Chinese Evergreen Care (Aglaonema commutatum): Light, Watering and Propagation

Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum) is a compact, bushy houseplant with lance-shaped leaves marked with silver-gray blotches. NC State Extension calls it one of the easiest plants to grow in a home or office. Its main selling point is that it keeps looking good in dim rooms where most foliage plants struggle.

How to identify Chinese evergreen

Aglaonema is a herbaceous perennial in the arum family (Araceae). The Missouri Botanical Garden gives a typical height of about 20 inches. The leaves are thick, elliptic to lance-shaped, about 4–8 inches long and 2–3 inches wide, dark green with silver-gray patches. Stems are upright and, as lower leaves drop, become bare and cane-like with age.

The easiest way to separate it from dumb cane (dieffenbachia) is the veins. According to NC State Extension, aglaonema leaves usually have only 5–8 main lateral veins, while dieffenbachia has more than 8, typically around 20.

Kew’s Plants of the World Online gives the native range of Aglaonema commutatum as the Philippines and Sulawesi and lists Aglaonema marantifolium var. commutatum as a synonym. Keep in mind that many plants sold simply as “aglaonema” are not the pure species. UF/IFAS credits much of the genus’s rise in interior use to new interspecific hybrids, with 29 aglaonema hybrids receiving US patents in the 1990s alone.

Light

Few houseplants handle low light as well. NC State Extension lists aglaonema for deep shade and partial shade, and the Missouri Botanical Garden notes it tolerates heavy shade. UF/IFAS reports that it can tolerate very low interior light but should never go in full sun, which scorches the leaves.

For the best growth, give it diffused or bright indirect light, such as a spot near a north- or east-facing window. Some of the more colorful cultivars need more light than the green-and-silver types; UF/IFAS notes a higher light requirement for cultivars such as ‘Jubilee’ and ‘B. J. Freeman’. For more options, see our list of low-light houseplants.

Watering

From spring to fall, keep the potting mix evenly moist but not saturated. The Missouri Botanical Garden recommends reducing water from early fall to late winter while not letting the soil dry out completely. The plant does not need a true winter dormancy; it just grows more slowly.

Overwatering is the most common way to lose one. Both NC State Extension and the Missouri Botanical Garden warn that root rot follows when plants are kept too wet, and NC State Extension also advises against using cold water. A practical routine: water thoroughly, let the excess drain away, and wait until the surface of the mix has started to dry before watering again.

Potting mix and repotting

The Missouri Botanical Garden recommends a well-drained, peaty potting mix. UF/IFAS lists commercial mixes of peat, pine bark, vermiculite or perlite with good air space and a pH of about 6.0–6.5. At home, a regular houseplant mix with added perlite or bark works along the same lines. Always use a pot with a drainage hole.

Repot in spring once roots fill the pot, moving up only one pot size so the mix does not stay wet for too long.

Humidity and temperature

NC State Extension says aglaonema prefers high humidity but tolerates drier air, and the Missouri Botanical Garden describes it as tolerant of dry indoor air. Very dry air or drafts can still brown the leaves.

Warmth matters more than humidity. NC State Extension gives a preferred daytime range of 70–80°F (21–27°C), and the Missouri Botanical Garden recommends a winter minimum of 60°F (16°C). UF/IFAS warns that temperatures below 50–55°F (10–13°C) cause chilling injury, with symptoms appearing 3–7 days later on older leaves. ‘Silver Queen’ is among the most chill-sensitive cultivars. Keep the plant away from drafty windows and exterior doors in winter.

Fertilizing

Aglaonema is a light feeder. For plants indoors, UF/IFAS recommends a dilute balanced water-soluble fertilizer once a month and warns that overfeeding leads to salt buildup and leaf margin or tip burn. Feed at half strength or less from spring through summer and skip fertilizer in winter.

If a flower appears (a white spadix inside a greenish-white spathe), NC State Extension and UF/IFAS both suggest removing it so the plant puts its energy into foliage and stays full.

Propagation step by step

NC State Extension recommends division and stem cuttings. UF/IFAS notes that commercial growers root cuttings and divide basal shoots (suckers), and that tissue culture has not been successful with this genus. For an overview of methods, see our houseplant propagation guide.

Division:

1. In spring, slide the plant out of its pot and loosen some of the old mix.
2. Look for shoots growing from the base that have their own roots.
3. Separate them by hand or with a clean knife, keeping roots and a few leaves on each piece.
4. Pot each division in fresh mix in a smaller pot and water lightly.

Stem cuttings:

1. Choose a stem that has become bare at the base. UF/IFAS recommends cuttings with four to five leaves.
2. Cut just below a node with a clean knife.
3. Insert the cutting in an airy, lightly moist mix.
4. Keep it warm and in bright indirect light until it roots and puts out a new leaf.

Variegated cultivars

The silver patterning is natural in A. commutatum; the Missouri Botanical Garden describes it for the species itself. Cultivars take it further. NC State Extension lists these under A. commutatum:

• ‘Treubii’: narrow gray-green leaves spotted with pale green or yellow-green. The RHS also lists it as a cultivar of A. commutatum.
• ‘Pseudobracteatum’: leaves spattered with gray-green, with veins highlighted in white.
• ‘Maria’: dark green leaves with silver stripes; NC State Extension notes it is shade tolerant.
• ‘White Rajah’: leaves with a large amount of white.

Popular plants such as ‘Silver Queen’ and most pink and red aglaonemas are cultivars or hybrids that NC State Extension and UF/IFAS do not assign directly to this species.

Common problems

Symptom	Cause	Fix
Damaged older leaves a few days after a cold spell	chilling below 50–55°F, drafts	move somewhere warm, remove damaged leaves
Brown, brittle leaf tips	fertilizer salt buildup	flush the pot with water, feed less
Wilting in wet soil, mushy roots	overwatering, root rot	water less, repot into a better-draining mix
Leaves browning	very dry air or drafts	move out of drafts, raise humidity
Washed-out leaves held upright	too much light or heat	move farther from the window
New leaf emerges with a hooked tip	fluctuating light, water and temperature	keep conditions steady
Cottony tufts, tiny insects	mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, scale	isolate and treat the plant

The pests come from NC State Extension and the Missouri Botanical Garden; the other causes are from UF/IFAS.

Toxicity

The ASPCA lists Chinese evergreen under Aglaonema modestum; it has no separate entry for A. commutatum. It rates the plant toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The toxic principle is insoluble calcium oxalates, and signs include oral irritation, pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.

NC State Extension lists the same crystals for the genus and rates the poison severity for people as low. Eating the plant irritates the mouth and mucous membranes, and contact with the sap can cause a rash. Wear gloves when cutting or dividing it and keep it away from pets and small children.