Chinese Evergreen Red Valentine

Chinese Evergreen Red Valentine (Aglaonema 'Red Valentine') is the indoor plant to choose when you want colour without a flower. Each leaf is splashed and veined in pink and red over deep green, and the clump holds a tidy 60cm tall and wide. It asks for very little: bright indirect light, a drink when the mix dries, and nothing else.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that never stops. The pink and red variegation is in the foliage itself, so the plant looks the same in July as it does in January.
• Genuinely low maintenance. It forgives a missed watering and does not sulk when you go away for a fortnight.
• Happy in warm rooms. Humidity tolerance means bathrooms, kitchens and humid coastal houses suit it.
• The right size for a shelf. At 60cm by 60cm it fills a corner without taking over the room.

Where it works best

Indoors. A spot two to three metres back from a bright window is ideal. Direct midday sun through glass scorches the pale sections of the leaf, and deep gloom washes the pink out to plain green.

Pots and containers. A 200mm to 300mm decorative pot with drainage holes carries a mature clump. Repot every second or third spring rather than every year.

Balconies and courtyards. In tropical and subtropical gardens it grows outdoors in full shade under a covered patio, where the leaf colour reads well against dark foliage.

Growing Chinese Evergreen Red Valentine in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light indoors anywhere in the country. Outdoors it is limited to tropical and subtropical gardens in a sheltered shaded spot, because it is frost tender and cold marks the leaves well before frost arrives.

Soil. A quality indoor potting mix with extra perlite for drainage. Wet, airless mix is the one thing that reliably kills this plant.

Water and feed. Water when the top 3cm of mix feels dry, let it drain fully, and never leave the pot in a saucer of water. Feed monthly through the warm months with a diluted liquid indoor fertiliser and stop over winter.

Pruning. Remove old lower leaves at the base as they yellow. If the clump stretches, cut a stem back hard and it will reshoot from the base.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tubes and in 140mm packs of ten. Tube plants are young, with three or four leaves and the colour already showing, and they establish quickly once potted up. The 140mm pack suits a run of matching pots through an interior.

Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect it to pause for two to three weeks while it adjusts to your light levels, then push a new leaf. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing plants for lower light rooms
• Browse the full indoor plant range
• Compare variegated foliage plants
• Indoor plant basics for beginners

Common questions

Is it safe around pets?

No. Like all aglaonemas the sap contains calcium oxalate crystals, which irritate the mouth and throat if a leaf is chewed. Keep it on a shelf out of reach of cats, dogs and small children.

Why is the pink fading to green?

Almost always not enough light. Move it closer to a window, but keep it out of direct sun, and the new leaves will come through with full colour.

How often should I water it?

Roughly weekly in summer and every two to three weeks in winter, but check the mix rather than the calendar. This plant handles being a little dry far better than being constantly wet.

Can it live in a room with no window?

It survives low light better than most plants, but it will not thrive and the red drains away. In a windowless room, rotate it out to bright light every few weeks.