How to Grow Aglaonema: Low Light Care and Winter Cold Rules
Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen), the red and pink leaved plant on every nursery shelf, is a true low-light houseplant, but it has one weakness people in Lahore, Islamabad and Delhi find out the hard way: cold. How to grow aglaonema successfully is mostly about keeping it warm in winter, slightly dry, and away from cold glass.
The short version
- Best window: north window, or 1 to 2 metres back from an east window. Red and pink types like a brighter spot.
- Water: when the top 3 cm is dry; about weekly in summer, every 2 weeks in winter.
- Pot: 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inch), plastic or glazed, with a drainage hole.
- Mix: 2 parts potting soil, 1 part cocopeat, 1 part compost, a handful of perlite or brick grit.
- Cold: leaves are damaged in cold rooms and draughts; keep it above about 15C where you can.
- Safety: sap and leaves irritate; keep away from chewing pets and children.
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Aglaonema light requirements: which window works?
Plain green and silver aglaonemas really do cope with low light, which is why they suit offices and inner rooms. The red, pink and orange hybrids (Red Siam, Lady Valentine, Pink Dalmatian and the like) need more: bright, indirect light keeps their colour vivid. In a dim corner their new leaves come out duller and greener.
- North window: the safest choice for all types.
- East window: good for coloured types, set back from the glass in summer.
- South or west window: only behind a sheer curtain; direct sun through glass bleaches and burns leaves within days.
- No window: green types survive under bright room lights; coloured types slowly fade.
Why does cold hurt aglaonema so much?
Aglaonema comes from warm, humid forest floors. It dislikes cold, and in winter a pot sitting against a window in Lahore, Peshawar or Islamabad, where glass gets very cold overnight, can show sudden grey-brown or water-soaked patches. Cold plus wet soil is worse still, leading to rot at the stem base.
In Karachi, a shaded verandah works year-round. In the hot dry zones (Multan, Sukkur), summer heat is fine indoors, but winter nights still need care. In the hills it is strictly an indoor plant in a heated room.
The winter move that saves aglaonemas
From the first cold nights of December, move the pot at least a metre away from windows and exterior doors, raise it off a cold marble or tile floor onto a wooden stool or cork mat, and water only with room-temperature water on a sunny morning. Most winter losses come from cold roots and cold glass, not from the room itself.
How often to water aglaonema
| Season | Typical gap | Note |
|---|---|---|
| March to May | Every 6 to 8 days | Feed monthly at half strength |
| June to August | Every 5 to 7 days, less under AC | Keep out of AC airflow |
| Monsoon | Every 8 to 10 days, check first | Humid air dries soil slowly |
| December to February | Every 2 weeks or more | Stop feeding; room-temperature water |
Let the top 3 cm dry, water until it drains, then empty the saucer. For the general method, see how often to water potted plants.
Best soil for aglaonema
A light, rich mix that drains: 2 parts potting soil, 1 part cocopeat, 1 part compost and a handful of perlite or brick grit. Avoid pure garden soil, which compacts and stays wet. More ratios are in our potting mix guide. Repot every two years in March or April, only one size bigger; aglaonema likes being slightly snug.
How to propagate aglaonema
Division (best)
- In March to May, water the plant a day before.
- Slide it out and look for side shoots (pups) with their own roots.
- Gently pull or cut them apart, keeping 3 or more leaves and some roots on each.
- Pot each in a 12 to 15 cm pot of fresh mix, water lightly, and keep in shade for a week.
Stem cuttings
- From a tall, leggy plant, cut a 10 to 15 cm stem tip with several leaves.
- Let the cut dry for a few hours, then stand it in water or plant it in damp cocopeat and sand.
- Keep warm (above 22C) and in bright indirect light.
- Roots take several weeks; pot up when they are a few centimetres long.
The leftover stump often resprouts, giving you a bushier mother plant. Warm months only; winter cuttings rot easily.
Why are my aglaonema leaves turning yellow?
- Lower leaves yellow, soil wet: overwatering. Let it dry more between waterings.
- A few oldest leaves yellow, rest fine: normal ageing.
- Grey or dark patches after a cold night: cold damage; trim and move it.
- Brown tips: dry AC air, salt build-up, or very hard water. Flush the pot with plenty of water every couple of months.
- Faded, small new leaves: too little light for a coloured type.
- White cottony spots: mealybugs; see pests in pots.
Aglaonema contains calcium oxalate crystals. Chewing a leaf can cause mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting in children and pets, and the sap can cause a rash on sensitive skin. Wear gloves when dividing or cutting it and wash your hands afterwards. If a child chews it, rinse the mouth and call your doctor; get urgent help for any swelling of lips or throat or trouble breathing. For pets, call your vet. A wider list is in poisonous plants for kids and pets.
Grow it or skip it?
Grow it for dim to medium rooms, especially in Karachi or warm flats. Skip the coloured types if your only space is very dark, and think twice in an unheated house in Islamabad or the hills.
Aglaonema care questions
How do I care for aglaonema indoors?
Keep it in bright indirect or medium light, water when the top 3 cm is dry, feed monthly in warm months, and keep it warm and away from cold windows in winter.
Can aglaonema grow in low light?
Green and silver types can. Red and pink types survive but lose colour, so give them an east or bright north window.
How often should I water aglaonema?
About weekly in summer and every two weeks in winter, but only when the top layer is dry.
How do I propagate aglaonema?
Divide side shoots with their own roots in spring, or root stem cuttings in water or damp cocopeat in warm weather.
Is aglaonema toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. It contains calcium oxalate, which causes mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting if chewed.
What temperature is too cold for aglaonema?
It suffers in cold rooms and cold draughts. Keep it as warm as you can in winter, ideally above about 15C, and away from windows at night.
Why is my red aglaonema turning green?
It needs more light. Move it closer to an east or bright north window; new leaves should show more colour.
Can aglaonema grow in water?
Cuttings can root and live in water for a while, but long term it grows better in soil.
More houseplants: Phool aur Paudhe.