Lucky Red: Aglaonema 'Red King' for the New Year

Red. In Chinese culture, luck wants to be in its presence. In Western culture, it invigorates. In the superhero realm, it connotes power.

Luck, invigoration, power… red is a desirable color with which to greet the New Year, a time when we can start fresh and know that anything is possible. But Poinsettias aside, in winter, red is not the easiest color to come across in plants.

But take heart: There is Aglaonema ‘Red King’, the Chinese Evergreen. If you welcome a young Chinese Evergreen into your home now, you will enjoy shades of pink within green-bordered leaves. But be patient and let the new year unfold, and you will have a houseplant with handsome red foliage… lucky, invigorating red. Aglaonema ‘Red King’ thus seems to be a very good plant for this season.

Now, to share the full picture of Aglaonema ‘Red King’, I must say that the red of its foliage is not exactly a royal red, if that conjures up something dark, bordering on burgundy. Instead, this plant’s foliage is a brighter red, almost a ripe-watermelon red. It is a beautiful shade of a lucky color, bright and uplifting.

Familiar houseplants such as Bromeliads offer red tones in winter. They have been relied upon for decades to perk up office spaces, hotel lobbies, and home countertops with their noticeable color. Cordyline offers dramatic red, with its red base color and darker streaks (green on red, which mixes together both of these tones) on spears of foliage… a stunning houseplant. And red-flowering plants such as some of the Lipstick Plants are available at this time of year. But Aglaonema ‘Red King’, though sometimes difficult to find, offers something that these other plants do not: It offers a progression of color… a deepening of color and a growing proportion of that color to green, the leaf margin color, over time.

Just as with all of us who are not part of Kingdom Plantae, the mature form of the plant cannot really be imagined when looking at an immature plant. Mature Aglaonema ‘Red King’ morphs its pink (which starts as just a central swath of pink surrounded by green) into something more spectacular. It becomes a dramatic vision in red. In the light of a window, its leaves, looking as though they have been buffed to take on the perfect amount of shine, show at their best in a red that is sure to bring luck and prosperity to the person who cares for the plant.

Aglaonema likes bright indirect light, but nothing too bright so as not to scorch its attractive foliage. It will do well in moderate in-home temperatures, and it does not require high humidity. This is a welcome relief to plant lovers who appreciate the good looks of this plant but want to know they can grow it with ease. 

Like most houseplants, Aglaonema ‘Red King’ does not want to be forgotten when it comes to hydration, and yet it needs well-draining soil and would prefer to have its top layers of potting mix dry out before any additional water is given.

While some houseplants do not need applications of fertilizer for long stretches, Aglaonema ‘Red King’ appreciates having access to nutrients by way of regular applications of high-quality, slightly diluted liquid fertilizer. Fertilize in moderation… perhaps once every couple of weeks or, to simplify things, when you think of it. Your plant will be happy.

Unlike some plants which do best when slightly root-bound, Aglaonema ‘Red King’ wants the luxury of space to spread out its roots. From time to time, a good re-potting will be in order, ready to take your plant into new months of healthy growth. And because this is not a plant which pets can eat without upset, you will want to be sure to position your plant pot in a spot that is out of their reach.

So, here is to a new year filled with all the good things that red can bring. Start by, well… bringing in the red, in the form of Aglaonema ‘Red King’ or a similarly beautiful plant. Let the luck in, get invigorated, feel powerful… and enjoy.