Best Chinese evergreen varieties – 5 stunning choices with bright variegated foliage

Aglaonemas, or Chinese evergreens, have always been one of my favorite houseplants for lots of reasons: they have luscious full foliage, they tolerate low-light spots, and they're fairly low-maintenance to look after. However, there is no arguing that their bright, variegated colors and patterns are their best feature

As mentioned, Chinese evergreen care is very straightforward. In their native habitat of tropical and sub-tropical Asian forests, these plants get by with dappled sunlight and humid air. In the home, they make attractive additions to houseplant displays. From white, green, pink, and red, the colors of Chinese evergreen varieties make them incredibly versatile, with a color for every interior aesthetic.

Whether you're looking for an indoor low-light plant or something to fill a brighter spot, Chinese evergreens will work for both. The choice, however, is overwhelming because every aglaonema is simply breath-taking. That's why we've compiled a list of some of the best Chinese evergreen varieties for you to explore.

5 stunning Chinese evergreen varieties

It's important to note that even though Chinese evergreens will tolerate lower light, they do best in bight, indirect light. For those with brightly colored foliage in particular, a brighter spot is essential for maintaining vibrancy.

1. 'Silver Bay'

If you're just starting your collection of the best indoor plants or prefer classic, green foliage for your indoor garden, you can't go wrong with Aglaonema 'Silver Bay.'

The dual-tone green foliage of 'Silver Bay' has a slight silver appearance, earning its name. It also has a beautiful speckled pattern which is not dissimilar to the popular 'Jubilee' Chinese evergreen.

This aglaonema grows up to 31 inches in height and 24 inches in spread, and easily fills gaps in indoor jungles with its full and bushy growth. It's also better suited to shadier spots of your home than other colorful Chinese evergreen varieties might be.

You can buy a 'Silver Bay' aglaonema from Walmart.

2. 'King Red'

Lovers of red houseplants will adore 'King Red.' As its name indicates, it shows off a bright red hue that is sure to be a conversation-starter among your guests.

'Red is always eye-catching, and it is especially so in this Chinese evergreen variety,' says Julie Bawden-Davis, indoor plant expert at Healthy Houseplants.

With a height of just 14 inches and spread of around 12 inches, this is one of the Chinese evergreen varieties to add to you list of best small indoor plants. It would fit perfectly on a windowsill or coffee table, and can even be a nice houseplant to gift friends and family.

With such a vibrant variegation, it's important to ensure 'King Red' receives plenty of bright light. However, take care not to leave it exposed to direct sun for too long, as aglaonemas can suffer from leaf scorch.

Julie Bawden-Davis

Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden author and University of California Certified Master Gardener, who has written several gardening books, including Indoor Gardening The Organic Way. In addition to running HealthyHouseplants.com, she shares indoor gardening advice on her YouTube channel @HealthyHouseplants.

3. 'Siam Aurora'

For something in between the green of 'Silver Bay' and red of 'King Red,' opt for the unique coloring of 'Siam Aurora.'

'This Chinese evergreen variety is one of the most spectacular, featuring green leaves accented with glossy pink and red variegation,' Julie describes.

It's named after the region of Siam, where this Chinese evergreen is often found growing, and has a height and spread of two-to-three feet. It's quite compact, so you could grow it as a floor plant or elevate it on an indoor plant stand to make a feature of its beautiful appearance.

Don't forget to clean your houseplant leaves regularly to keep them looking glossy. This is especially important with Chinese evergreen varieties as it will help keep the variegation looking bright.

Shop for a 'Siam Aurora' Chinese evergreen at Perfect Plants.

4. 'Snow White'

Although there are plenty of white flowers you can grow in your yard and white indoor flowering plants to grow indoors, white plants are quite tricky to come by. That's why the striking appearance of Aglaonema 'Snow White' can't be missed out on, especially if you like minimalist décor in your home.

'This stunning Chinese evergreen features pure white leaves speckled with deep, forest green,' Julie says. 'The juxtaposed colors are simply stunning,' she adds.

'Snow White' is also a smaller choice of Chinese evergreen varieties, typically growing around 12-24 inches in height and spread.

Like with all aglaonemas, make sure not to keep your 'Snow White' plant somewhere cold. Drastic changes in temperature can cause Chinese evergreen leaves to turn yellow, so you should ideally keep Chinese evergreens at a temperature of 65-80°F.

Aglaonema 'Osaka' (from Walmart) has a very similar appearance and is another great white Chinese evergreen option.

5. 'Green Kochin'

For a more unusual houseplant choice of Chinese evergreen varieties, 'Green Kochin' has no competition.

Julie describes: 'This Chinese evergreen has deep forest green leaves and pink splotches that contrast well.'

The almost full green foliage of this variety almost makes it unrecognisable as an aglaonema. However, the speckles of pink and yellow are undeniably charming and subtly bring color to your plant display without necessarily being a statement houseplant itself.

Remember to maintain some bright light for this Chinese evergreen, otherwise you could watch its already minimal variegation fade and become duller on new growth.

'Green Papaya' from The Sill is a similar choice with the majority of the foliage appearing green. However, this variety also boasts unique light pink stems.

FAQs

How often does my Chinese evergreen need watering?

Chinese evergreens, also known as aglaonemas, are fairly low-maintenance indoor plants. You only need to water them when around a third of their potting mix has dried out. In fact, these plants get along fine with not being watered for a few weeks at a time.

However, take care not to let your Chinese evergreen dry out entirely or sit in dry soil for an extended period of time. This could cause discoloring, wilting and drooping. Use this soil moisture meter from Amazon to identify when to water your indoor plants.

If you've fallen in love with the colors and patterns of these Chinese evergreen varieties, then explore our guide to some of the other best variegated indoor plants. You might also be interested in learning how to style houseplants so you can show off the beauty of your new aglaonema as visitors enter the room.