Chinese evergreen
Aglaonema commutatum
Also called Aglaonema and Silver queen
Houseplant · AroidsOne of the few that genuinely does well in a dim room. Cold draughts are what it minds.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 10 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Low to medium
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out in high summer RHS H1B, to 10°C
- Size
- 0.3 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Southeast Asia
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
PeopleHarmful if eaten, and irritates skin
HandlingTake care handling it
Sap irritates skin and eyes; RHS advises gloves.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- White woolly dots low in the crown between the sheathing leaf bases, where the stalks overlap.Mealybug · pest
- Greasy, grey-green patches across a leaf a few days after a cold night by a window — the tissue has collapsed rather than dried.Cold damage · disorder