Aglaonema And Company
Not too long ago, I read a comment on a plant forum stating that – although it’s a prime choice as a resilient houseplant – one of the letdowns of an Aglaonema is that its lifespan is rather short – a couple of years at most, 3 to 5 if you’re lucky. I hadn’t noticed that I was creasing my eyebrows in confusion while reading these comments until my forehead started to ache.
So I sat back, rubbed the pain away and wondered how in the world these plants could be labeled as short-lived when my own have been going strong for years. And mine are just a slight example with their modest existence of only half a decade. What about my mother’s Silver Queen Aglaonema that has been growing happily for the past two decades and given birth to enough basal shoots to populate half the homes in this city? That’s only a slight exaggeration because I don’t think there’s anyone personally that she knows who hasn’t received a potted plant from the yearly offshoots of her Aglaonema. And who knows how many homes those plants have further supplied with their own babies.
That’s how it seems to work with Aglaonemas. They don’t go from one home to another through traditional means such as commercial sales, but rather by being passed around from grower to grower. It reminds me of that commercial for hair shampoo back in the 70s (yes I’m old enough to remember it) where the key concept was viral marketing. “If you tell two friends about Faberge Organics shampoo with wheat germ oil and honey, they'll tell two friends, and so on and so on...and so on...” According to that style of marketing, every household will end up with that particular shampoo by word of mouth – the product will be ‘passed around’. Well, it’s the same with Aglaonemas. By passing offshoots around, you and all your recipients will end up populating half the homes in your own city with an Aglaonema, just like we are working on doing here.
“If you give an offshoot of this beautiful plant to two friends, and they give one two friends, and so on and so on…and so on...”
Once more I’ve digressed; let’s get back to the potential longevity of these plants...
Now, either I’m confused about the lifespan of these durable, commonly-grown favourites, or our – mine and my mother’s - aged Aglaonemas are. Or maybe the writer in that plant forum is. And now you probably are too. But if you’re wondering how long you can keep these plants growing, I’m here to tell you that you can enjoy them for many years, even decades – if you learn about their care requirements and apply that valuable knowledge accordingly. Many Aglaonemas fare badly and die prematurely because they can handle neglect so well that growers –inadvertently – overlook them. So if you provide proper care, your own Aglaonemas will grace your home for years. And if you don’t, they won’t. It’s that simple.
Even though they usually expire prematurely because their needs are not always met, Aglaonemas are still a popular choice. With their large, spear-shaped and decorative leaves, these members of the aroid family are one of the most widely-grown indoor potted plants in both residential and commercial areas. You see them everywhere – from shopping centers to commercial buildings to your dentist’s office; from your neighbour’s house to your mother’s living room to your cousin’s kitchen. And why wouldn’t they be everywhere since they grow easily with little care and are ideally suited even for the most inexperienced houseplant owner?
Together with their undemanding temperament and their minimal care requirements, they are very resistant to disease, able to adapt to conditions that are detrimental to other houseplants and quite capable of surviving slapdash care better than most greenery - and looking reasonably decent in spite of it.
While it’s true that there are limited varieties available for purchase at local garden centers and greenhouses, the ones that are available seem to disappear quickly. The notorious ‘Silver Queen’ has led the way for years, followed closely by the attractive ‘Emerald Beauty’. But lately, I’ve noticed that the local garden centers – and even many commercial areas - seem to be campaigning for the ‘Silver Bay’, a dazzling hybrid introduced in the early 90s.
The saddest part of it all is that over 20 fabulous new varieties have been introduced in the past few years but most of them have to be ordered through online sources, catalogs or by the placement of special orders at local retail companies specializing in plants - if possible. I imagine that the new cultivars will slowly, perhaps one at a time, pop up in local stores, but not as quickly as one would hope. So if someone you know offers you an offshoot from an Aglaonema that isn’t available at a store near you, take it. Heck, if you don’t want it, I’ll take it!
In the meantime, here’s how to take care of these versatile plants.
Caring for Aglaonemas
From the brightest to darkest rooms, these natives of the tropical swamps and rainforests of South-east Asia can be grown in almost any degree of lighting. Although this is a perfect choice for anyone who wants to grow living green in low light areas, this lovely plant prefers brighter light in order to produce the handsome foliage it’s grown for. The leaves of many cultivars can be quite impressive with their striking colours, but those colours will only be produced when adequate light is received.
Direct midday sun is not recommended but a little early morning sun is. Position these plants right up against north or east windows but out of the direct sun that comes in from south and west locations. Aglaonemas are quite typically grown in areas where there is medium light, and fare quite well there.
Although these highly-tolerant plants do well in a variety of settings, they do not do well with the cold. They prefer the warm and fuzzy feeling of reasonably warm rooms away from cold drafts. They also do not like dealing with temperatures that fluctuate abruptly so don’t place them in a room where your thermostat will go up and down like a yo-yo. Be careful when placing these plants on windowsills or near doors and windows where the temperatures are lower during the cold season.
Like many plants, Aglaonemas are no different when it comes to water requirements; they want a perfect balance. Extremely susceptible to root rot from over-watering, it’s important to find that balance. Allow the top of the soil to dry and then water well. Make sure you are growing your Aglaonemas in a fast draining, highly-porous soil to avoid rot. Do not let the plant go bone dry; keep the soil evenly moist. Bear in mind that it’s always better to underwater than over water; if you’re not convinced that your needs watering, give it one more day.
If you live in an area where humidity is astonishingly low, usually during the winter months when the heating system is running, there’s no need to worry; Aglaonemas are one group of plants that hardly, if ever, make a fuss about humidity levels. But even though this plant won’t grumble very much when the air is dry, try to provide extra humidity when the levels plummet severely. Your plant will appreciate it, and you will discourage spider mites from moving in. In addition, gently wipe the leaves now and then to remove dust. Regular cleaning will help the plant breathe better, make the leaves shine and remove a few pesky critters.
Aglaonemas and Hydroculture
Highly-tolerant, remarkable performers in a variety of settings, and an assortment of beautiful specimens to choose
from, my cherished Aglaonemas were some of the first plants I converted to hydroculture. Being one of my preferred
groups, I needed to know immediately how these plants would adapt to being repositioned from soil to pellets. And
true to their reputation as being one of the most tolerant and reliable of houseplants, they converted easily - and
happily. Thank heavens for that. A plant enthusiast’s home without an Aglaonema or two is not a happy plant home.
Hydroculture is a godsend to Aglaonemas because - like many other indoor plants - they are quite susceptible to root rot and cannot deal with being over-watered, at all. In the hydroculture system, the only thing these plants need to worry about once potential water problems are eliminated is just how much to thrive. And the only think you’ll need to worry about is what to do with all those basal shoots? Keep them or give them away?
The way to succeed with Aglaonemas is to first understand that it is a myth that they are completely carefree. They do have some requirements that need to be met. The only reason they are considered carefree is that they are more resilient to neglect and take longer to die. Even if you’ve been inattentive until now and your plant is not at its best, it’s not too late. Your Aglaonema is a very forgiving plant and will revert to a healthy state if you start providing the care it needs and continue to do so from here on in.
And if your Aglaonema receives ideal care, it will produce offshoots regularly. When it does, consider sharing them with the people you know in your area. Because “if you give an offshoot of this beautiful plant to two friends, and they give one two friends, and so on and so on…and so on...” every home will get the opportunity to enjoy one.
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