How to care for a Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema)

Aglaonema commutatum

Care facts verified June 13, 2026

Prized for patterned foliage that brightens a dim room, the Chinese evergreen handles low light better than almost any showy plant, though pink and red varieties want more to keep their colour. Keep the compost lightly moist in warmth, never cold or soggy — chill and wet are what kill it. This patterned aroid is toxic to cats and dogs.

Care at a glance

Light: Low to bright indirect lightPlain green forms cope with shade; the pink, red and silver cultivars need brighter (still indirect) light to hold their markings. No direct sun.
Water: Keep lightly moist; let the top 2–3 cm dry firstWater moderately in growth and sparingly in winter; it dislikes both a bone-dry rootball and a waterlogged pot.
Soil: Free-draining, peat-free houseplant mixMultipurpose compost with added perlite and a little bark keeps it open and moist without sogginess.
Humidity: Prefers higher humidityAverage rooms are tolerated, but dry air browns the leaf edges; mist or use a pebble tray.
Temperature: Steady warmth of 18–27 °C (65–80 °F)Keep above 15 °C (59 °F) — it is one of the more cold-sensitive houseplants and blackens in a chill.
Difficulty: EasyForgiving of low light and missed waterings; its only real weakness is the cold.
Pets: Toxic to petsToxic to cats and dogs — insoluble calcium oxalate crystals cause mouth pain, drooling and vomiting if chewed (ASPCA).

Where it comes from

Native rangeTropical forests of Southeast Asia

Propagation

The simplest method is division. A mature Chinese evergreen forms a clump of stems from the base; at repotting time, separate it into sections, each with its own roots and a few leaves, and pot them up individually in warm, lightly moist compost.

You can also root stem-tip cuttings: cut a length of stem with a few leaves, stand it in water or damp mix, and keep it warm — Aglaonema roots slowly, so be patient and avoid cool conditions, which simply cause the cutting to rot rather than root.

Common problems

Yellowing leaves
Likely cause: Overwatering and cold, soggy roots are the usual culprits; the occasional old leaf yellowing is normal.
Fix: Let the soil dry further between waterings, move it somewhere warmer, and check that the pot drains.
Brown, crispy leaf edges or tips
Likely cause: Dry air, cold draughts, or salts and fluoride in tap water.
Fix: Raise humidity, keep it out of draughts, and water with rainwater or filtered water.
Greyish or blackened, water-soaked patches
Likely cause: Cold damage — Aglaonema is genuinely chill-sensitive and bruises in low temperatures.
Fix: Move it to a warmer, draught-free spot above 15 °C and remove the damaged leaves; new growth will be unmarked.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Chinese evergreen really live in a dark room?

The plain dark-green types are among the best plants for genuinely low light and will hold on far from a window. The colourful pink and red cultivars, however, fade and grow weak in shade — give those a brighter, indirect position.

Why is my Chinese evergreen turning yellow and limp in winter?

It is the most cold-sensitive of the common easy houseplants. Below about 15 °C, or in a cold draught, the leaves yellow, blacken and droop. Move it well away from chilly windows and doors and ease right off on watering.

Do pink Aglaonema need different care from green ones?

The watering, warmth and feeding are the same, but the highly coloured varieties need noticeably more bright, indirect light to keep their pinks and reds vivid; in shade they revert toward green and lose their appeal.

How do I keep my Chinese evergreen bushy rather than leggy?

Give it good indirect light so the stems stay short, and divide or repot every couple of years. If a stem grows bare and tall, cut it back hard — it resprouts from the base, and you can root the cut top.

Sources

RHS — Aglaonema — Royal Horticultural Society, checked 2026-06-13
ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — Chinese Evergreen — ASPCA, checked 2026-06-13