Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’

Background of ‘Crimson Love’

‘Crimson Love’ is a horticultural Aglaonema cultivar with strongly pink-patterned foliage. The genus is native from northeastern India through tropical Southeast Asia to New Guinea, where many species grow as evergreen herbs in humid forest.

Keeping Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’ in steady growth

• Light: Strong indirect light suits the crimson and rose foliage. Keep the plant out of prolonged direct sun, which can leave permanent tan patches.
• Watering: Check the pot before watering. Once the upper root zone has partly dried, water the whole root ball and let excess moisture drain away.
• Substrate: A structured mix with coir or peat, bark and perlite or pumice should hold some moisture without becoming dense or stagnant.
• Warmth, humidity and airflow: Keep it in steady warmth; about 18–27 °C is suitable. Maintain moderate humidity and gentle airflow through the foliage, and place the plant away from cold draughts, radiators and other sources of hot dry air.
• Leaf care: Let emerging leaves unfurl without pulling at the edges, and support mature blades near the base when cleaning them.
• Feeding: Use a balanced fertiliser at a conservative dose while growth is active, reducing the amount when growth slows and flushing salts if they accumulate.
• Propagation: Divide rooted offsets or root a firm stem section with at least one healthy node in warm, aerated substrate.

Common problems with Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’

• Dry brown edges: Repeated drying, hot airflow and fertiliser salts can all affect the margins. Restore a steadier moisture cycle, move the plant away from direct heat and flush the mix if salts have accumulated; see brown leaf tips.
• Spider mites: Progressive pale speckling, a dusty look or fine webbing are reasons to inspect the leaf undersides closely. Confirm spider mites by finding moving mites or their fine webbing there before treatment. Isolate the plant, rinse both leaf surfaces and apply a treatment labelled for spider mites to both leaf surfaces and the new growth. Repeat it at the intervals stated on the label for the full course, and continue checking until new leaves stay clean.
• Leaf drop: Several healthy-looking leaves detaching after a care change can follow cold stress or large swings in root-ball moisture. Restore stable warmth and watering, then judge recovery by whether the loss stops.
• Sunburn: Crisp tan patches that appear after a move into stronger light are consistent with scorch. Move the plant into filtered light and leave undamaged tissue in place.
• Root rot: Wilting that does not improve after watering while the mix stays wet can indicate damaged roots. Remove only clearly soft dark roots and repot into fresh open substrate sized to the remaining healthy root system; follow the root rot guide.

Aglaonema ‘Crimson Love’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

The meaning and history of Aglaonema

Aglaonema combines Greek aglaos, meaning shining or splendid, with nema, meaning thread or filament.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus Aglaonema in 1829 in Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Literatur, Theater und Mode, volume 1829, page 892.