When I first started my garden, most of my plants were green and non-flowering types. I find non-flowering plants easier to take care and maintain than flowering plants. I also find them very pleasing to the eyes. At that time, my hubby was not interested in plants and gardening and will have nothing to do with them.
Later, when he started to show interest in gardening and learned to appreciate plants, he complained that there is too much green and the garden needed more colour. He went to the nursery and bought some plants with colourful leaves. One of them is this Red and Green Chinese Evergreen plant. Its scientific name is Aglaonema.
Our first plant was then about 8 inches tall.
Now there are 4 pots of Red and Green Chinese Evergreen contributing their bright colours to my garden. And I have propagated a few baby plants for our friends.
This plant grows well in warm climate. It needs moist garden soil with good drainage. I feed them fertilizer about once in every 3 to 4 weeks, sometimes longer.
I remembered the time when my hubby accidentally broke off a stem. At that time the first plant had only 2 stems.
I did not have the heart to throw the stem. I told hubby I will keep it in water and see if it could be saved.
I could not remember how long it was kept in water, but everyday when I changed the water, I would check on it. One day I saw new roots growing out from the stem. So it was by this incident that we found out that it can be propagated through stem cuttings.
I have noticed that the common pest is the mealy bugs, which is white and powdery type. If I noticed it earlier, I will hose it down to rid the plants of the white, powdery thing. But if it is too serious, I will have to cut off the whole stem and threw it away. If possible, I try not to used pesticide but there were times I had no choice but to use it. There was once when I have to cut off all the stems from the same pot. Few weeks later, new shoots started growing from the remaining stumps of the stems.
When it is placed in a shady place, the green will be in a darker shade and the red lighter.
When exposed to more sunlight, the green will be in lighter shade and red brighter.
Caution: Chinese Evergreen plants are toxic when ingested by pets or children, so it is wise to keep them out of reach. It is better to take precaution by teaching children not to put any parts of any plants in their mouth.
They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements;
therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a ploughed field.
(Hosea 10:4, New International Version-NIV)
