Repotting guide

When & how to repot Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) (Aglaonema commutatum)

Also called Chinese evergreen, Aglaonema, Philippine evergreen, Painted drop-tongue.

More about aglaonema (chinese evergreen)

About Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen)

Aglaonema commutatum · also called Chinese evergreen, Aglaonema · houseplant

Aglaonema commutatum, or Chinese evergreen, is a slow-growing tropical foliage plant from the Philippines prized for its silver-marbled leaves and forgiving nature. Its one defining need is warmth: it suffers chilling injury below roughly 15C, so keep it out of cold draughts and unheated rooms while giving it steady, indirect light.

Mature size: Typically 30-90 cm (1-3 ft) tall and wide indoors, with most plants settling around 30-45 cm; some species and older specimens reach up to 1 m.

Watch for — Yellowing leaves from overwatering: Soggy, airless compost is the usual cause of yellow lower leaves and soft, mushy stems, often progressing to root rot. Let the top few centimetres dry out, ensure drainage holes, and never leave the pot sitting in water.

How to tell aglaonema (chinese evergreen) needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For aglaonema (chinese evergreen), watch for these signs:

Roots poking out of the drainage holes or coiling visibly around the inside of the pot.
You are watering far more often than you used to because the rootball dries out within a day or two.
Water runs straight through and out the bottom without soaking in.
Top growth has slowed or new aglaonema (chinese evergreen) leaves are noticeably smaller than older ones despite good light.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot aglaonema (chinese evergreen)

Every 12–18 months — sooner if roots show fast. Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen)'s growth habit — a clump-forming, evergreen perennial that grows slowly into a bushy mound of broad, lance-shaped leaves on short stems. mature plants may develop a visible cane-like stem as lower leaves drop. it occasionally produces an arum-type bloom of a white-to-green spathe around a pale spadix in late summer, though it is grown almost entirely for its foliage. — sets the pace. Aglaonema commutatum, or Chinese evergreen, is a slow-growing tropical foliage plant from the Philippines prized for its silver-marbled leaves and forgiving nature. Its one defining need is warmth: it suffers chilling injury below roughly 15C, so keep it out of cold draughts and unheated rooms while giving it steady, indirect light.

What size pot to step aglaonema (chinese evergreen) up to

Step up one pot size — about 2–3 cm (an inch) wider. Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) grows fast, so it will fill that space within a season, but jumping several sizes at once still backfires: the unused soil stays soggy and rots even a vigorous root system. One size at a time, every year or so, is the rhythm.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot aglaonema (chinese evergreen)

Early spring, just as new growth restarts, is the ideal window for aglaonema (chinese evergreen). The plant is moving into its strongest growth phase and re-roots into fresh soil quickly. Avoid repotting in winter dormancy or, for flowering plants, while it is in bud or bloom — recovery is slowest then and you risk dropping the flowers.

Step-by-step: repotting aglaonema (chinese evergreen)

Time it for spring. Repot aglaonema (chinese evergreen) in early spring as growth restarts so it re-roots quickly into the fresh soil.
Choose one size up. Pick a pot about 2–3 cm wider with drainage holes. One step only — a much bigger pot stays soggy and rots roots.
Ease the plant out. Water lightly the day before, then tip aglaonema (chinese evergreen) out and gently loosen any roots circling the bottom of the rootball.
Repot at the same depth. Put a layer of fresh free-draining, peat-free houseplant mix in the new pot, set the plant so its soil line is unchanged, and backfill, firming lightly.
Water and pause feeding. Water once to settle the soil. Hold off fertiliser for about a month — fresh mix already has nutrients and feeding now burns new roots.

Aftercare

Water aglaonema (chinese evergreen) once to settle the soil, then let the surface dry before watering again — fresh mix around the roots stays wetter than the old compacted ball, so the commonest post-repot mistake is overwatering. Keep it out of direct sun for a week or two while roots re-establish. Do not fertilise for about 4 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for aglaonema (chinese evergreen)

Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) wants free-draining, peat-free houseplant mix. A standard soilless potting mix enriched with extra humus suits it well; a blend of two parts peat-free multipurpose compost to one part perlite gives the drainage and aeration it needs. The mix should hold some moisture but never stay waterlogged. Always use a pot with drainage holes to prevent the root rot this plant is prone to. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting aglaonema (chinese evergreen) — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot aglaonema (chinese evergreen)?

Every 12–18 months — sooner if roots show fast for aglaonema (chinese evergreen). Repot aglaonema (chinese evergreen) roughly every 12–18 months, in early spring as growth restarts. It grows fast and circles its pot quickly, so step up one size (about 2–3 cm wider) into fresh free-draining, peat-free houseplant mix. Don't jump several sizes — that soggy excess soil is what rots vigorous roots.

What size pot does aglaonema (chinese evergreen) need?

When is the best time of year to repot aglaonema (chinese evergreen)?

Can you put aglaonema (chinese evergreen) straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing aglaonema (chinese evergreen) should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise aglaonema (chinese evergreen) after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 4 weeks after repotting aglaonema (chinese evergreen). Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.