Chinese Evergreens- Aglaonemas flower? - Ask Extension
I have what appears to be a healthy Aglaonema that has at least two dozen “flowers” on it. The flowers never open up and bloom. They are sticky an...
Knowledgebase
Chinese Evergreens- Aglaonemas flower? #589621
Asked August 16, 2019, 12:55 PM EDT
I have what appears to be a healthy Aglaonema that has at least two dozen “flowers” on it. The flowers never open up and bloom. They are sticky and looks like they should open but don’t. They start to turn brown and when I open it manually, it has brown “mush” in it. The newer flower pods have what looks like a white flower when I manually open it. The leaves seem fine and the plant is sending out new leaf shoots. What is going on and what should I do?
Dakota County Minnesota
Expert Response
It is most likely Fusarium or other stem/root rot. Check the roots for rotting. Overwatering can contribute. Fungicide treatment can help. For more information see the following website: http://gpnmag.com/wp-content/uploads/05_P&D_GPN0812%20FINAL.pdf
I bought the plant from Bachmans about four months ago. I checked with them yesterday and she didn’t know said to cut off all the “flowers” because it takes a lot of energy and maybe it’s stressed . I only water it twice a month so it would surprise me if I’m watering too much. Any suggestions of what to do?
Be sure to check the roots for rot. Leave one or two flowers as a test for whether they might bloom Cut the rest off to see if reducing the stress might help. None of this will make a difference if it has stem/root rot so please check the rots first. Gently pull the entire plant out of the pot. A foil smell with mushy roots will indicate root rot.
I did take the plant out of the pot and did not notice a foul smell BUT I did notice that there were some small white worms in the bottom of the outer pot. What are they and how do I get rid of them?
They are probably the larvae of fungus gnats. They can block drainage holes, chew on roots, and take water from roots. See the following website for a picture to compare and methods of control. See: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7448.html
