Aglaonema Maria (Maria Chinese Evergreen) care

Light

Aglaonema Maria is a useful plant for the room nobody else likes — the north-facing hallway, the basement office, the windowless bathroom with the ceiling LED. Highly shade-tolerant, 'Maria' grows well in low to medium indirect light, making it ideal for offices and dim corners. Medium indirect light keeps it fullest, but it copes with low light better than colourful cultivars. Keep it out of direct sun, which scorches the leaves. Expect slow growth and pale new leaves; that's the cost of low light, not a sign anything is wrong.

Watering

Aim for when the top 3-4 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days for aglaonema maria, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Water thoroughly, let it drain, then allow the top third of the pot to dry before watering again. Reduce to every 2-3 weeks in winter. It tolerates occasional dryness; in low light let the soil dry more to prevent root rot.

Soil and pot

Aglaonema Maria grows best in well-draining, peat-based potting mix. Use a loose houseplant or aroid mix with perlite and bark for free drainage. A peat- or coir-based blend retains light moisture without staying waterlogged. A pot with drainage holes 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 Maria sits happiest at around 40-60% humidity and 18-27°C (65-80°F). Forgiving of average household humidity, 'Maria' tolerates drier air than the variegated cultivars but still appreciates 50% or more. In very dry rooms a humidifier helps keep leaf edges from browning. 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 maria sparingly. Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser at half strength, then stop in autumn and winter. A light feeder, it grows slowly in low light and needs little fertiliser; excess causes tip burn and salt buildup. 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 maria in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Yellowing leaves — Usually overwatering, especially in low light where soil dries slowly; allow more drying between waterings and check drainage.
• Brown leaf tips — Low humidity or fluoride and mineral salts in tap water; raise humidity, use filtered water and flush the soil periodically.
• Slow or leggy growth — Deep shade reduces vigour and can stretch the plant; move to brighter indirect light for fuller growth.
• Cold damage — Greyish or blackened patches follow exposure below 15°C or cold draughts; keep it warm and away from chilly windows.

Propagation

Propagate by dividing rooted clumps at repotting, or by rooting node-bearing stem cuttings in water or moist potting mix. Spring and summer, with warm soil, give the most reliable rooting. 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 Maria is toxic to pets. ASPCA classifies Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) as toxic to cats and dogs. It contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals; chewing the leaves causes oral and lip burning, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Keep out of reach of pets and small 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 Maria deep-dive guides

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

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

Featured in these plant shortlists

Aglaonema Maria qualifies for 4 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 drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best houseplants for beginners — Forgiving of irregular light and watering — the houseplants least likely to die in a new plant parent’s first season.
• 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 Maria is also commonly called Maria Chinese Evergreen or Painted Drop-Tongue.

• Types of Chinese evergreen — varieties identified, with care and pet-safety
• Snake plant care — light, water and common problems
• Dracaena care — light, water and common problems
• Peperomia care — light, water and common problems
• All 3899 plant care guides in the Growli library