One of my favorite groups of plants is the aroid family Araceae. This family has brought us so many great and wonderful indoor plants. Everything from Philodendrons, Spathiphyllum, Anthurium, Pothos, Alocasica, Dieffenbachia and Aglaonema, with dozens of others.
Since the 1980's, Anthuriums and Spathiphyllums have received most of the attention of the plant breeders. They've introduced many new varieties, flower colors, sizes and leaf textures.
Now it's the Aglaonemas turn. In the last 5 years about 20-25 new varieties have been introduced. Some have already fallen by the wayside and some of the old varieties are making a comeback.
The Aglaonema has been grown for centuries an has served as a workhorse for the professional plantscaper for the past 30 years or more. Until recently the choices were limited to about 4 varieties. The most popular being "Silver Queen".
Aglaonemas have remained popular even with limited varieties. One downside to Ag's is that they really don't like the cold weather, drafts. Aglaonemas don't like and exposure to low temperatures. This factor alone can simply limit where you can use these tough indoor plants as well as transporting them during the winter.
Many of the new Aglaonemas coming to market are being bred to have one very important characteristic. They must be able to handle much lower temperatures. This alone opens up quite a few new avenues:
• There will be more varieties grown
• Production cost should be lower since heating bills should be lower
• Less chance of cold damage in transport
• More places that the Aglaonema could be used inside
More cold tolerance is just one area of improvement as well as:
• Many new leaf patterns
• Different color combos.
• White or cream colored stems
• Wider leafs
• Taller plants
• Fuller plants
• and the list goes on.
A couple of varieties to keep on the look out for is Aglaonema "Silver Bay", Aglaonema "Jewel of India" and Aglaonema "Silver Ribbon". They all sucker well which helps them not to get leggy, have good color and handle the cooler temperatures.
Although Aglaonemas have been used for decades indoors, with all the new varieties coming to market this spring it's going to give you a lot more choices indoors. I'm looking forward to seeing what's around the corner.
Make sure you check your local nursery for these new varieties. If they don't have them... all it should take is a simple call to their plant supplier.
Just a plant or two can provide a whole new look inside. One of the best features Aglaonemas have is that they are very versatile and easy to care for... if you know the basics.
Since the aroid family has always been one of my favorites and I started collecting them back in my teen's. They hold a special place in my plant growing history. They are the plants that really taught me "how to grow".
In fact, our second eBook, is devoted Aglaonemas. It covers some of their history, production, old and new varieties, care and disorders. All wrapped up in 80 plus "e-pages" with color pictures, plant specifications and more. It's easy to read (not techie) and written for you, homeowners, plant professionals and garden center personnel.
Source: www.plant-care.com
Selasa, Desember 02, 2008
A Favorite Indoor Plant - Chinese evergreen
Selasa, November 04, 2008
Aglaonema - Flowers or Foliage on a Low Light Plant
Question: I have an Aglaonema that is growing what looks like little “pods”… What are they? Will they hurt the plant? Can I remove them? Katlin, Nashville, TN
Answer: I believe what you are describing is the “flower” of the Aglaonema. The Aglaonema also know as the “chinese evergeen” comes from the Aroid family. This plant family gives us many house plant varieties including the Spathiphyllum, Pothos Philodendron, Anthurium, the ZZ plant and of course the Aglaonema species, but there are others.
Most people are familiar with the Anthurium flower which has become a symbol for the Hawaiian Islands, or the ‘Peace Lily” (Spathiphyllum) one of the most popular houseplants grown around the world for its pure white "hoods" stands above its dark green foliage during the spring.
However, most people are not familiar with the Philodendron or Aglaonema flower. Generally they are not flashy and get lost among the foliage.
The Aglaonema can be a very prolific bloomer, and does at times confuse people. The "flower" is really an inflorescence (a group of flowers on a stem) and is often mistaken for a distorted leaf. This can lead to other mistakes in caring for this durable low light house plant by trying to "fix" the problem.
The flowers look very similar to a Spathiphyllum except for the fact they usually carry a "green hood" and a rather calcified looking spath coming out of it. The "flower" will typically be found below the foliage but can be found easily if you look.
Chinese Evergreen Flower Removal – Yes or No?
The question asked most often on this subject is flower removal – should you remove the flower? And… does it hurt the plant?
My recommendation is YES – remove the flowers. This goes for any variety of Aglaonema – from the species commutatum, Calypso to Silver Queen, Silver Bay or large BJ Freeman, The flowers serve no benefit – to the plant or to look at.
From my experience I’ve noticed an adverse effect from leaving the flower on the plant. Aglaonemas can bloom pretty heavy even if they are “blooms” are insignificant this flower production consumes a lot of energy. The heavy blooming pulls nutrients or energy from the plant. The net result – again from my experience – produces new leaves that are smaller, sometimes distorted and lacking in color appearing pale.
To prevent this potential problem, remove or cut off the flowers as they emerge. Just make sure that you remove the flower and not the leaf!!!
Aglaonemas are great indoor plants which hold up very well in low light and don't require lots of water. New hybrids like "Silver Bay”, “Silverado”, “Jewel of India” can "Calypso” introduced over the last few years are the “new breed” of Chinese Evergreens slowly making their way into the marketplace. These new varieties continue to make the Aglaonema one of the BEST house plants for indoor use.
source : www.plant-care.com
Chinese Evergreen - Versatile Widely Used Houseplant
Question: Can I plant my Chinese evergreen outside in a planter bed where it's shady. I know it's sold as an indoor hosueplant but I've seen some used outside at a mall in Florida when we were there. Lil, Minnesota
Answer: The "Chinese Evergreen" or Aglaonema are cold sensitive and should be grown in protected areas if used in any outdoor landscape (which is very rarely). The primary production of Aglaonema's as a group is for use indoors as houseplants where they can enjoy the same temperatures you do year-round.
Thousands of Aglaonema's are grown today for indoor use. They are available in most garden centers, grocery stores and nurseries that carry indoor houseplants. Although some varieties of Aglaonemas may only be found in some of the high-end garden centers and nurseries or by placing a special order with your favorite greenhouse. Some of the newer varieties or extreme slow growers like "Aglaonema costatum" are available in limited numbers and are generally purchased in smaller quantities by interior plantscapers.
Chinese Evergreen - Versatile Recognizable and Widely Used
The Chinese evergreen has become one of the most versatile, recognizable and widely used group of plants for indoor use. "Silver Queen" and "Emerald Beauty" have been one of the cornerstone plants for indoor use by the professional interior plantscaper for decades. With the many new varieties becoming available you can only expect the indoor gems to find more use in the indoor landscape.
I know you're wondering... Is it possible that you can have the same plant, indoors, for years? It's possible... by having the right information and applying it... you can enjoy your chinese evergeen for decades. Some of our Plant Care subscribers have been growing the same plant indoors for over 20 years.
source : www.plant-care.com
Jumat, Oktober 24, 2008
Aglaonema ‘Silver Queen’, Cold Damage and Spring!
Spring may be just around the corner but depending on the plant variety - “cold” can still be an issue. One of the most popular and commonly grown Agloanmeas is the variety called ‘Silver Queen.
Silver Queen’ does not handle the cool temperatures like many of the new varieties.
Here’s a pictire of two leaves of Aglaonema ‘Silver Queen’ - you’ll notice the leaf on looks very much different than the one on the right!.
The ‘chinese evergreen’ on the left shows the injury that commonly occurs during the winter months when “Silver Queen’ faces temperatures in the 55-60 degree range for periods of time!
Don’t forget to watch the temperatures your plants receive even during the spring. Remember - they can’t throw on a sweater to stop the chill!
Source : www.plant-care.com
