Aglaonema modestum is found in southern China, northern Laos, and northern Thailand. It grows in humid ravines in tropical and semideciduous forest. This species is commonly called “Chinese evergreen” in the United States and is popular as a house plant.
Aglaonema modestum, also called as Aglaonema acutispathum, Aglaonema costatum var. viride, Aglaonema laoticum, is a species of the Aglaonema genus. This species was described by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott ex Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler in 1879.
IDENTIFY AGLAONEMA MODESTUM PLANT
Aglaonema modestum is found in southern China, northern Laos, and northern Thailand. It grows in humid ravines in tropical and semideciduous forest. This species is commonly called “Chinese evergreen” in the United States and is popular as a house plant.
It is an evergreen perennial herbs with dark green, erect, 20-50 cm tall, 0.4-2.0 cm thick stem, internodes 0.4-3.0 cm long. Petioles 10-20 cm long, 0.5-0.9 times as long as the leaf-blade, upper portion flattened. Sheaths broad and membranous, 4-8 cm long, 0.4-0.8 times as long as the petiole. Blades ovate to sublanceolate, rarely elliptic, 14-25 cm long, 8-1 1 cm wide, length/width ratio 1: 1.9-2.5; base often unequal, obtuse to rounded ; apex gradually longacuminate (typically 2-3.5 cm from point of 1cm blade width to apex) ; variegation none; venation weakly to strongly differentiated into 4-6 primary lateral veins diverging from the midrib at 30°-50°. Peduncles 1-3 together, 5-12.5 cm long, usually more than half as long as the petiole. Spathe apiculate, 6-9 cm long, 2.4-2.6 cm wide, turning yellow with age, decurrent for 0.5-2.0 cm. Stipe none. Spadix thin-cylindric, 3-4.3 cm long, 1.2-3.1 cm short of spathe apex; pistillate portion 0.5-1.0 cm long, adnate to spathe, pistils 9-13; staminate portion 2.3-3.5 cm long, 0.3-0.6 cm thick, not shedding pollen. This species blooms in March-April with orange, 2-3 cm long, 1.0-1.3 cm thick fruits.
AGLAONEMA MODESTUM PLANT CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Under natural conditions, Aglaonema modestum grows in the lower tier of the forest, where little light penetrates. For them, the penumbra is preferable, they are shade-tolerant, do not tolerate direct sunlight, as it threatens to burn leaves. But for variegated forms, in order not to lose the decorative pattern of leaves, bright diffused light is necessary.
Temperature:
The optimum temperature for growth is 20-25 ° C. In winter, the temperature should not fall below 16-18 ° C, it is desirable to avoid sudden changes in temperature.
Substrate and growing media:
Chinese evergreen need a well-permeable substrate for moisture and air for successful growth. The substrate should be fairly light, it consists of 3 parts leaf, 0.5 parts of humus, 1 part peat, 1 part sand and 0.5 part charcoal (3:0.5:1:1:0.5), or sheet ground, peat and sand (2:1:1) with crushed charcoal. Good drainage is required. It grows well in hydroponics.
Transplant in spring; young plant every year or as far as the roots are covered with earthy coma. Adults plant is transplanted once every 3-5 years.
Watering:
During the growing season (spring-summer), Aglaonema modestum is watered abundantly, as the top layer of the substrate dries. In the autumn-winter period, they are watered regularly, after a day or two, after the top layer of the substrate dries out. Over drying, as well as waterlogging (especially in winter), are dangerous for this species.
Humidity:
Chinese evergreen requires high humidity. In dry air, the leaves are deformed, poorly unfolded, their tops and edges dry out. Therefore, aglaonema needs to be sprayed regularly. To increase the humidity, you can group the plants or put the plant on a pallet with wet pebbles, peat or expanded clay. At the same time the bottom of the pot should not touch the water. In the autumn-winter period, if the air temperature is low, then spraying should be carried out carefully.
Fertilizer:
During the growing season (from March to August), every two weeks, the plant is fertilized with alternating mineral and organic fertilizers of usual concentration. In winter the plant is not fed.
Propagation:
Propagate Aglaonema modestum in spring or summer, separating and planting processes with several leaves and roots. It can also be propagated by aerial layouts and divisions during transplantation.
Chinese evergreen can be propagated either when the stalk naturally branches (especially the modest one is prone to this), or when the rosette stage of growth ends and a noticeable branch appears. It can be cut as an apical stalk, and can be further cut into parts of 8-10 cm in length. It is better if leaves remain on cuttings. Using cuttings, their slices are powdered with charcoal, dried for 24 hours, and the tips are buried 4-6 cm in wet sand with peat, and the temperature is kept within 21-25 ° C, the roots are formed in a month. When using mini-greenhouses with bottom heating rooting occurs in 2-3 weeks. If you do not have a greenhouse with heating, the cutting of aglaonema should be carried out in the warm season. Rooted cuttings are planted in a substrate suitable for growing adult plants.
In good conditions, this species may bloom (usually in the summer). The coverlet of the inflorescence is of modest color, therefore it does not represent decorative value, but it is still very pleasant when the plant suddenly blooms. Sometimes from self-pollination, fruit of a ruby or orange color are tied. It is necessary to allow seeds to ripen on the plant itself. Ripe seeds are suitable for planting. Unfortunately, varietal characteristics with this method of reproduction are not always resistant. The seeds are removed from the pulp, washed with water and immediately sown (during storage, they quickly lose their germination) in plates with a mixture of sand and peat in equal parts. Crops are regularly watered, kept warm. The germ in the seed is well formed, so after sowing, friendly shoots quickly appear. Young plants with the first real leaves dive one by one into small pots. If necessary, transplanted to a larger dish. Well-developed specimens are obtained on the 3-4th year.
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