Aglaonema: General Care

What is an Aglaonema?

Aglaonema is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. They typically grow terrestrially and are prized for the vast array of colours and sizes they come in, as well as their tolerance of lower-light conditions and minimal care needs. They are native to South-East Asia.

Care:

Aglaonema don’t require much difficult care, and are a really great way to liven up your space, as they are very hardy and resistant to most regular issues.

Watering: Aglaonema are from humid tropical rainforests, which means that in the wild they are rarely found in totally dry soils. Keep the soil temperately damp but never soaking wet. They are somewhat drought tolerant but will suffer from over-watering, so it is best to water little in small amounts in order to achieve the right conditions. Be sure to make adjustments based on your light conditions and potting mix. In the winter, Aglaonema in the UK will enter dormancy, and watering should be reduced to as little as possible to compensate.

Potting: Aglaonema like well-draining soils. A chunky mix of coir, perlite and pine bark would be an ideal mix, as the perlite and bark stop clumping and allow water to drain through, and the bark will store excess water and allow access to stored water if ever the soil is too dry.

Light: Being forest-floor growers in the wild, Aglonema generally do not require huge amounts of sunlight in order to grow successfully. In fact, direct sunlight would be far too much for them. Instead, medium light is recommended for ideal growing conditions!

Feeding: It is best to feed Aglaonema when they are exhibiting periods of active growth, to help to strengthen the new growth. Their leaves get very vivid nutrient burn if overfed, so it is best to feed only when needed. During dormancy it is recommended not to feed at all, and allow the plant to rest.

Pests: Aglaonema are particularly susceptible to thrip invasions and the stems can also be a nice feeding ground for scale insects and mealybugs! Keep your eyes out for warning signs and if discovered, treat accordingly.

Things to look out for in Aglaonema:

Underwhelming Growth: As plants with striking foliage, it is easy to tell that when a new leaf comes out shriveled, small or underwhelming. This is usually as a response to a lack of sufficient light.

Yellow leaves: This can indicate multiple things. As a general rule, if there is new growth but old, smaller leaves are yellowing, this is just a natural process of prioritizing more productive foliage. If the yellowing is widespread, then the likelihood is there is a more sinister problem, such as: overwatering, drought, pests or nutrient burn.

Aglaonema species to check out:

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Pink Lipstick’/’Crete'

Aglaonema 'Silver bay'

Aglaonema rotundum

Aglaonema nitidum

Aglaonema pumilum