Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen (Burmese Evergreen) care

Light

The Goldilocks zone. Not the south-facing windowsill (too hot, too direct), not the back of the room (too dim, growth stalls). Naturally a forest-floor plant, it tolerates low to medium indirect light well. Bright indirect light encourages fuller growth; keep it out of direct sun to prevent leaf scorch. If you can't decide, a free phone lux-meter app aimed at the leaf at noon should read between 800 and 1,500 lux.

Watering

Watering aglaonema burmese evergreen: when the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Keep the mix lightly and evenly moist during growth, letting the surface dry between waterings. Reduce in winter. It dislikes both drying out fully and standing in water.

Soil and pot

Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen grows best in well-draining, humus-rich potting mix. A peat- or coir-based houseplant mix enriched with bark and perlite mimics its leaf-litter habitat. Slightly acidic to neutral pH suits it; a draining pot is essential. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen sits happiest at around 55-65% humidity and 18-28°C (65-82°F). As a tropical species it appreciates higher humidity than household average. In dry rooms its leaf tips brown easily, so a humidifier, pebble tray or grouping helps. If you keep the room above 18 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed aglaonema burmese evergreen sparingly. Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced, diluted liquid houseplant fertiliser. Stop feeding in the cooler, darker months when growth slows to avoid root-damaging salt build-up. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on aglaonema burmese evergreen in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Brown leaf tips — The most common issue, from low humidity or salts in tap water. Raise humidity and use filtered or rainwater.
• Yellowing leaves — Typically overwatering or cold exposure. Allow the surface to dry between waterings and keep warm.
• Leggy, sparse growth — Too little light stretches the creeping stems. Provide brighter indirect light for a fuller clump.
• Spider mites — Dry indoor air invites mites, seen as fine webbing and stippled leaves. Increase humidity and rinse or treat the foliage.

Propagation

Readily divided thanks to its creeping, multi-stemmed habit; separate rooted offsets at repotting. Stem cuttings with a node also root in moist mix under warmth. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen is toxic to pets. The ASPCA lists the genus Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) as toxic to cats and dogs, and this species belongs to that genus. It contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals causing oral irritation, burning mouth and lips, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Keep away from pets and children. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen deep-dive guides

Every aspect of aglaonema burmese evergreen care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen watering schedule
• Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen light requirements
• Best soil mix for aglaonema burmese evergreen
• Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen fertilizing guide
• When to repot aglaonema burmese evergreen
• How to propagate aglaonema burmese evergreen
• Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen growth rate & size
• Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen cold hardiness
• Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen temperature & humidity
• Is aglaonema burmese evergreen toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is aglaonema burmese evergreen toxic to cats?
• Is aglaonema burmese evergreen toxic to dogs?

Featured in these plant shortlists

Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen qualifies for 5 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best low-light houseplants — Houseplants that need no direct sun and cope with a north-facing room or a spot well back from a window.
• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best bathroom plants — Humidity-loving houseplants that also cope with lower light — suited to the steamy, often-dim conditions of a typical bathroom.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Aglaonema Burmese Evergreen is also commonly called Burmese Evergreen or Short-Spathed Aglaonema.

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• All 3899 plant care guides in the Growli library