Aglaonema Species Identification: Leaf Patterns and Veins

An aglaonema is a low, clumping houseplant with glossy, lance-shaped leaves 4-12 inches long, usually patterned in silver, white, pink or red, and with only 5 to 8 main lateral veins. NC State Extension gives that vein count as the feature that separates it from Dieffenbachia, the plant it is most often confused with. Count the main veins that run from the midrib toward the edge: five to eight points to aglaonema.

The flower confirms it if the plant blooms: a spathe wrapped around a spadix, with female flowers in a short zone at the base and male flowers above (Wikipedia).

• Aglaonema commutatum — native to the Philippines and northeastern Sulawesi, with four accepted varieties (Wikipedia). NC State describes the plain form as elliptic, dark green, lance-shaped leaves 4-12 inches long and 2-4 inches wide. Many cultivars, including 'Maria', 'Silver Bay' and 'White Rajah', are sold under this name.
• Aglaonema modestum — the plain green Chinese evergreen, with leaves about 8 by 4 inches on 12-inch stalks and a plant 30-90 cm tall, from Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and southern China (Wikipedia). Also called green-for-ten-thousand-years.
• Aglaonema nitidum — Burmese evergreen, with colorful, deeply channeled leaf stalks and narrow oblong leaves (NC State); a parent of 'Silver Queen' (Wikipedia).
• Aglaonema pictum — compact and bushy, 1-2 feet; the 'Tricolor' form has a camouflage pattern in green, silver and light green (NC State).

NC State Extension lists more than 40 cultivars. Grouped by the color you see first:

• Mostly green: A. modestum (plain green); 'Maria' (dark green with silver stripes, shade tolerant); 'Emerald Bay' (silvery-green center, bright green border); 'Diamond Bay' (long green leaves, silvery-green center); 'Green Bowl' (dark green margins, silvery center, yellowish-white midrib); 'Green Papaya' (green and yellowish-green, pink stems).
• Silver: 'Silver Queen' (dark green with silver-gray variegation; holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit per Wikipedia); 'Silver King' (mostly silver with splashes of green); 'Silver Bay' (silver tinges in the center); 'Jubilee' (green and silver).
• Red and pink: 'Lucky Red' (new leaves pale pink, turning hot pink, then red); 'Red Anjamani' (bright red with thin green edges); 'Siam Aurora' (green with crimson veins and edges); 'Red Zircon' (pinkish red with green edges); 'Pink Dalmation' (pink spots); 'Red Ruby', 'Sparkling Sarah', 'Suzy' (green with pink splashes).
• White or cream: 'White Rajah' (heavy white coloring); 'Spring Snow' (cream speckled with green); 'Cutlass' (long creamy greenish-white leaves with dark green center and edges); 'Frasher' (milky green with cream).

Two leaves on the same plant can differ with age and light, so compare several mature leaves, and photograph the stems too: pink or white stems are listed for several cultivars.

There is no official rarity ranking. Of the cultivars NC State Extension lists, the only one it describes as rare is 'Red Zircon', pinkish-red leaves with green edges. What sells as rare changes with nursery supply, so a price tag is not proof. If you are paying extra for a named variety, compare the leaf with the cultivar description above and ask the seller for the full cultivar name.

NC State Extension lists the usual aglaonema problems:

• Pests: aphids, mealybugs, spider mites and scale. Check leaf undersides and where leaves join the stem.
• Root rot from overwatering.
• Brown leaf edges or tips in dry air or drafts.
• Cold damage. Wikipedia notes chilling injury can begin at 15°C (59°F), so keep plants away from cold windows and air-conditioning vents.

On light, NC State says it tolerates deep shade (under 2 hours of direct sun or none) but prefers diffuse sun or good indirect light.

The sources checked for this page, NC State Extension and Wikipedia, give no fixed lifespan. Aglaonema is an evergreen perennial (Wikipedia), and how long a plant lasts depends on care: the problems above, especially root rot and cold, are what usually end it.

Aglaonema contains calcium oxalate crystals. ASPCA lists Chinese evergreen as toxic to dogs and cats, with oral irritation, pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. NC State rates the severity as low and notes the sap can cause dermatitis; Wikipedia says the juice can cause skin irritation and a painful rash.

If a pet has chewed the leaves, call your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435. If a child has, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (US). Wear gloves when dividing or cutting the plant.

Photograph one mature leaf flat, top side, in daylight; the same leaf's underside with the veins visible; the stems; and the whole plant. NatureLens can suggest the species and cultivar group from those photos (free scans every day), and the vein count and color groups above let you check it.

Research and drafting for this page used AI assistance. Every measurement, date, price and claim was then checked against the sources listed below, which were opened and read on 2026-09-25. Where two sources give different numbers, both are shown.