Aglaonema: Care, Toxicity & Propagation

The patterned leaves of the butt thread are a real eye-catcher. Fortunately, it can also be kept as a houseplant without any problems.

His preference for slightly shady spots makes the piston thread (aglaonema) a particularly suitable plant for darker rooms. Here we tell you what else you should consider when it comes to location and maintenance.

Aglaonema: origin and characteristics

The butt threads (aglaonema), also known as Chinese periwinkle, form a genus of plants that includes about 22 species. The tropical plants belong to the aroid family (Araceae) and occur naturally in Southeast Asia. Because of its magnificent foliage, we like to use it as a houseplant. But what does the cob thread look like? The evergreen perennial grows upright and the alternate leaves together form a bushy overall picture. The mullet leaves are simple, elongated and tapering at the end. There are different

aglaonemaspecies and varieties, whose leaves are differently colored and patterned.

Between June and September forms the aglaonema Flowers in the bulb shape typical of the arum family. The spadix is ​​surrounded by the spathe, the bract. If the flower is fertilized, the red berries will develop afterwards. The slow-growing plants can reach heights of up to 120 cm.

Location, Earth and Co.

the aglaonema does not belong to the light-loving plants and is therefore suitable as a Plant for dark rooms. If the cobweed is in partial shade or light shade, it develops particularly beautiful, green leaves. If it gets too much light, the leaves turn yellowish or greyish. Plants with light or light patterned leaves tolerate a little more light and should be placed in a brighter spot. The cob thread loves warmth. Even in winter, the temperature should not fall below 18 °C, in summer the bulb thread likes it even warmer at 20 - 25 °C.

The humidity should also always be high at around 70%, which is why a bathroom or the kitchen is a good location.

When planting cob thread, a drainage layer should first be created in the pot. This can consist of coarse materials such as potsherds, pebbles or expanded clay, through which the water can later drain. This is followed by a layer of earth. A high quality substrate like ours Plantura organic universal soil retains its loose structure for a long time. The air flow is maintained for a correspondingly long time, so that the roots do not rot when watered correctly. Place the twine in the middle of the pot and fill in the gaps with substrate. The vessel should definitely have a drainage hole and then be placed in a planter or on a saucer.

Tip: Unsightly stains can occur if the leaves of the piston thread come into contact with water. In order to increase the humidity, it is better to fill the saucer with expanded clay and water instead of spraying the plant with water.

Nurturing Aglaonema

In the aglaonema-Maintenance is to ensure sufficient humidity and regular watering, because the tropical plant needs a lot of water.

Use room temperature, non-limescale water when using the aglaonema to water. Rainwater is best. It is better to water frequently and in smaller quantities. In addition, it should always be poured directly into the soil so that the leaves are not wetted with water. The substrate should always be moist, but never wet. Any water that has run off in the saucer or planter must be removed a few minutes after the water has been added so that the piston thread does not stand in the water. Otherwise it can lead to root rot, because the aglaonema does not tolerate waterlogging at all. In winter you can reduce the watering and always let the soil dry before watering again.

In the vegetation period from spring to autumn, the cob thread is supplied with nutrients every two weeks. Our Plantura organic indoor and green plant fertilizer is for the aglaonema ideally suited and strengthens leaves and roots with its ingredients. The application is very easy: The liquid fertilizer is simply mixed with the irrigation water and placed in the soil. The nutrients are then quickly available to the plant there. In winter, fertilizer is only applied every four to six weeks.

The repotting of the cob thread should also be done in the spring. Young plants need a larger pot every year, older specimens are only repotted every two to three years.

Increase cob thread

Head cuttings are usually used to propagate the cob thread. These are cut from the mother plant in spring. To obtain a head cutting, cut off a piece about 10 cm long from the upper part of a healthy shoot. A sharp, disinfected knife should be used for this. The lower leaves are removed so that the needle thread cuttings do not evaporate as much water. Prepare a pot of potting soil such as ours Plantura Organic Herb & Seed Soil, in front. Thanks to its loose structure, our peat-free soil offers the young plants optimal growth conditions and supports strong root development. This is particularly important at the beginning so that the plant can later supply itself with sufficient nutrients. The cutting is now inserted into the moistened potting soil with the cut point up to the base of the remaining leaf. At a temperature of around 22 - 24 °C, roots form after about six weeks. Place the seed pots in a moderately bright place and keep the soil evenly moist. In addition, a transparent bag should be placed over the cuttings to increase the humidity.

the aglaonema also forms offshoots, i.e. small daughter plants. These can be taken from the mother plant by division, for example during repotting. In any case, the daughter plants must already have their own roots and leaves. After division, they are planted in separate pots. The temperature for successful rooting should be 22 - 24 °C. Keep the soil evenly moist.

Tip: Older butt thread specimens will eventually become a little unsightly. Thanks to vegetative propagation, young plants can be grown again and again.

Is the butt thread poisonous?

Due to the milky sap contained in all parts of the plant, the common thread is considered poisonous. The calcium oxalate crystals it contains can irritate the skin and mucous membranes in particular. This applies not only to humans, because aglaonema is also poisonous for cats and dogs and should always be placed out of the reach of pets. For safety, wear gloves when repotting.

Would you rather play it safe for your cat? In our top 10 non-toxic houseplants for cats you will find plants that are completely harmless to your house cat.