Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Aglaonema Cutlass (Aglaonema commutatum 'Cutlass')
Also called Cutlass Chinese evergreen.
More about aglaonema cutlass
About Aglaonema Cutlass
Aglaonema commutatum 'Cutlass' · also called Cutlass Chinese evergreen · tropical
Aglaonema 'Cutlass' is a Chinese evergreen with distinctive narrow, lance-shaped leaves in silvery-green feathered with darker green margins, giving an airy, fern-like look. It shares the genus's tough, low-light tolerance and drought resilience, making it a sleek, forgiving houseplant. Like all Aglaonema, it is toxic to pets via calcium oxalate crystals.
Preferred mix: Well-draining, peat- or coir-based potting mix
Watch for — Brown, crispy leaf tips: The narrow leaves show dry air, salt buildup or over-feeding readily. Raise humidity, use filtered water and flush the soil to clear salts.
Why aglaonema cutlass needs this mix
Aglaonema Cutlass is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.
- Aglaonema Cutlass is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
- A little perlite or bark stops ordinary compost compacting into an airless block over time, which is the slow, common cause of decline.
- It is not fussy about pH or special ingredients; getting the air-to-moisture balance right is what matters.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons aglaonema cutlass struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates aglaonema cutlass's roots.
- A pure peat mix that dries to a hard, water-repelling block is hard to re-wet and stresses the plant.
- No drainage hole turns even a good mix into a stagnant, root-rotting sump.
Reusing tired, compacted old compost or skipping the perlite. A free-draining mix in a pot with a hole solves most "why is it struggling" cases for aglaonema cutlass.
pH — does it matter for aglaonema cutlass?
Aglaonema Cutlass is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for aglaonema cutlass as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Drainage and the pot
A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all aglaonema cutlass needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Refresh aglaonema cutlass's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. When the time comes, our repotting guide for aglaonema cutlass covers the timing and technique step by step.
Aglaonema Cutlass soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for aglaonema cutlass?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Aglaonema Cutlass is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
Can I use normal potting soil for aglaonema cutlass?
Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates aglaonema cutlass's roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for aglaonema cutlass as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Does aglaonema cutlass need a special pH?
Aglaonema Cutlass is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for aglaonema cutlass?
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for aglaonema cutlass as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
How often should I refresh the soil for aglaonema cutlass?
Refresh aglaonema cutlass's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all aglaonema cutlass needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Keep reading
- Aglaonema Cutlass care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water aglaonema cutlass — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting aglaonema cutlass — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Overwatered plant — signs and recovery
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
- Best soil for monstera
- Best soil for pothos
- Best soil for fiddle leaf fig
- All 2464 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library