Things change quickly in the horticultural sector. Familiar plants kept in the years ago now come in so many different cultivars that it is like a sampler box of candy – such is the Aglaonema or Chinese evergreen. In the “olden days” you had pretty much one choice – green – sometimes green with silver variegation depending on the species. Now, through the marvel of science and breeding efforts, new cultivars are available in colors unimagined years ago. Thankfully, there are so many choices that Aglaonema can become a collector’s item. However, the Chinese evergreen is still an easy-to-keep plant grown by many gardeners as a container plant that survives low-light conditions and thrives in the shade.
As I mentioned earlier, Chinese evergreens or Aglaonema have come a long way from the humble all-green original forms found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. They were in almost everyone’s collection of houseplants as a standard, easy-to-care for plant. The Aglaonema is well suited to shady conditions making it a great low-light indoor container plant. It is a clumping, multi-stemmed plant sporting ten-to-fourteen-inch-long lance-shaped to oval green leaves arranged in a spiral. On occasion, a flower in the form of a spathe and spadix will develop followed by inedible red berries. While they are ideal as a houseplant, Chinese evergreens can also be planted two feet apart in shade outside keeping in mind their tenderness in the face of temperatures below forty-five degrees F – not to mention – a freeze or frost. Sinking pots up to their rim and then lifting them as winter approaches for indoor protection may be the best management practice to avoid chilling injury and damage in our area.
While the all-green varieties are fine, the breeding work has truly advanced this common houseplant into a colorful limelight. Work completed by breeders discovered mutations, developed hybrids, and researched pollination techniques that brought new possibilities to this popular foliage plant. Specifically, research and breeding work by the Foliage Plant Breeding Program of the University of Florida at the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center located in Apopka, developed Aglaonema cultivars such as ‘Emerald Bay’ which has silvery-green leaves with darker dapples along the margin, almost reminiscent of Dieffenbachia. Other breeders also developed additional colors with cultivars available such as ‘Favonian’ with pink leaves highlighted with green edging, green veins and stems, ‘Harlequin’ featuring dark green leaves splotched with yellow and pink veins, ‘Golden Fluorite’ noted for dark green to pale yellow leaves with a pink center, and ‘Lady Valentine’ with pink and green foliage. Chinese evergreens have emerged with eye-catching colors and appeal riveling Caladiums.
One note of caution – Aglaonema are members of the Aroid family which contain toxic calcium oxalate crystals. Accordingly, Aglaonema are poisonous to pets and people if consumed or if the sap gets on skin, so keep them out of reach.
If you are looking for an ideal houseplant that is colorful and is even noted for improving indoor air quality, the Aglaonema is for you! For more information on all types of houseplant questions, or to ask a question, you can also call the Master Gardener Volunteer Helpdesk on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer. Ralph E. Mitchell is the Director/Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County. He can be reached at 941-764-4344 or ralph.mitchell@charlottecountyfl.gov. Connect with us on social media. Like us on Facebook @CharlotteCountyExtension and follow us on Instagram @ifascharco.
Resources:
Henny, R.J., Chen, J., & Mellich, T.A. (2018) New Florida Foliage Plant Cultivar: ‘Emerald Bay’ Aglaonema. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.
Gilman, E. F., Klein, R. W. & Hansen, G. (2018) Aglaonema modestum: Chinese Evergreen. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.
Aglaonema (2024) N.C. Cooperative Extension – North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. .
UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions (2024) Houseplants That Clean the Air.
Chen, J., Henley, R. W., Henny, R. J., Caldwell, R. D. & Robinson, C. A. (2020) Chilling Injury in Tropical Foliage Plants: II. Aglaonema. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.
Ashworth, T. (2023) BEWARE THAT WHOLE FAMILY…of Poisonous Plants! – Poisonous Plants in and Around Your Florida Home. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS. – Duval County
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