Origin
Aglaonema are members of the plant family Araceae, and are commonly called Chinese evergreens. They are indigenous to Southeast Asia and include 21 species. Aglaonema species and cultivars are valuable ornamental foliage plants because of their tolerance of environmental conditions in commercial and residential interiorscapes.
Historically, new Aglaonema cultivars were introduced by collecting specimens from the wild. These were largely open-pollinated variants of Aglaonema crispum, A. commutatum, or A. modestum. Over the past twenty years, both public and private breeders have produced many new hybridized varieties due to control of Aglaonema flowering (Henny 1983) and development of pollination techniques (Henny 1985).
Aglaonema X 'Stripes' resulted from a cross of Aglaonema X 'Manila' and A. nitidum 'Curtisii'. Aglaonema X 'Stripes' combines the foliar variegation patterns of both 'Manila' and 'Curtisii' and is intermediate in size between the two parents. The foliar variegation of 'Stripes' consists of strong bands of silvery white coloration along the lateral veins, overlaying a fainter, more diffuse pattern in the same area (Figure 1). Leaves average about 2.5 times as long as wide and may reach 35 cm in length.
Performance
Growth characteristics of Aglaonema X 'Stripes' were determined in three replicated greenhouse trials over a two-year period. Tip cuttings 6 inches (15 cm) long were rooted directly in 6-inch (1.6L) pots filled with a growing medium of 3:2 Canadian peat: Perlite by volume. The soil was amended with 0.9 kg•m-3 of Micromax (Sierra Chemical Company, Milpitas, CA) and 4.1 kg•m-3 dolomite. Three growth trials were conducted. In all three tests, plants were grown under two shade levels adjusted to 125 and 250 µmol•s-1•m-2 maximum light intensities and were supplied three fertility levels consisting of 840, 1680, 2525 kg N ha/year, equivalent (2.2, 4.4, or 6.6 g 19N- 6P2O5 – 12 K2O/pot every three months). Plants were grown in greenhouses under natural photoperiods and a controlled temperature range of 15°C–34°C (63°F–97°F).
In these trials, Aglaonema X 'Stripes' reached marketable size in 7–10 months, depending on season (Tables 1 and 2). Light level had little influence except that plants grown under 125 µmol•s-1•m-2 were darker green (Table 1). The best fertilizer rate was between1680 and 2525 mg N/ha/year or 7.1 - 14.2g (19N-3P-10K)/150-mm pot every three months. Overall, plant quality and color grade was better as fertilizer levels increased. Basal shoot production was not affected by fertilizer.
Plants from Trial II were subjected to two weeks of simulated shipping (no light, no water, 15°C) and then held in a growth room at 14.4 µmol•s-1•m-2 light intensity, 12 hoursper-day for six weeks and hand watered as necessary to simulate an interior environment. The leaves of Aglaonema X 'Stripes' became darker in the green field, which contrasted the silvery white variegation pattern more sharply. Thus overall plant quality improved during these shipping and interior tests. Data from only two trials is presented here. For more information, see Henny et al. (1988).
Recommendations
Aglaonema X 'Stripes' is intended for commercial foliage producers growing 6-inch (1.6L) or 8-inch (3.9L) containers. Best growth can be expected when plants are grown with a light intensity of 125 µmol•s-1•m-2 (equivalent to 80% shade).
Availability
Aglaonema X 'Stripes' has been trademarked by the Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. and has been released to Florida tissue culture labs for propagation and distribution. Inquiries regarding participating labs may be obtained by writing the Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc., PO Box 309, Greenwood, FL 32443.
References
Henny R. J. 1983. Flowering of Aglaonema commutatum 'Treubii' following treatment with gibberellic acid. HortScience 18:374.
Henny R. J. 1985. In vivo pollen germination of Aglaonema affected by relative humidity. HortScience 20:142–143.
Henny R. J., R. T. Poole, and C. A. Conover. 1988. 'Stripes' Aglaonema. HortScience 2395):920–921.
The effect of light intensity and fertilizer rate on growth and quality of Aglaonema x Stripes after growing in a greenhouse for seven months from June until January.