Temperature
65–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Chinese evergreen
Aglaonema commutatum
Chinese evergreen wants medium light and water every 9 to 16 days, once the top two inches are dry. Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.
Light
Medium
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
Five feet back from an east window, or under office lighting. Red and pink cultivars need a window within a few feet to hold colour.
Water
Every 9–16 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top two inches are dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 1 of 5: Scores 1 of 5: one of the few plants that genuinely grows, not merely survives, in low light. Only cold drafts reliably kill it.
Habit
Upright
Grows to 12–36 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans
Contains insoluble calcium oxalates. Reported signs include oral irritation, intense burning of mouth and tongue, excessive drooling.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA — entry for a different species in this genus: Aglaonema modestum
- Toxic to cats and dogs · insoluble calcium oxalates
- NC State Extension
- Entry exists and records no poison data.
Light
Medium light. Five feet back from an east window, or under office lighting. Red and pink cultivars need a window within a few feet to hold colour.
Water
Every 9 to 16 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top two inches are dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top two inches are dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 2.5 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Yellow leaves this week
- Drooping act today
- Brown crispy edges monitor
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-11.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Mealybugs this week
- Spider mites act today
Propagation
Division in soil or water. Roots in 21 to 42 days.
| Preferred method | division |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil, water |
| Time to root | 21–42 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Aglaonema modestum Checked 2026-09-11.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Aglaonema commutatum (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q11684614 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Aglaonema commutatum Accepted name; family Araceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Aglaonema commutatum Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: Kurt Stüber [1], Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02