mainland India and Bangladesh can be found for sale online thanks to its relative accessibility. This species thrives in northern India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

10. Aglaonema marantifolium

I love how A. marantifolium has been lumbered with such a simple descriptive title. Its leaves do indeed look almost identical to maranta, which grow in very similar environments, and have very similar habits.

For early plant explorers in Papua and Papua New Guinea, this beautiful mound-forming Aglaonema must have surprised them when its flowers emerged, bearing no resemblance to Maranta flowers at all.

11. Aglaonema modestum

Known better by its common name, the Japanese leaf Aglaonema, A. modestum has much more delicate flowers, with a more open petal than any Aglaonema I’ve seen.

While it grows from stems, similarly to Monstera, it has better self-support and works well as a compact, easy to care for house plant. Native to Bangladesh and Southern China.

12. Aglaonema nebulosum

Native to Indonesia, Borneo and Malaysia, A. nebulosum has long rounded leaves, with natural variations in its native environment. They are closely related to many of the cultivated Aglaonema varieties bred for waxy leaves, which enjoy organic mulches to help keep their soil moist and humidity levels up.

13. Burmese Evergreen (Aglaonema nitidum)

Also called the Burmese Evergreen, A. nitidum’s upright stems and strong leaves have helped it become one of the most sought after Aglaonema species on the planet.

Thankfully, one cultivar, ‘Silver Queen’ is readily available in garden centers and online, so you won’t need to travel to Indonesia to find one.

14. Aglaonema ovatum

Ovatum are unlike most Aglaonema species, preferring to grow closer to sea level, on the banks of streams throughout Thailand and Vietnam, benefitting from the higher humidity.

15. Aglaonema philippinense

I probably don’t have to tell you that A. philippinense is from the Philippines, but if you’re fortunate to find one from a specialist nursery they are truly bountiful plants.

They thrive in humid conditions and need a bit of help from shredded bark to retain enough moisture around their roots between watering, but are well worth the effort.

Their only real visual appeal is the subtle silvery centers to each leaf, but their true draw is rarity. 

16. Aglaonema pictum

A. pictum is native to Sumatra, and the neighboring Indonesian island of Nias but is incredibly easy to find online. Their variegated forms, ‘Bicolor’ and ‘Tricolor’ are beautifully camouflaged, and look entirely manmade. Despite their otherworldly look, they are incredibly easy to grow.

17. Aglaonema pumilum

If you don’t want something quite as structured as the camouflage variegation of A. pictum, then A. pumilum is a gorgeous alternative with more organic variegations forming in less uniform patterns across leaves.

Because the variegations are part of the species' DNA, it will never revert from that form either! 

18. Aglaonema roebelenii

Luzon, the largest and most populated island in the Philippines is home to A. roebelenii, commonly known as A. crispum, a subtly pastel coloured Aglaonema that looks perpetually washed out.

Thankfully, they buck the trend and are one of the few pure, unadulterated Aglaonema species you can buy for yourself. 

19. Aglaonema rotundum

A. rotundum is native to Sumatra, Indonesia, with beautifully well-structured leaves, and distinct pink and red veining. In our Aglaonema varieties section below there is a wonderful cultivar called A. rotundum ‘Tiger’ whose harsh veins are that rarest of colors; russet.

If you’re interested in growing your own A. rotundum, be sure to add plenty of moisture retention to the soil as they store more water than most in their leaves and don’t like drying out.

20. Malayan Sword (Aglaonema simplex)

Also known as the Malayan Sword, A. simplex is one of the smallest Aglaonema you can buy. They are perfect for terrariums, particularly if you can offer them flowing water or automated misting cycles.

Native throughout Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia where they grow near water.

21. Aglaonema vittatum 

Just south of Singapore, are the Lingga islands, some of the smallest and most isolated islands in the Philippines. These small tropical islands are drenched in heat, and when it rains, it pours.

A. vittatum is perfectly adapted to these conditions, known to store water in its stems to cope with drought so well that you’d barely notice any change in its foliage.

If you want to get your hands on A. vittatum you’ll need to find a specialist nursery near you as they are small, delicate plants that don’t travel well.

Best Aglaonema Varieties to Grow

For anyone just looking for vibrant variegation in their houseplants, there are some truly exceptional Aglaonema variations on those species defining plants above.

Aglaonema are easy to crossbreed, so the varieties below share traits of multiple species. With that said, there are some obvious relationships between Chinese evergreen bred in cultivation and those native to SouthEast Asia.

22. Aglaonema Super White

For obvious reasons, Aglaonema ‘super white’ should never be planted in full sun. A single day of bright afternoon light can burn their delicate white leaves to a crisp. 

Equally, overwatering them, or over-humidifying Aglaonema ‘super White’ in low light conditions can rapidly turn the crisp white leaves into floppy yellow tissue paper. 

So no, Super white might not be for beginners, but if you’re after a really special plant that holds its color and can completely change the décor in a room, then these neat Aglaonema plants are our top choice.

23. Aglaonema modestum Variegatum

Of all the variegated Aglaonema varieties, the pure species, modestum ‘Variegatum’ has to be my favorite. Selective breeding, rather than cross-pollination has created very reliable variegation which rarely reverts back to its green form.

You can buy variegated Aglaonema varieties of most species of Aglaonema plants, but they are often interbred with other species creating unreliable coloring. 

The only downside of A. modestum ‘Variegatum’ is that it’s native to Bangladesh and southern China, meaning it does like slightly warmer temperatures than most other species, but in practice, it makes very little difference to its care routine.

24. Aglaonema Cutlass

Likely a hybrid of simplex and commutatum, Cutlass is a great thin-leaved variety of Aglaonema. Thin leaves plants are typically more resistant to direct light, so if you really can’t find bright indirect light for Cutlass, it will fare better in full sun than most varieties. 

The pale silver leaves of Aglaonema ‘cutlass’ also make it more tolerant of drought as there is less chlorophyll in the leaves searching for nutrients and water.

25. Aglaonema Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay is about as true to nature as you can find in garden centers. The striking white markings across the jade-green leaves are what most people think of when they think of Aglaonema, and have been well-bred to cope with indoor conditions through the northern hemisphere.

If you’re looking for an easy-to-grow Aglaonema there aren’t many as resilient as Emerald Bay.

26. Aglaonema Harlequin

It wasn’t until recently that I truly understood the meaning of harlequin. I’d always thought it referred to because it is most often used to describe strikingly contrasted colouration with opposing markings on one side of a leaf (or face in mammals).

Aglaonema ‘Harlequin’ is the perfect depiction of harlequin markings in nature, referring to the mosaic pattern worn by medieval clowns and jesters.

The yellow framed red markings across these Aglaonema leaves are perfect, almost uniform, mosaics, but do take a little bit of extra care and watering to maintain.

27. Aglaonema Silver Queen

Aglaonema ‘Silver Queen is a really wonderful herbaceous houseplant, with evergreen leaves, and the reliable ability to just keep getting bigger, and bigger until it reaches its full size.

Silver Queen is one of the biggest Aglaonema varieties you can grow indoors in the US, reaching just over 3ft at full size after about five years.

What’s really important with Silver Queen is to keep dividing your plant. Every three or four years, just split off sections of the rhizome to avoid a hollow or double-mounded form from growing, and these mound-forming perennials are best displayed in pristine domes.

28. Aglaonema Silver King

I’ve always felt a bit sorry for Silver King, which will forever be compared to the bushier, more structural silver Queen, but the looseness of A. ‘silver king’ is honestly worth considering, with a more upright growing habit that works well in slightly smaller spaces, where the mound-forming structure of silver queen might be overwhelming.

29. Aglaonema Red Sumatra

I’m going to make a confession here… The first Aglaonema we bought was actually a mistake. We bought a young Red Sumatra from a supermarket, thinking it was a Croton. 

The deep, blood red, undersides of the leaves, coupled with the thick yellow veining is identical to the new growth of young croton. To avoid making the same mistake, see our comprehensive guide on growing croton plants. 

Within a few weeks, there were significant differences in the shape of the foliage and a lack of main stem, but by then we were in love, and that was the start of our Aglaonema collection.

30. Aglaonema Red Emperor

Aglaonema ‘Red Emperor’ needs shade to perform to its very best, with its rich ruby-red foliage holding onto water more efficiently than any other Aglaonema variety I know.

The glistening sheen of Red Emperor leaves turns to a pale, spotted green if its full sun, and plants bought online are often mistaken for other Aglaonema varieties when they arrive as their leaves haven’t properly developed.

If you ever notice Aglaonema Red Emperor fading, just move it somewhere slightly darker, give it a really good drink, and then leave it for a couple of weeks. Its leaves will quickly form wider patches of red, which eventually join up.

31. Aglaonema Bidadari

If you’re looking for a charming houseplant, surely it’s got to be Aglaonema Bidadari. The faintly spotted pink and cream leaves of this Aglaonema cultivar are truly spectacular with a faded green background which can disappear completely in the late summer.

Plants like this fascinate us. How do they photosynthesise, store water, and develop? Especially since Bidadari is such an effective air purifier too. It’s doing so much with almost no significant pigment.

32. Aglaonema Splash Anyamanee

A. Splash Anyamanee is also sold as Anyamanee Tricolor, so check both names when you’re shopping, but this intensely variegated leaf is worth the search!

The genetic mutation that causes the intense pink fuchsia and white patches on Anyamanee can revert to a subtler form, but plain Anyamanee are just as beautiful.

If the intense difference is your main concern though, make sure to remove leaves that are starting to look less ‘splashy’. By removing these reverted leaves and their roots you keep the truer leaves and give space in the soil for the original rhizomes to spread out. And shoot up new matching leaves.

33. Aglaonema Black Lance

Aglaonema, as we’ve said, comes in all shapes and sizes. Black Lance proves that in droves. The leaves are almost identical to Aglaonema ‘Cutlass’ but the ‘black Lance’ can grow to three times the size of Cutlass.

At 3ft tall, Black Lance is one of the tallest Aglaonema variants you can grow at home, and is nearly identical to the naturally occurring A. simplex.

34. Aglaonema Brilliant

I always smile when I see Aglaonema ‘Brilliant’, not because it’s overwhelmingly joyful, but because I adore how much it looks like chard. The gleaming white stems sing out from the soil.

With lime green leaves that look utterly delicious. Obviously, don’t eat it, because it is incredibly toxic, but there’s something charming about this quite plain-looking Aglaonema that’s got me hooked.

35. Aglaonema Silverado

If you’re a passionate plant collector looking for the next addition to your collection, then Aglaonema ‘Silverado’ is a sensible choice. The rarity of Silverado is one thing, but you can pick up mature plants online for less than $50. I know that might sound expensive to some people, but rare tropicals can sell for thousands. 

The ease of division and rapid growth of Aglaonema mean that even the rarest Aglaonema varieties are still fairly affordable, and a great way to fill your home with rare plants!

36. Aglaonema Emerald Star

When you hear ‘star’ in a plant name, always assume it’s speckled. Aglaonema ‘Emerald Star’ is so true to its name that it’s almost funny, with an emerald green background, and bright white flecks shining out from the dark green leaves.

I barely even need to describe these plants, but one thing worth noting is that Aglaonema ‘Emerald Star’ is great for beginners to houseplants. Plants with white leaf veins are easier to read than plants with dark veins. 

White veins turn yellow when there is a problem with their roots, and fungal infections spread up leaf veins from stems before affecting the rest of the leaf. By keeping an eye on the bright white veins and flecks near the base of each leaf you can quickly spot problems before they spread.

37. Aglaonema Red Gold

Aglaonema are best known for their natural variation between green red and white, so if you’re looking for a typifying variety, Red Gold is the one for you. Early in the season, Red gold produces fairly discreet leaves, with yellow centers, and golden green, speckled edges. 

As the season progresses, Aglaonema ‘Red gold’ develops striking red edges to each leaf that glow like they’ve been drawn on by a highlighter pen.

38. Aglaonema Siam Aurora

Aglaonema ‘Siam Aurora’ has a duller leaf than the very similar ‘Red Gold’ but makes up for it with vivid pink, almost fluorescent, stems. To confuse matters even further, Aglaonema ‘Queen of Siam’ shares traits with both too, but has much patchier transitions between the pale green centers of its leaf, and the red outer rim.

Siam aurora is more pink than red. In terms of growth habit, the really significant difference between Siam Aurora and other common Aglaonema cultivars is that it grows vestigially (upright).

The leaves burst out from each other, rising constantly upwards, so rather than the typical dome forming Aglaonema varieties were used to, you can get a pretty tall plant from Siam Aurora.

39. Aglaonema Abidjan

The patchy silver-green foliage of Aglaonema ‘Abidjan’ might look simple at first glance, but the multi-layered coloring is incredibly detailed, and uses the camouflaging traits of the natural species Aglaonema to create a carpet of silvery foliage, which spreads informally out from the center of its container.

Abidjan is definitely a looser growing Aglaonema than most, with a sprawling habit that tends to flop from its pot rather than form a neat dome, meaning they are usually wider than they are tall. Perfect for shaded window sills, or bathroom cabinets.

40. Aglaonema pictum Tricolor

If you’re considering A. pictum, please, please, make sure to search for pictum ‘Tricolor’. The vivid camouflage effect on the foliage of pictum ‘Tricolor’ is caused by a mutated gene, which created patches of white that connect the otherwise sporadic markings of pictum to itself.

While we wouldn’t recommend leaving flowers on Aglaonema, for purists, pictum are actually surprisingly easy to flower indoors. Typically flowering in July or August.

41. Aglaonema Tigress

As the name suggests, Aglaonema ‘tigress’ is a strongly striped variety whose slender leaves are more akin to a peace lily, and the domed structure adds to that effect.

The flowers of ‘Tigress’ even look like peace lily flowers, if a little taller and greener, but perhaps slightly less appealing, with a lime green petal and lumpy unattractive stamen.

For a tropical display in a darker corner of the house, Aglaonema ‘Tigress’ will be a reliable performer.

42. Aglaonema Wishes

Aglaonema ‘Wishes’ are super common in garden centers, and very often mistaken for Dumb Cane, with similar markings and growing habits, but ‘Wishes’ has one thing that dumb cane doesn’t; It changes drastically through the season.

Like many Aglaonema varieties ‘Wishes’ has fairly dull new growth, tending to produce pale, pinky-green leaves when they first appear, that develop into delicately patterned leaves with creamy separations between green edges and pink interiors.

43. Aglaonema Chocolate

In the right conditions, Aglaonema ‘chocolate’ has vivid chocolatey undersides to its leaves, but it takes some trial and error to find the right place in the house for this picky Aglaonema.

The topsides of their leaves are the best clue to plant health, with rich green leaves emerging throughout the growing season from spring into autumn.

If the emerging leaves are at all pale or washed out, move your Aglaonema ‘chocolate to a slightly darker space so it can retain more moisture in the stem.

This extra moisture helps the leaves produce a plumper, fuller, color, and that rich chocolate color promised by the name will follow.

44. Aglaonema rotundum Tiger

While Aglaonema rotundum ‘Tiger’ isn’t exactly blessed with perfectly circular leaves, they are about as round as this genus of plants gets. The diminutive, but chunky leaves are blessed with gorgeous pink veining, similar to some varieties of Calathea, and rarely seen in such a precise manner.

Regardless of shape, color, and quality though, the real charm of rotundum ‘Tiger’ is its size; growing to less than half the height of most Aglaonema varieties at maturity, this plant typically reaches just under a foot tall, making it easy to manage, and great for apartments with limited space.

45. Aglaonema Pink Moon

The upright habit of Aglaonema ‘Pink Moon’ is unusual, with flopped out leaves to the side of each mound of foliage that hem in upright, tightly packed leaves of these subtle foliage plants at full maturity.

Even young Aglaonema ‘Pink Moon’ plants prefer to point their leaves up to the sky when grown indoors, possibly to help them reduce the amount of direct sunlight that hits them.

46. Aglaonema Lady Valentine

If you prefer your houseplants to feel lighter, and frothier and are put off by a lot of the strictly doming varieties of Aglaonema, then Lady Valentine might be the one for you. 

Lady Valentine is really efficient at sending new shoots up for the underground rhizomes but also grows from the stem too, meaning you can achieve a more open base to these plants than most other varieties, allowing light through, and helping with ventilation.

47. Aglaonema White Rain

One thing that gardeners always gush over, myself included, is the way that raindrops sit on plant leaves in the morning, catching the light, and creating a shimmering river down the center of recently wetted leaves.

White rain has the permanent illusion of this magical garden moment, with subtly different greens overlapping across each leaf, giving a watery depth that instantly calms the soul.

48. Aglaonema Pink Dalmatian

Aglaonema ‘Pink Dalmatian’ is like a negative of almost every other pink-tinged Aglaonema, with dark, forest green leaves, sprayed with pink spots. The crisp marriage of forest green and pink seems clumsy, but it works and produces a variety of Aglaonema that are just as happy in bright light as in deep shade.

Aglaonema ‘Pink Dalmatian’ does require a little bit more care and attention than some varieties, and a biannual separation is almost essential with aging plants, as they flop and create hollow patches between stems where the plant starts to grow away from the original rhizome. It’s easy to fix but might put some gardeners off.

49. Aglaonema Leprechaun

Of all the varieties of Aglaonema that work for forgetful gardeners, Leprechaun is probably the one you are least likely to go wrong with. These plants are unlikely to care for over loving, or a lack of love, as long as you don’t let them wilt completely back to the ground. 

Leprechaun might not be the most exciting looking Aglaonema variety, but with simple white veins fading in forks out to grassy green edges on each leaf, they are a great starter plant for new houseplant parents.

50. Aglaonema Diamond Bay

Like ‘Leprechaun’, Aglaonema ‘Diamond Bay’ is pretty impossible to kill, and its foliage is iconic to the genus, with hints of A. philippinense and A. costatum helping it fare well with a distinct lack of attention while retaining that trusty silver streak down the center of its leaf.

Try to keep diamond Bay well-watered when possible though as its leaves prefer to stand upright, and when they dry out they flop and lose their structural appeal.

How to Grow Aglaonema

Aglaonema is a true rainforest floor plant. These plants adore warm, dappled shade, and good humidity, and know how to cope with competing vegetation.

Aglaonema stores water in its stems, much like succulents do in their leaves, meaning they can go for up to a month without water.

However, for vibrant leaves and truly healthy plants, they should be watered as soon as their soil dries out, and give a rich, free-draining compost full of shredded bark, and natural materials.

Light Requirements

Aglaonema prefers low light, or bright indirect light, with each variety giving clues in their leaves. Paler leaved varieties prefer shade, while dark leaves Aglaonema are usually happier in brighter conditions, but no variety, or species, should ever be left in direct sun.

Watering Aglaonema Varieties

Water Chinese evergreen heavily once every two-three weeks, or water when the soil is dry to touch. In their natural conditions, they are infrequently drenched, and they sit in high humidity for several weeks without water.

It’s also important to make the distinction between natural temperatures which in summer are often over 40C, meaning they can cope with regular water.

In our homes, Aglaonema prefers to dry out between watering as cooler temperatures can cause water to sit rather than evaporate.

Best Soil for Aglaonema

The ideal soil for Aglaonema is something that replicates the forest floor, with an annual mulch of leaf litter creating efficient moisture retention. To recreate this in our homes, the best method is to mulch with any garden compost once a year to revive their soil nutrients.

Are you new to composting? See our comprehensive guide on how to make your own compost here. 

If you provide an inch thick layer of mulch in spring you won’t need to feed Aglaonema throughout the year. A good Aglaonema potting mix is compost, perlite and shredded bark. 

This provides adequate drainage, and nutrient retaining moisture control through the shredded bark.

Should you remove Aglaonema flowers?

Aglaonema are grown primarily for their foliage but do flower happily indoors. Aglaonema flowers are mostly a single tight petal with a thick white stamen, looking like malformed peace lilies in many ways. 

The flowers take up a lot of energy in summer and are pretty unattractive, so most growers remove them. By removing the flowers you enable further energy for foliage, but there is absolutely no harm in leaving them on the plant.

Warning: Aglaonema is Highly Toxic

There is one very important warning that comes with Aglaonema, and the reason we stopped growing it here; Aglaonema is toxic to all humans and pets, even birds. 

Like many houseplants, Aglaonema produced calcium oxalate, which isn’t dangerous if ingested in small quantities but is produced on every part of Aglaonema plants.

While similar plants like peace lilies are poisonous to cats and dogs, ingesting small amounts of leaf will not cause problems (for most houseplants, calcium oxalate is most present in flowers and pollen).

The high quantities of calcium oxalate present in Aglaonema can cause the throat to swell and foaming at the mouth, with even small quantities causing blood in the urine, or pain while you urinate.

Initial symptoms include sudden vomiting and fluctuating pain in your side. Pets will show early signs of discomfort by pawing at their mouth or salivating excessively.

Birds and rabbits can’t salivate like cats and dogs, so check them for signs of itching or scratching excessively if you suspect they have ingested Aglaonema.

Aglaonema Varieties FAQs

What are the benefits of Aglaonema? 

Chinese Evergreen, or Aglaonema, is thought to bring luck to homes and has been grown as an ornamental plant throughout Asia for centuries. In practical terms, the biggest benefits of Aglaonema are its significantly effective air purifying qualities.

Is Aglaonema easy to care for?

Other than finding the right location for Aglaonema, all other aspects of its care are easy. Water when the soil dries out, and keep your plants away from direct sunlight.

Other than that, the only really unusual tip for Aglaonema care is to mulch annually with regular garden compost.

Why do Aglaonema leaves turn yellow?

While most advice for growing Aglaonema is to grow them in shade, they actually prefer dappled light, or bright, indirect light if you can give them those conditions.

In shade, Aglaonema tends to sit in water and root rot can lead to insufficient nutrients reaching the leaves – turning them yellow.

Can you grow Aglaonema outdoors?

Aglaonema are truly tropical plants, requiring rainforest heat, strictly dappled sunlight, and high humidity. Through most of the Northern hemisphere, this isn’t achievable, so they are definitely best grown as indoor plants.

Take Your Pick and Start Growing these Stunning Aglaonema Varieties

Aglaonema is one of those plants I always wish I could grow more of. There’s a fascinating ambiguity in their breeding that means no one truly knows what species they are growing unless you get your hands on true, species Aglaonema plants.

For the rest of us, we’re mostly growing selectively bred plants which are designed to cope better in our often forgetful care. So, you really can’t go wrong when growing different Aglaonema varieties, just so long as you find them a spot where they can exist happily.