What You Should Do About an Aglaonema Bloom
An Aglaonema bloom signals a healthy plant, but it drains energy from the foliage. Learn the trade-off and what to do to keep your plant's leaves vibrant.
Aglaonema, or Chinese Evergreen, is a popular houseplant due to its tolerance for low-light and its impressive foliage. The plant is admired for large, glossy leaves that come in an array of colors and patterns. While grown for these leaves, the Aglaonema can produce a flower, an event often unexpected by its owner.
Identifying the Aglaonema Bloom
The Aglaonema flower is an inflorescence, a structure containing multiple smaller flowers. It consists of two main parts: the spathe and the spadix. The spathe is a modified, leaf-like hood, typically greenish-white, that surrounds the spadix—the central spike where the tiny flowers are located. This arrangement is similar to the bloom of a Peace Lily.
These blooms can be subtle and remain partially hidden by the plant’s foliage, emerging from the base of the leaves on their own stalk. If pollinated, the flowers develop into a cluster of bright red berries. These berries are toxic because they contain calcium oxalate crystals and should be kept away from children and pets.
The Impact of Blooming on Your Plant
The appearance of a flower is a positive sign that the Aglaonema is mature and receiving good care. While flowering is a natural part of the plant’s life cycle, producing flowers and berries requires a substantial amount of energy. This energy expenditure is the primary drawback of letting the plant bloom.
The energy used for flowering is diverted from foliage development. This can lead to slower growth, smaller new leaves, and less vibrant coloration in the foliage. Since these plants are cultivated for their leaves, this trade-off is an important consideration. The energy drain is particularly noticeable in highly variegated cultivars.
Managing the Bloom for Plant Health
To ensure the plant’s energy is directed toward its leaves, the most common recommendation is to remove the flower. This action allows the plant to redirect its resources back into producing its foliage. The process is straightforward and does not harm the plant when done correctly.
To remove the flower, use clean, sterile pruning shears or scissors. Follow the flower stalk down to its base and make a clean cut as close to the main stem as possible without injuring the surrounding leaves or the stem itself.
Leaving the flower on the plant is also an option that will not harm a robust specimen. Some owners enjoy seeing the entire life cycle of their plant and find the unique blooms interesting. However, be aware that this choice will likely diminish the quality of the foliage as energy is diverted to the bloom.