The first time I ever saw a Chinese evergreen it was at my Aunt’s house in White Plains, NY. She always had one growing in a shallow water-filled dish on her coffee table. I couldn’t believe that a plant could grow happily without soil or very much light. It went against everything I’d read about most houseplants.

Over time I became more familiar with this super easy plant and immediately bought a few for my college dorm room. I figured if they were tough enough to survive at my Aunt’s house they’d be just peachy in my dimly lit space.

Chinese evergreens, also called Aglaonema, have always been prized for their green-patterned sword-like leaves that are held aloft on creamy-white stems. 

More recently, however, a spectacular array of new varieties have been introduced that have brightly colored, variegated or bi-colored foliage. These newcomers, called Colorful Aglaonema, are just as tough as the original green Chinese evergreens, but offer new palettes for home decorators to work with

Some of the best new varieties include Siam Aurora (in photo). It sports dark green leaves delicately flushed with pink and red highlights. 

Another of my top picks is Pink Dalmation aglaonema. This charmer develops very dark green leaves splattered and speckled with pink. 

White Calcite aglaonema has dark green leaves spattered with pure white markings that will brighten the dark corners of your living room.

And, finally, Two Tone Moonstone aglaonema could almost be mistaken for a caladium with its lovely mottled pink, green, and cream leaves. (See photos of all these varieties, here.)

Caring for Aglaonema
All aglaonemas, whether they are the colorful or the classic green models, prefer bright light away from direct sunlight. Otherwise, all require for is a quick drink whenever the soil feels dry to the touch. They have almost no insect or disease problems and will look great even if you ignore them now and again.

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Written by Doug Jimerson