Chinese Evergreen problems & how to fix them

Aglaonema commutatum

Drooping, yellowing, brown tips, or a plant that just won’t thrive? Here are the most common Chinese Evergreen problems, what usually causes them, and how to turn things around.

Common problems

Cold damage

Notably cold-sensitive — greasy grey patches appear on leaves after exposure below ~59°F (15 °C). Tissue injury from a cold draft, a chilly windowsill, or a night outdoors below the plant's tolerance. Damaged leaves will not heal, but if the stems and roots survived, new growth typically appears within three to four weeks in a warm, stable spot.

Example of fig leaves killed by a frost, on another plant — Example on another plant
fig leaves killed by a frost
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Root rot

Slow growth means slow water use; wet soil lingers and rots the roots. A fungal or bacterial infection of the roots, almost always triggered by soil staying wet too long. Caught early, most plants recover within a few weeks after repotting; if most roots are already mushy, recovery is uncertain.

Overwatering

Yellow lower leaves usually mean the pot never dried out between waterings. The soil is staying wet longer than the plant can handle, starving roots of oxygen. If caught before roots start rotting, the fix is simple - let the soil dry out and adjust the routine - and most plants bounce back within 2-3 weeks.

Example of a yellowing lower leaf on a potted Chinese evergreen, on another plant — Example on another plant
a yellowing lower leaf on a potted Chinese evergreen
Photo: Saurav9656 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mealybugs

Cottony pests tuck into the tight leaf bases and stem sheaths. Slow-moving sap-sucking insects that look like bits of white cotton stuck in leaf joints. They are stubborn but very treatable with repeated spot treatment; expect steady improvement over 3-4 weeks.

Example of a long-tailed mealybug on a leaf, on another plant — Example on another plant
a long-tailed mealybug on a leaf
Photo: D-Kuru · CC BY-SA 3.0 at · Wikimedia Commons

The mistakes that most often kill it

Cold exposure — a chilly draft can disfigure it for a year.
Overwatering a slow-drinking, slow-growing plant.
Repotting into an oversized pot of moisture-hogging soil.

Not sure what’s wrong?

Ploomily’s rescue tool walks you through the symptoms, gives an honest diagnosis, and schedules a day-by-day recovery plan. The founding price in force today is shown in full before you confirm, and locked for as long as you stay subscribed — with 30 days to change your mind.

Rescue my plant

← Chinese Evergreen care guide Pet safety →