Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’

The open history of ‘Crimson Love’

Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’ belongs to the cultivated red and pink Aglaonema group. Who raised it, which plants were crossed and where the selection first appeared are unknown, and no introduction year is attached to the name. Its mixed ancestry cannot be assigned to a particular species range or natural forest setting.

Care for Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’

• Light: Medium to bright indirect light is suitable. Lower light slows growth and keeps the pot wet longer; strong sun through glass can scorch the leaves.
• Watering: Water when the surface feels dry and the pot is noticeably lighter, after checking that the root ball below is no longer wet. Small pots and brighter, warmer positions dry sooner. Wet the whole root ball and let the pot drain.
• Temperature, humidity and airflow: Keep it at 18–27 °C and above 15 °C, especially when the substrate is wet. Around 45–60% humidity is usually sufficient. If humidity stays below about 40% and edges keep drying, move the plant away from heating or use a humidifier. Normal room airflow is enough; avoid cold draughts and direct hot air.
• Feeding: Use a complete houseplant fertiliser at a low dose every three to four waterings during active growth. Feed less often whenever growth slows, regardless of the season, and never fertilise a dry root ball or a stressed plant.
• Substrate and repotting: Use an open mix of coco coir or peat, small bark and perlite or pumice in a draining pot. Let a newly delivered plant settle in its original pot. Repot when roots fill the container or the mix compacts, using a pot only slightly larger than the root system and keeping the stems at the same depth.
• Leaf care: Clean mature leaves with a soft damp cloth and let folded new growth open on its own and keep pressure away from the soft tissue.
• Propagation: Division is simplest: separate a basal shoot after it develops its own roots. Cane sections with at least one healthy node can also root in warm, lightly moist substrate.

Brown leaf edges and bleached patches on Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’

• Brown edges: A firm leaf centre with dry margins points to interrupted watering, direct airflow from a heat source or salt buildup. Compare the pattern with the brown-tip guide, then use pot weight and deeper moisture to check whether the root ball is drying too far.
• Bleached patches: Red or pink leaves exposed to direct sun can develop fixed tan areas. Return the plant to filtered light and assess the position from subsequent growth.

Pet safety: Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’

Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’ is not pet-safe. Aglaonema contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause immediate mouth pain and irritation, swelling of the mouth, tongue or lips, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing if chewed. Sap may also irritate skin and eyes.

The Greek meaning behind Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’

Aglaonema combines Greek aglaos, meaning shining or splendid, with nema, meaning thread or filament. Botanist Dan H. Nicolson rendered the resulting name as “shining stamen” in his monograph of the genus. Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established Aglaonema on 8 September 1829 on page 892 of issue 108 of Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Litteratur, Theater und Mode.