# Id this houseplant?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-houseplant/541919>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 4, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-houseplant/541919 "2010-06-04T14:16:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mike.V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Mike.V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike.V)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-houseplant/541919/1 "2010-06-04T14:16:17Z")

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I’ve inherited these houseplants and looking for care instructions, placement etc. Unfortunately I have no idea what kind of plant they are… can anyone help?

[http://mfv2.com/mysteryplants.jpg](http://mfv2.com/mysteryplants.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-houseplant/541919/2 "2010-06-04T14:23:39Z")

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I don’t know what they are, either—and I have two of them!

They seem to do fine with moderate light, occasional watering, and general benign neglect. I’ve also cut off a shoot, put it in water until it made roots, and made another plant.

But what they are, I dunno.

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-houseplant/541919/3 "2010-06-04T14:28:49Z")

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I believe it’s a form of Chinese Evergreen, otherwise known as Officeplantus Americanus 😉 Ok, not really, they’re of the Aglaonema species, and are awesome houseplants because they thrive in a wide variety of sun and moisture levels.

They like indirect but not shaded light. If you have a northern window, that’s perfect. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. My favorite watering method is to toss an ice cube or two in them every couple of days. That’s really it.

When it starts getting obnoxiously large, you can take a cutting or two and stick 'em in some water. Rootlets will start to grow, and you can plant those in some soil and give 'em to your friends.

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**Author:** ![Mike.V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Mike.V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike.V)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-houseplant/541919/4 "2010-06-04T14:32:27Z")

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Awesome! Thanks for your help guys, I especially like the ice cube method… low maintenance 🙂

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**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-houseplant/541919/5 "2010-06-04T14:33:38Z")

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I’m pretty sure that’s an [Aglaonema](http://www.plantcare.com/encyclopedia/aglaonema-45.aspx). My Mom always called it a Chinese evergreen.

Don’t water it too much, give it light but don’t bake it in a window, and be sure to trim off brown dead leaves.

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On edit: damn, scooped again. I bow to the houseplant pros.\*

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-houseplant/541919/6 "2010-06-04T14:41:41Z")

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> [@Mike.V](#):
>
> Awesome! Thanks for your help guys, I especially like the ice cube method.. low maintenance 🙂

Yep. My grandma taught me that, because I’m a chronic over AND under waterer. With ice cubes, it’s premeasured and I don’t have water dripping out from my pots and getting all over the floor when I \*do \*remember to water!