Aglaonema ‘Pearl’

A silver-speckled cultivated selection

Aglaonema ‘Pearl’ is known in cultivation for fine silver markings over dark green leaves. Its breeder and parentage are unknown, along with its original selection location and introduction date. Those missing parts of its history prevent a reliable link to a particular Aglaonema species, geographical range or natural habitat.

Care for broad-leaved Aglaonema ‘Pearl’

• Light: Use medium to bright indirect light. Turn the pot occasionally if light comes mainly from one side, and protect the broad leaves from strong sun through glass.
• Watering: A large or densely rooted pot may be dry at the surface but wet in the centre. Check deeper and lift the pot before watering. Once it is clearly lighter, wet the whole root ball and let all excess drain.
• Temperature, humidity and airflow: Keep it at 18–27 °C and above 15 °C. Around 45–60% humidity is normally enough; use a humidifier if the air stays very dry and brown edges keep developing. Leave room for airflow through the crown, away from cold draughts, fans and radiators.
• 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 coco coir or peat, small bark and perlite or pumice in a stable draining pot. Let a newly delivered plant settle before repotting. When roots fill the container or the mix compacts, use a pot only slightly larger than the root system and keep the grouped stems at the same depth.
• Leaf and crown care: Clean mineral residue from the leaf surface with a soft damp cloth; do not use leaf-shine products.
• Propagation: Divide a well-rooted basal shoot during repotting, or root a cane section with at least one healthy node in warm, lightly moist substrate.

Surface marks and drooping leaves on Aglaonema ‘Pearl’

• Surface marks: Dried water lifts with a damp soft cloth. A fixed mark within the tissue is leaf damage; stop wiping once it is clear that the spot is not a deposit.
• Drooping: Check pot weight and moisture through the root ball. A dry pot needs a thorough soak; limp growth above wet mix needs a root and drainage inspection.
• Pests: Examine the undersides and protected petiole bases for thrips, spider mites, mealybugs and scale. Isolate the plant when feeding scars or insects are present.

Pet safety: Aglaonema ‘Pearl’

Aglaonema ‘Pearl’ 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 meaning of the genus name for ‘Pearl’

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.