How to Grow Chinese Evergreen? Detailed Guide to Care Methods and Precautions

Chinese evergreen is often planted together with pine and Japanese lucky grass, expressing the meaning of auspiciousness and everlasting green. The people of our country are especially fond of the Chinese evergreen, which carries the meaning of “good fortune and prosperity”. In traditional Chinese decorations, patterns combining Chinese evergreen and the glossy ganoderma herb often appear, symbolizing that everything goes smoothly and satisfactorily, that is, may all go as you wish. So how do you grow Chinese evergreen? What are the cultivation techniques and precautions for Chinese evergreen?

I. Cultivation Techniques for Chinese Evergreen

1. Soil Selection for Growing Chinese Evergreen

The growing medium for Chinese evergreen can be made up of 2 parts humus soil, 2 parts forest leaf mold, 2 parts sandy vegetable garden soil, 2 parts furnace cinder ash, and 2 parts rotted manure. The above five media are best prepared in advance, sun-dried under strong sunlight in summer, and finally finely crushed and sifted before being put into pots for later use. When planting, a layer of base fertilizer should also be placed at the bottom of the pot, such as fermented and rotted dry poultry manure mixed with a small amount of potting soil.

2. Fertilization Methods for Growing Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen has thick, fleshy leaves that stay green all year round and has a high fertilizer demand. During the growing season, it must be given an organic liquid fertilizer made by fermenting rapeseed cake, meat bones, and the like once every half month. After being brought outdoors in spring each year and resuming normal cultivation, it can be top-dressed once every 7—10 days at a ratio of 1:6 or 1:8. Before flower bud differentiation, appropriately add 0.5% ammonium sulfate or superphosphate to the topdressing, which is beneficial for bud formation and flowering. Stop fertilizing before flowering. After fruiting, it needs a large amount of nutrients, so apply light fertilizer frequently to make the fruit color vivid and the fruit plump.

3. Watering Methods for Growing Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen is a herbaceous flowering plant with fleshy roots. It likes moisture but fears water accumulating in the pot, so it should not be watered too much, otherwise the roots rot easily. In spring, water just enough to keep the potting soil moist, generally once every 2—3 days. In summer, depending on its growth, generally water once every evening, and sprinkler irrigation is preferable, as this makes the soil looser and easier for the roots to absorb. In autumn, water about once every 3 days, and the soil must be kept moist to promote the growth and development of the fruit.

No matter where Chinese evergreen is cultivated, it is best to place a water tray under the pot so that water is constantly drawn into the soil through the small holes, keeping the potting soil moist at all times. However, watering should be controlled in winter; when overwintering in a greenhouse, it can be watered once every 10 days. The lower the room temperature, the less it should be watered, otherwise the roots will rot and the leaves turn yellow in winter as well. At this time, keep the air moist and frequently rinse the leaves with warm water (25—30°C) to keep them tender, fresh, and emerald green.

4. Temperature Requirements for Growing Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen has strong adaptability and is suitable for cultivation in both the north and the south. Its most suitable growth temperature is 20—30°C, and in winter it can overwinter safely at above 7°C.

5. Light Requirements for Growing Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen has strong shade tolerance and likes to grow in moist, semi-shaded, or scattered-light environments. If cultivated outdoors on a large scale, shade frames should be set up in summer. For ordinary home ornamental cultivation, it can be placed under tall sun-loving woody flowering plants to avoid direct strong sunlight.

II. Precautions for Growing Chinese Evergreen

(1) Chinese evergreen is a flowering plant that likes warmth and moisture, tolerates shade, and fears cold. When placed outdoors for cultivation in summer, shade frames need to be set up. Under strong sunlight, the leaves easily turn greenish-white, and the leaf edges easily scorch. The most suitable temperature for the growth of Chinese evergreen is 20—30°C. In winter, the indoor temperature is best kept between 12—15°C, and must not fall below 7°C. Below 7°C, the leaves wilt and yellow and drop, and in severe cases the whole plant dies.

(2) During the growing season, Chinese evergreen prefers moisture rather than dryness. When the temperature is above 25°C, frequently spray water on the leaves; after autumn, control watering, and it is best to water when the soil is dry and stop when moist; in winter, keep it appropriately dry.

(3) Chinese evergreen has strong fertilizer tolerance, but fertilization should be moderate. During the growing season, apply 20% rapeseed cake fertilizer water or 1% compound fertilizer solution once every 15-20 days; stop fertilizing in winter. Provide shade at noon in spring and autumn and in summer; when grown indoors, place it in a bright spot. But in winter, keep sufficient light.

6. Propagation Methods for Growing Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen can be propagated by division and by sowing.

(1) Division propagation: Chinese evergreen grows luxuriantly with a developed root system and consumes a large amount of nutrients every year. Therefore, the pot and soil should be changed every year, in February—March. Chinese evergreen has strong sprouting ability, and tiller buds easily form at the base; these new tiller buds can be used for division propagation. Division can be carried out together with repotting and soil changing. Take the clustered mother plant out of the pot with its soil ball, shake off the attached soil, and cut it apart along its natural gaps, with 2—3 plants per cluster. After cutting, coat the cut surfaces with plant ash, then plant them separately in Yixing purple clay pots of appropriate size. Chinese evergreen has strong regeneration ability and grows quickly after division, and can be divided again after 3—4 years.

(2) Sowing propagation: The seeds of Chinese evergreen generally mature in December. In the Yangtze River basin and areas to its north, households do not have heating equipment and cannot sow immediately after harvesting. The seeds can be stored until March—April of the following year, when the average temperature is around 22°C, for sowing. Depending on the number of seeds, an earthenware flower pot can generally be used instead of a seedbed. The medium is half forest leaf mold and half fine river sand, fully mixed, sterilized by high temperature, and then put into the pot. When sowing, level and press down the medium, then sow the seeds evenly in the seedbed and water thoroughly by the soaking method. Cover the rim of the pot with glass, then place the seedbed in a warm, ventilated place.

For post-sowing management, the main task is to keep the medium moist. After about 15—20 days, the seeds begin to germinate. At this time, remove the glass, increase ventilation, and provide weak sunlight in the green environment of a residential balcony. When the seedlings grow to 3—5 cm, they can be divided into pots at 3—4 plants per pot. In autumn, use potting soil and base fertilizer to plant them permanently in Yixing purple clay pots. Newly potted Chinese evergreen needs careful maintenance. Generally, after more than two years of cultivation and management, it can bloom and set fruit and be placed indoors for viewing.

7. Pruning Chinese Evergreen to Promote Fruit Setting

Although Chinese evergreen is a herbaceous plant, it should also be pruned and shaped in time, around the Beginning of Summer. When pruning, place the potted flower on a workbench and examine it from front and back. For leaves that are aged, insect-damaged, or cracked, resolutely cut them off. This is because such leaves are neither attractive nor able to receive light to produce nutrients. As the saying goes: “On the eighth day of the fourth month, the Chinese evergreen gets a haircut”, meaning that in spring the aged leaves of Chinese evergreen should be cut off to help concentrate nutrients and promote the sprouting of new buds and flower bud differentiation. Pruning during cultivation is an important task in cultivation management; otherwise the plant will not grow well and will be difficult to flower.

Chinese evergreen grown in the open field can mostly bloom and bear fruit. However, when potted and placed on balconies and windowsills for cultivation, few bear fruit. What is the reason? This is caused by potted plants having no opportunity to transfer pollen. During the flowering period, Chinese evergreen must not be exposed to rain and should be placed under a shade shed. The soil must absolutely not be too wet or too dry, ventilation should be good, and the air should be fresh and moist, creating good ecological conditions for the plant to be pollinated.