Silver Evergreen Aglaonema nitidum
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Aglaonema helferi Hook.f.
- Aglaonema integrifolium (Link) Schott
- Aglaonema nitidum f. cinereum Jervis
- Aglaonema oblanceolatum Alderw.
- Aglaonema oblongifolium Schott
- Aglaonema princeps Kunth
- Arum integrifolium Link
- Calla nitida Jack
- Phonetic Spelling
- ah-glah-oh-NAY-mah NI-ti-dum
- Description
-
Evergreen tropical perennial shrub to 1.5 feet, erect and bushy. Plant in rich, well-drained soil and place in indirect light or a shaded area. The stem is upright, sometimes reclining on the ground as the plant gets larger. This plant works well in containers, as a houseplant, or on a shaded patio or protected under some trees. If it is outdoors it will need to be brought in for the winter as it is not cold hardy in NC. It is low maintenance and often seen in the interiorscapes of offices or malls because it requires infrequent watering and it withstands even very low light. It just needs a watered-down weak fertilizer once or twice a year. Tall stems and flower stems can be trimmed back to redirect energy to foilage growth.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Relatively problem-free. Leaf spot, nematodes, and fusarium are occasional problems. Direct sunlight will cause scorch. Too much water will cause the rhizomes to rot. Allow the growing medium to dry out between waterings, but do allow to go completely dry for more than one or two days, and avoid using cold water.
Quick ID Hints:
- Stem present is sugarcane-like with growth
- Leaves are mostly silver or green variegated silver
- Lanceolate leaves have 5-8 main lateral veins
- The spathe is greenish, maturing to white or cream
Distinguished from Dieffenbachia by a tendency to have only 5-8 main lateral veins
Distinguished from A. commutatum by predominence of silvery-green coloring in A. nitidum.
Prefers low to medium light, moist soil and medium relative humidity; intolerant of constantly wet soil and of direct sunlight; some pest/disease problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Curtissii'
Leaves are striped silver along primary veins. - 'Silver King'
Leaves contain so much silver variegation that they are nearly entirely silver with only splashes of green. - 'Silver Queen'
- 'Curtissii'
- 'Curtissii', 'Silver King', 'Silver Queen'
- Tags:












- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Curtissii'
Leaves are striped silver along primary veins. - 'Silver King'
Leaves contain so much silver variegation that they are nearly entirely silver with only splashes of green. - 'Silver Queen'
- 'Curtissii'
- 'Curtissii', 'Silver King', 'Silver Queen'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Aglaonema
- Species:
- nitidum
- Family:
- Araceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Borneo, Jawa, Malaya, Myanmar, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Ellipsoid green and then turning white, pink and finally red. A globose to cylindroid berry, green ripening to white or red.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spadix
- Flower Description:
- Spadex with yellow-green spathe resembles the calla lily. Cylindrical to club-shaped; spathe stalked, ovate, greenish, aging to white.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gray/Silver
- Variegated
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Oblanceolate
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Colorful deeply channeled petioles with narrowly oblong to oblanceolate-elliptic leaves on the top of the plant. Apex acuminate. Tips acute, base cuneate, margins entire, leaves are green banded or blotched silvery-cream and coriaceous.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Erect, becoming decumbent, encircled with leaf scars.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heavy Shade