Often called the ‘Lucky Plant,’ the Aglaonema Silver Bay Chinese Evergreen is brought into homes to bring luck, wealth, and of course, pure indoor air. It’s such an easy and pleasant plant to take care of, hardly putting up a fuss or throwing a fit.
This is your ultimate guide for Aglaonema Silver Bay Chinese Evergreen Care
These plants don’t ask for much and give such beauty in return for a spot in your home. So, if you’re a new plant parent who needs some help in how to care for your silver evergreen, this guide is for you.
Read this plant care to learn more about how often to water Chinese Evergreens, where to place it, and everything else you should know.
Aglaonema Silver Bay Care Tips
There are a number of types of Chinese Evergreen plants, but most of them will require the same level of care. Here’s how to care for your Chinese Evergreen Silver Bays and how to keep them alive.
Chinese Evergreen Watering
One of the biggest questions, when new plant parents bring a green child home, is how often do they need to be watered? And how much water should they be given? Too much water may result in root rot, and too little will see those beautiful silver-green leaves drooping sadly.
How often do you water aglaonema? Chinese Evergreens follow the very simple rule that most houseplants do – they need water once their topsoil is dry. This will range from once a week to only twice a month, depending on the month and season you’re in. If watering is something you battle with, consider getting a watering globe to keep in your plant.
Aglaonema Silver Bay Light Requirements
Aglaonema Silver Bay plants are one of the best to have if your home or a specific bedroom does not receive a lot of bright light. These plants do just fine in bright, medium, and low light. They’re not the biggest fans of direct sunlight, though.
You can place these plants away from windows, even in corners of the room. This is perfect if you’re trying to bring some green to darker parts of your home.
Aglaonema Silver Bay Humidity and Temperature Requirements
Chinese Evergreens really aren’t very picky plants – they’re known to survive in quite simple conditions. However, Aglaonemas originate from tropical conditions, so they do enjoy lots of humidity.
High humidity in your home will help your Chinese Evergreen grow and thrive. You can add a humidifier or pebble tray to the room, or continuously mist your plant to keep humidity levels high. Having multiple plants in a room can also help increase humidity.
Chinese Evergreens enjoy stable room temperatures and will be fine as long as there are no big spikes in temperature – either up or down.
Soil and Fertilization for Aglaonema Silver Bay
Your Chinese Evergreen should be planted in nitrogen-rich, well-draining, peat-based potting soil with extra perlite. This potting mix should not be compact, but rather loose to let the roots move. Other than this, there is no real special need for the soil of Aglaonemas.
These plants also don’t need to be fertilized very often, if at all. You can give them plant food occasionally (about once a month) during their growing months in summer and spring. But autumn and winter are rest months, so no food or houseplant fertilizer is needed.
Repotting Chinese Evergreens
You should be repotting your Chinese Evergreen every 2 years. If the plant has outgrown its pot, then you’ll need to get a new plant pot in the next size up with good drainage. But even if the plant still fits into the pot it’s in, it should be freshened up with new soil.
Aglaonema Silver Bay Pruning
If you notice dead, dying, or yellowed leaves on your Silver Bay, it’s time to do a little pruning. This process is quite simple, as with most things about caring for this specific plant. All you need to do is remove any leaves that have gone yellow or have died.
How to Propagate Chinese Evergreen Plants
You can propagate an Aglaonema plant either with a full separate root system or with a stem cutting. The first option requires you to find a section of the plant that has its own root system so that you can separate it from the rest of the plant.
If you choose to go with a stem cutting, make sure that you’re cutting off a stem of the plant with clean and sharp shears. You’ll need a stem that already has a few leaves on it, and you’ll cut it just below where the lowest leaf connects to the stem.
Then, you can put whichever part of the plant you’ve cut/separated in a pot with good potting soil, water it, and watch it grow.
Aglaonema Silver Bay Plant Common Problems
As easy as this plant is, there are a few problems that Chinese Evergreen owners come across occasionally. Here are a few of them to look out for.
Root Rot
This is something that any and all indoor plants are at risk for. It’s caused by overwatering, or not enough drainage in the soil. Basically, the roots ‘drown’ and die due to lack of oxygen. Since this affects the roots, it’s hard to save plants once they’ve reached this stage. In this case, prevention is better than cure.
Chinese Evergreen Yellow Leaves
If you notice yellow leaves on your Silver Bay, your plant is trying to tell you something. Either it’s thirsty and not getting enough water, or it’s being overwatered. The best way to determine the issue is to feel the soil and see if it’s wet or dry.
Drooping Leaves
If your plant is looking a little droopy, it could be too cold. Check the temperature of the room you have your Silver Bay in. Droopy leaves could indicate that the plant is cold and needs to be in a warmer spot.
If it’s not the cold getting to your Chinese Evergreen, drooping leaves simply mean you need to give it a little more water. Check the soil and then water as you usually would.
Brown Spots
Chinese Evergreens that are left without water for too long may develop brown, crispy leaf edges. The best way to fix this is to check the soil and give the plant some water. You’re not likely to see the brown spots disappear, but you will be able to prevent these on any further leaves.
Pests
The most common pests found on indoor Chinese Evergreens are aphids and scale insects. These are small bugs and may be hard to see, but your plant will typically show signs of distress if it is infested.
If you find pests on your plant, use an organic pesticide or rubbing alcohol to wipe the stems and leaves down and kill the insects.
Silver Bay Chinese Evergreen Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve gone over how to care for Chinese Evergreen, but there may still be some burning questions that you have. Check out these frequently asked questions and their answers to get a better understanding of this plant.
Is Aglaonema An Indoor Plant?
The Chinese Evergreen plant does not need a lot of bright or direct light, making it the ideal indoor foliage for a space that doesn’t get much sunlight streaking through. They do best in partial or full shade, so you can have these plants in your bedroom, living room, or perhaps home office to help brighten the place up.
Is Aglaonema an Air Purifier?
Not only does the Chinese Evergreen give off oxygen in your home, but it’s also known to filter out any toxins and pollutants in the air. The Silver Bay has been tested and proven its ability to remove harmful pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene among others.
Is Aglaonema Poisonous To Dogs and Cats?
Just like the Monstera’s toxic traits, the Chinese Evergreen plant also contains insoluble calcium oxalate. So, anything that decides to take a chunk out of one of the leaves is going to experience some painful side effects.
These range from a tingling or burning sensation in the mouth and throat, swelling of the tongue, lips, and mouth area, drooling, and trouble swallowing. But if enough of the plant is eaten and digested, dogs can experience vomiting as well as liver and kidney damage.
Is Aglaonema Toxic?
The Aglaonema plant is only toxic if ingested. Although it’s hardly fatal, it will cause very unpleasant and uncomfortable feelings for anyone brave enough to bite into it. But the plant is perfectly safe to have in your home, it can be touched and even rubbed up against by pets.
How Do You Keep Aglaonema Bushy?
There’s nothing more stunning than a full, bushy Silver Bay plant. And interestingly, the best way to encourage good growth is to remove leaves. As you see new leaves appear, remove just some of them by firmly pulling the leaf out of the stem. This will ensure you have thick foliage in the future.
The Silver Bay Aglaonema Belongs in Your Home
The Silver Bay Chinese Evergreen is by no means as finicky or fussy as the beloved Fiddle Leaf Fig tree, and you won’t find it hard to keep your Aglaonema plants alive and well. But, of course, for a properly flourishing plant, it’s good to note their care requirements and needs.
Simply make sure you place your plant out of direct sunlight, water it well, keep the temperature steady, and don’t be shy to talk to it. You’ll be rewarded with a happy and healthy plant that will liven up your home, purify the air, and – if you believe – bring you luck.
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