Chinese Evergreen Care Guide
Native to the tropical areas of Asia and New Guinea, Chinese evergreens are traditionally regarded as signs of good luck. If you are looking for a low fuss plant in vibrant color, this is an excellent choice. These foliage plants are generally no fuss and very easy to care for, tolerant of low light and low water as well and needing only minimal fertilization and repotting to stay in good health. With varieties in shades of green, silver, pink, red, and white, there are colors to suit just about every room and color palette!
Light and Environmental Conditions
While these plants are tolerant of low light, they grow best in a sunnier spot. The optimal Chinese evergreen for a low light area will be one with darker foliage colors. Place those dark green Chinese evergreens in any dark corner! Brighter plants will lose their foliage vibrancy if they do not receive enough sunlight. The ideal lighting for Chinese evergreens is bright, indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight will burn their leaves. If your house receives a lot of direct sun, you can keep the sun’s rays off of the foliage either with a sheer curtain or by placing your plant a few feet away from the window.
To make the winter home conditions easier on your Chinese evergreen, consider placing your plant in a window in a bathroom, where the humidity will mimic the jungle conditions of its native environment. Avoid drafty windows, air vents and fireplaces. If your indoor air is particularly dry, you can increase the humidity around the plant by misting it with water or placing it on a humidity tray with pebbles and water. Humidifiers are another good option to try out.
Watering
Allow the soil around your Chinese evergreen to dry out a bit between waterings. If you stick your finger in the soil and the top couple of inches feel dry, it’s time to water your plant. If your plant is looking droopy, it’s definitely time to water! These plants prefer to be slightly dry rather than soaking wet, so don’t worry if you forget to water during a given week. It will bounce back from the occasional lapse in watering. During the winter months, you will find your plant needing water less often, as it is growing less.
Soil and Fertilizer
A well-draining potting mix and a pot with a drainage hole are ideal for your plant. Merrifield’s all purpose potting mix is a good choice for this plant. Ideally, you will want to fertilize your plant every six weeks during the growing season with a liquid fertilizer such as Schultz’s all purpose fertilizer. There’s no need to fertilize your plant during the winter, as it is not actively growing.
Repotting and Pruning
Chinese evergreens grow slowly and only need to be repotted every two to three years, when you can see their roots emerging from the drainage holes of your planter. To repot your plant, select a pot one size larger. Chinese evergreens like to be snug in their pots, so you can purchase a pot that is just an inch larger in diameter than your previous pot. If you have a decorative pot without drainage holes you want to use (perhaps it matches your home decor or is a sentimental family piece), you can purchase a plastic pot for repotting, then place that pot inside the decorative pot. Ensure your pot is no larger than two inches wider than the previous pot to prevent root rot.
Pruning your chinese evergreen prevents spindly growth and encourages a bushier overall plant. Snip some of the stems just above a leaf node to stimulate the growth of more leaves on the lower part of the stem. You should also cut back yellow or damaged leaves. Removing these leaves will encourage the plant to put energy into growing new, healthy foliage.
Pests and Other Issues
Aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies and spider mites are all common houseplant pests that can affect Chinese evergreens. Check your plant’s leaves regularly to ensure there are no pests present. If you find pests, you can spray it down with water and treat the leaves with horticultural oil or neem oil. A good way to prevent insect infestation is to regularly dust your plant’s leaves with a damp cloth.
If you have young children and pets, you will want to use caution when bringing a Chinese evergreen into your home, as it is toxic to both humans and animals when ingested, and its sap may cause skin irritation if touched. For a list of pet safe plants, we refer our customers to the ASPCA pet safe plant list.
Troubleshooting Foliage Issues
Yellow Leaves
Yellow or brown leaves may be an indication that your plant is suffering from root rot. Carefully take the plant out of its vessel and check the roots and soil. If the roots are mushy and brown, you can remove the roots and keep the healthy ones on the plant, placing it back in the pot and allowing it to fully dry out before watering it again.
Brown Leaf Tips
If your Chinese evergreen has brown leaf tips, this might be because there is a buildup of salt, chlorine or fluoride. In order to heal your plant, you can repot it in fresh soil and use filtered water to keep the chemicals and salt from building up again.
Scorched Leaves
If your plant is placed in harsh, direct sunlight, this will cause the foliage to burn. When you see this happening, it is best to place it in a spot where it won’t be damaged by the sun’s rays, like behind a sheer curtain.
