Aglaonema

Take a quick look at the picture, you will definitely recognize a plant you have seen plenty of times. Aglaonema is one of the most favorite indoor plants, as it grows easily with minimum care and is ideal to even the most inexperienced amateur gardener.

Its name is once more totally Greek and its parts are translated as "aglos: shiny nema: string. Regardless of the Greek origin of its name, aglaonemas come from the tropical forests of south-east Asia, from Thailand and Cambodia to Vietnam and Malaysia. The first time aglaonemas crossed their natural borders was around 1900 when the plant was brought to America and has been cultivated ever since. The first new varieties were developed in the 60s; those varieties led to the plants we know today as aglaonemas. However, new varieties are still being developed in the US mainly, the differences being in the color of its leaves.

Aglaonemas belong to the aroids family, together with spathifyllum, dieffenbachia and philodentron. As its "relatives", it has shiny oval-shaped leaves, with jigged edges, fleshy to the touch and with impressive alternations of various tones of green. Its flowers look like small white callas and they produce a few yellow or red fruits. However, the basic reason for cultivating aglaonemas is their wonderful foliage and not its colors. Depending on the variety, its height can easily reach one meter or over.