Russ in Florida, who often posts in here, is a big Ag fan. I am sure he will see this post and chime in eventually. I got a couple young plants from him in trade which I LOVE and I could easily see becoming addicted to this group. My growing space if very limited so I probably will not get much more, but this group offers so many cultivars and nearly all of them are colorful and drop dead gorgeous.....plus they are not too difficult to grow under "normal" home conditions. Your plants look great, enjoy them!

Esther,

your Siam Aurora is so beautiful! I don’t think i have ever seen on that large! Don’t you just love it when plants thrive and don’t need to be babied along.

Christian, thanks! If only ALL my plants were this easy. I've been having a heck of a time lately with root rot caused by Miracle Gro cactus/succulent soil. I've had to repot a bunch of succulents and add lots of perlite and sand to the cactus/succulent soil of both Miracle Gro and Hoffman's. Hopefully those plants will improve with the better drainage soil.

Hi Christian,

As woodnative said, aglaonemas are one of my favorite groups of plants and I've been collecting them for decades. I like almost all aroids but specialize in ags and philodendrons.

A couple of notes, you have

B. J. Freeman, not Morgan. This ag was named for the oldest daughter of the great aglaonema explorer/collector/hybridizer Dr. B. Frank Brown. You would enjoy his book 'The Amazing Aglaonema', but it's out of print and a bit pricey now.

Also, I believe Golden Madonna is a bogus name, your plant is actually Brilliant. You'll also see it for sale as White Lightning.

Almost out of battery, more later. You have a great collection, I'll post my ag list separately or email me.

Bluesea14808@yahoo.com

Russ,

thanks! I can’t believe I called B.J. Freeman, Morgan I must of had Morgan Freeman on my mind or something lol.

I wondered about Golden Madonna vs. Brilliant a lot of industry literature mentioned Brilliant but didn’t mention a Golden Madonna I also question what the correct name for Rubi it seems to have a few names it goes by.

I am a big rose lover and have an associates in horticulture so I try my best to know my plants by the correct cultivar or industry name. The world of plant names can be so difficult to navigate. Especially houseplants with the boom in popularity. Plus every hobbyist selling cuttings and plants they propagate perhaps not always under the true name. I’m not saying they are intentionally mislabeling plants it just happens.

AGLAONEMA LIST

Abidjan

alumina v. armandii

Amelia?

B. J. Freeman

Best Diamond/The Diamond/Snow White

Black Lance

brevispathum (f. v.?)

Brilliant

Calypso

Cassandra

commutatum v. comm f. Elegans

comm. v. comm. f. Maculatum

comm. v. comm. variegata

Cory

crispum

Cutlass

Deborah

Decora

Diamond Bay

Frog/Echo

Gemini ?

Gold Dust

Green Lady

Illumination

Jewel of India

Jubilee.

Jubilee Petite

Kaew Kanjana

Key Largo

Malay Beauty/Pewter

Maria

modestum

modestum variegata

Moa Moa

Mondo Bay

Moonglow

Moonlight Bay

Mystic Marble

Painted Princess

Patricia

Peacock

Pseudobracteatum

Queen of Siam seedling - identical to Diamond Bay

San Remo

Shades

Shamrock

Silver Frost

Silver Bay

Silver King

Silverado

Snow Cap

Sterling

Stripes

Pink Goddess, Tricolor X Manila w/pink petioles

Russet Goddess, Tricolor X Manila w/russet petioles

White Lance

White Rain

UNIDENTIFIED

My code Ag 100 (smaller grower, narrow 2-tone green leaves, white petioles)

'Jungle hybrid' or 'jungle collected', from Dr. Brown, mid-1990s, long narrow, 2-tone green leaf.

THAI AGS

Chocolate

Gem Series #5

Red Valentine

Pink Valentine

Masterpiece

Orange Sunset

Siam Aurora/Crete/Creta/Red Ag

Pink Siam Aurora

Pink Dalmation

Red Emerald

Red Fountain

Emerald Holiday

Sapphire Suzanne

Sparkling Sarah

UNIDENTIFIED

Dark green roundish leaves w/narrow reddish veins.

Large round orangey leaves.

Christian, I sent my ag list above. Let me know what I can help you with regarding your collection. Almost all are available as propagating is my passion, just send me a big want list and I'll see what I can do. Trades are great but I can do for postage.

The 'Goddess' ags are especially interesting, from a cross made by hybridizer Nat DeLeon, I believe in the early 60s. The russet petioled form occurs when green tissue overlays the pink, leaves are wider than the pink form and lack the yellow streaks on the midrib. I've never seen the russet produce an offset of the pink form, but the pink regularly offsets russet forms. They produce seeds reliably, I grow 20 to 30 every year. A. commutatum v. commutatum and commutatum Elegans are the only other ags in my collection that produce seeds, others seem to be sterile.

If you're interested in ag history and info on vintage ags, the Aglaonema Grower's Notebook is a great source, by Roy Jervis. Dr. Frank Brown's The Amazing Aglaonema covers modern ags but I hear it's expensive now.

I love my Aglaonema. As a child, I remember visiting the library which had wonderful 'Chinese evergreens' growing in beautiful pottery among the book shelves. I thought they were so cool, some of them had flowers and red berries. I was always fascinated that such beautiful plants could thrive in a dark, dry library for years.

So I like the old fashioned Aglaonemas best...Recently, I found this one which I think is the classic 'Maria' cultivar. It brought back fond memories...I had to have it! Frankly, it is now one of my favorite plants...I usually don't like variegated leaves, but I find it's leaves to be so attractive! So easy to take care of...every home should have an Aglaonema! ('Chinese evergreen')

Russ thanks for sharing your list of Aglaonema you have in your collection! I don’t really have much to offer as far as cuttings/or plants for trade, it I would happily pay postage and then some.

I’ll look through your list and send you a list.

im also going to try to find myself a copy of each of those books you mentioned.

thanks again for being willing to share knowledge with a beginner like me.

escolat,

I try to stick with scientific or cultivar names because i had professors pound it into my head. It’s easier to be talking about the correct plant when you do that verses common names (different plants often share common names or have multiple common names). That being said when working with customers at work I use Aglaonema and Chinese evergreen intermittently.

Christian, the Aglaonema Grower's Notebook used to be available for free download on the International Aroid Society website. Have to be a member though, dues are $25 a year and you get the Aroidiana I think quarterly. Full of in-situ philodendrons, anthuriums, other aroids, a bit too scientific for me but fascinating for most aroiders.

Here is a rare ag, called Moon Glow. It was collected by Dr. Frank Brown in the jungles of Luzon Island, Philippines in 1980. It's a fascinating story about the discovery, which I'll relate at another time. It's described in the Notebook by Jervis, which is a large paperback book, not a fancy hardback.

Moon Glow, the variegated Elegans type pattern is overlaid by a silvery sheen. A natural hybrid created by Mother Nature.

Ag Cassandra in the ground at my parent's home in Cocoa Beach, many years ago. They got root nematode and I brought them to my place, cleaned the roots and put them in pots. This was one of Dr. Frank Brown's hybrids circa 1980s, named for his youngest daughter.

Ag Key Largo, in the ground also at Cocoa Beach and also got root nematodes. This was hybridized in India by Partha and Mukundan.

Ag Pink Goddess, from Dr. Frank Brown mid-1980s. A hybrid made by Nat DeLeon in south Florida decades ago, the cross is Tricolor X Manila. This offsets new plants with the same pink petioles, but also one with russet-colored petioles. That plant has similar pattern but leaf is wider and lacks the yellow midrib. A russet petioled plant only offsets more russets. The russet color is produced by green pigment overlaying the pink, producing an olive-brown color.

Ag Queen of Siam seedling, from Dr. Frank Brown in 80s. This was probably a cull from his hybridizing program, possibly rejected for commercial sale because it's petioles are plain green.

Russ your age are so gorgeou! I wish I lived in an sone that allowed me to use them in the landscape but I do enjoy having them in the house.

I really enjoy ags, but mine died of root rot, I assume. Are these supposed to be easy? LOL! Maybe I overwatered in winter or something. I may try again after seeing all these beautiful plants!

Dave, ags are susceptible from fungal root rot if they're potted in unsterile soil mix or have contact with the ground. There are several fungicides that can cure it, or if you unpot, clean the roots and stems of brown rotted tissue, and repot in fresh sterile soil, that usually works as well. I find that ags in pots on the ground have issues with rain splashing dirt onto the potting mix and contaminating it, so I often have to do the minor surgery and repotting but no big deal.

But they can also be overwatered and rotted, especially in winter. Overall I think they're some of the easiest plants to grow and fairly pest free. If you contact me in the spring or summer I'll send you some if you wish.

Here are some more.

Silver Frost

A species, alumina v. armandii. This was found in the Philippines circa 1980 by Dr. B. Frank Brown, and named by him for his Filipino guide Armando Cruz. It has a random vague variegation covered by a silver-gray overlay.

I don't have this pic labeled, I think it's Gemini. Very easy and hardy.

No label on this pic either, one of the so-called Thai hybrids. Lipstick is one of it's secondary names but I forget the original. Maybe Sapphire Suzanne.

The common Siam Aurora aka Red Siam aka Crede aka Credta, Red Aglaonema, etc, etc, etc.

Sparkling Suzanne

Russ, you're very kind. I'm good though. I can obtain these locally. I tend to put 'houseplants' outdoors in summer, so that likely was the cause of the problem.

Here is my most recent addition Leprechaun:

it is a sport of Silver Bay, it’s more compact with smaller leaves (averaging 2 1/2 inches wide and 8 inches long).

I got these starts from my sisters plant when I replaced the soil for her plant.

Christian, Leprechaun is a great score. I've thought it might be a miniature version of Jubilee, based on pics I've seen. But there already is a mini version called Jubilee Petite, which I have. Your Leprechaun definitely has a different leaf pattern. Very cool.

A variegated Manila called Bangkok Dream. This was a friend's plant from years ago, she lost it but I obtained one this past summer. This was a great clone with super variegation as you can see

Not a good pic, one of the so-called Thai ags called Masterpiece.

When I b the original plant for my sister I thought it was just a young Silver Bay. It wasn’t until recently I realized it grew but the leaves never got larger. I’m excited for my little guys to mature. I love Silver Bay and I love the idea of a more compact version of it.

i love that masterpiece it’s so bright. I hope you keep sharing pictures of your collection it’s so cool to see all these varieties.

@Russ1023 (central Fla)

here are some pics of ag's (grown inground) i took a year ago in Pinecrest gardens Miami FL. the soils there are mostly coral rock (limestone) with thin layer of surface soil. that probably explains how come they do not rot..they form large bushes sort of like ground cover in many places.

they are grown mostly under crotons and with Dieffenbachias and philos in dappled part-shade.

here's one with pinkish stems

most of them have berries: those with white stems and with pink stems and Peacock too.

don't know if they are sterile or not. i have pics of many with red berries.

pink stems

white stems

Peacock

you can see the limestone 'coral rock' on this map: light green.

Pinecrest gardens is roughly on that thin horizontal line that runs from the tip of key Biscayne.

this is the silver one: farely new, sev years? planting and it is already huge!

this is in march this year

Thanks for all those great pictures, Petrushka. My brother lives in Homestead, has an acre of the coral rock ground you talk about. I always marvel when he says he has a friend with a humongous drill on the back of a tractor come and drill holes so he can plant trees or shrubs, etc.

I don't know if I'll ever get back down to that area, but if I do I'd definitely visit this Pinecrest Gardens. Regarding your photos, the pink petioled one is Pink Goddess, the one I mentioned that was hybridized by Nat DeLeon possibly in the 60s.

The next pic, the ag with white petioles, is Brilliant. Not sure, this could be one of Dr. Brown's hybrids.

And yes, next is Peacock, a beauty. It has a cool little spotted ag as a parent, which gives Peacock it's unusual pattern. Dr. Brown told me he called that ag 'Frog', but I got my example from Glasshouse Works a lifetime ago as Echo. I believe it might be a type of picta, perhaps bicolor.

The last pic with the silver ag, this is alumina v. armandii. There are very subtle areas of green mottlings that are overlaid by the silver-gray color, you have to be up close to see the beauty of the mottling.

Dr. Brown named this silver ag for his Filipino guide Armando Cruz. I believe this is one of the hundreds of silver ags that were found in the jungles of Luzon Philippines about 1980 by 2 local picnickers with family, who happened to be nurserymen and realized the importance of the discovery.

This huge group of ags was called a "hybrid swarm", wherein many ag species naturally hybridized and cross-hybridized over an unknown number of decades, never disturbed being hidden in the jungles. Brown traveled there in 1980, collected and brought back hundreds of specimens to his then home in Indialantic Florida. Later he bought acreage in Valkaria Fla and set up a hybridizing program using those ags he collected, plus others he found in travels to Indonesia, Thailand and return trips to the Philippines. His program kicked off a huge commercial interest in ags and the result is all the fine and beautiful hybrids available today.

Regarding those berries that almost all the ags have, as you probably know, the little berries are very common on ags but they just turn yellow and fall off. These are about 1/8 inch across. The berries with seeds are large, at least 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch across. Of the ags you've mentioned, the only one I've seen seeds on is Pink Goddess.

In that stand of Pink Goddess in your pic, it's likely that there are a number of russet-petioled forms mixed with it. Pink Goddess offsets the russet form fairly regularly for me. The russet color is formed simply by green tissue overlaying the pink. This russet form seems to grow larger than Pink Goddess, leaves are bigger and wider, and don't have the yellow midrib accent that adorns Goddess.

Apparently Nat didn't name this russet variety, probably thinking it wasn't commercially viable. But I think it definitely deserves a name as it is beautiful in it's own right. Perhaps Russet King as it seems a masculine ag to me, darker, bigger and more robust than Goddess. The leaf blade on the russet looks very much like pics I've seen of Manila, Nat used Manila and Tricolor to produce Pink Goddess.

Maybe too much info here for most readers, but I find this stuff fascinating.

when we are at Pinecrest next (it's open) i'll look for Russets among Pinks. and take more pics of berries.

I love aglaonemas too..I put likes on every photo!..all of them are beautiful..I'll have more someday but for now just one common Siam Aurora..I bought it fall 2019..here it is outside during the summer 2020..it's back in the house for the winter..see it on this yet to be organized cart..it's smaller because I found a nice stem with quite a few leaves laying on the deck..squirrels..I wish now that I'd tried to propagate it but I was angry and threw it in my compost bin..

I absolutely love my Ags! I received 2 of them by default, they were given to me to save from impendent death & were in pretty bad shape. They were small desk plants at the time, but now they are mine happy & huge! I purchased the one with the pink stems

in the middle, they have grown to be one of my very favorite plants. I have not seen any other varieties in my local nurseries yet, but hope to find more now that spring is coming so that I can expand my collection. So excited to have found this forum, now I can get some AG specific guidance & information.

One of my top five quintessential "houseplants", they do so well, some years, I forget to throw them outside with all the other tropicals. They were also one of my earliest plants in cultivation (along with golden pathos and philodendrons and prayer plants).