Philippine evergreen
Aglaonema commutatum
This plant is renowned for its air-purifying qualities, actively filtering harmful indoor toxins like formaldehyde and benzene from the air.
- Scientific name
- Aglaonema commutatum
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Alismatales › Araceae › Aglaonema
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Humid tropical rainforest understory, thriving in deep shade and moist, well-draining soils.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthetic, highly adapted to low-light conditions).
- Range
- Philippines, Northeast Sulawesi, Cultivated globally
- Size
- 30 to 100 cm tall, with leaves up to 20 cm long.
- Lifespan
- 10 to 20 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Wild populations face localized habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urbanization, though the species is globally secure through cultivation.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch, but defensive if ingested. The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause intense burning and swelling in the mouth and throat. Keep away from pets and children; if chewed, rinse the mouth thoroughly with water and seek medical advice if swelling occurs.
Aglaonema commutatum , the poison dart plant , is a species of flowering plant in the Chinese evergreen genus Aglaonema , family Araceae. It is native to the Philippines and northeastern Sulawesi, and has been introduced to other tropical locales, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Comoros, the Chagos Archipelago, India, Bangladesh, and the Cook Islands. Its hybrid cultivar 'Silver Queen' (with A. nitidum ) has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as a houseplant.
Photo: Kevin Faccenda, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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