Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah, a Chinese evergreen, is an indoor plant that comes from Asia and New Guinea.
In this article, you will discover everything you need to know about this Chinese evergreen plant, including its looks, its height and leaves, and its care requirements when it comes to light, water, temperature, potting mix, and repotting.
You will also find out how to propagate your Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah and how to deal with the pests that may affect the plant.
The Aglaonema sparkling Sarah plant is a genus of plants in the araceae family.
This semi-tropical plant is chosen by many gardeners due to its low maintenance and easy care.
Once you know everything about this houseplant, you will be able to help your Sarah Chinese evergreen grow healthy and sparkle!
Let’s get started!
What Does The Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah Look Like?
The pastel pink vein-like patterns on the Sarah Chinese evergreen leaves are one of the main reasons this houseplant deserves a place in your home. It is also a really great size for house decoration.
Its width ranges between 24 to 36 inches.
Average Height
The Aglaonema sparkling Sarah plant can grow up to 4 feet tall.
The most important thing is that your Chinese evergreen sparkling Sarah grows healthily.
What Do The Leaves Look Like?
The leaves are dark green and have pastel pink colored patterns.
Variegated leaves with pastel pink splashes make the Sparkling Sarah simply stunning.
How to take care of an Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah
Photo from: @therootedbeauty
This house plant would make a great addition to your home because of its easy care requirements.
It may be easy, but still it needs some care in order to avoid any complications.
These care requirements include light, watering, temperature, potting mix, and repotting.
Light Requirements
Although there may be a perfect spot in your home for this awesome plant, beginners would often think to put it under a window, but bear in mind that light plays a great role in the healthy growth of a Sparkling Sarah.
There are different light levels, and each of them has a different impact on the Aglaonema sparkling Sarah plant.
Exposing your Sparkling Sarah to direct sunlight may not be a good idea. Direct sun could cause damage to the leaves of this beautiful plant.
If you are in doubt about whether to use bright indirect or low light, you should definitely choose bright indirect light. Let’s look at why that’s so.
Low light will turn your plant leggy, and I’m sure that you don’t want to risk spoiling the appearance of your Sparkling Sarah.
Bright indirect light will help your plant to grow and sparkle even more, if that’s even possible!
This ideal light level is present approximately 6 feet away from the window. Not only will you avoid direct sunlight in this way, you will also ensure the plant gets enough bright indirect light.
Variegation can only be preserved by adding some extra light to this Chinese evergreen plant.
Fluorescent Light
Another very important fact about the Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah is that it even grows in fluorescent light.
Because these houseplants can grow in fluorescent light, they make for perfect indoor house plants.
You may have already heard about the negative impacts of direct fluorescent light, and this also applies to the Sparkling Sarah. Move your plant at least 6 feet away from the source of fluorescent light to avoid complications.
Ensuring these lighting conditions will result in the healthy growth of your Sparkling Sarah plant.
Watering
Plant care, of course, includes watering. Factors that affect watering are soil, light level, and temperature.
As with every other houseplant, the Sarah Chinese evergreen requires a watering schedule.
Read on to find some care tips for watering, including when to water your plants.
Tips for watering
• First you should check if it’s time to water your plant. Take a look at the soil, and if you notice that it’s dry on top and wet on the bottom, you should consider watering it
• Pay attention to the light level. This can help you to detect if it’s time to water your Sarah Chinese evergreen. If the light is bright, you should water more often and not let the soil dry completely. On the other hand, if the light is low, the soil has to dry completely before watering
• Another factor that affects the watering schedule is temperature. Higher temperatures increase the need for water
Watering schedule
• During spring and summer when temperatures are higher, only water once or twice a week
• During fall and winter when temperatures are lower, only water every two to three weeks
Stick to these rules to avoid overwatering or underwatering.
Overwatering could cause root rot and permanently damage an Aglaonema sparkling Sarah plant.
On the other hand, underwatering may not cause damage, but it’s better not to leave the plant without water for too long.
The watering schedule plays maybe the biggest role in plant care. Observe your Chinese evergreen sparkling Sarah to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Temperature Requirements
As tropical plants, sparkling Sarah plants adore warmth. The perfect temperature for their healthy growth ranges from 60°F up to 80°F.
Try to imitate their natural habitat by adjusting your room temperature to this range.
If the temperature drops, it may cause the plant to freeze.
Even though you may expect tropical plants to need heat, try to avoid overheating because it can damage the leaves.
Avoid heat sources and cold, but keep it warm enough so that your beautiful plant stays that way!
Humidity level
An average humidity level will contribute to the healthy growth of your Chinese evergreen.
As they are tropical plants, we expect them to enjoy high humidity levels, but that is not completely the case. They can actually thrive even in dry places, so the best thing would be to stick to average humidity levels.
Be careful, though, because if the aglaonema sparkling sarah is placed in too dry an environment, it could affect its growth.
In order to keep moisture levels adequate, you can try misting during dry periods using a spray bottle.
You can also try using a shallow dish or tray filled with pebbles. Place this houseplant on top of the dish or tray so the water evaporates and causes the moisture level to improve and increase humidity.
If you are not sure about moisture and humidity levels, you can always buy a humidifier.
Humidity can also increase if you put a few plants next to each other
Which potting mix should be used?
The best potting mix you can use is one that is well-draining and contains a mixture based on peat with perlite or sand.
Peat moss retains the nutrients that dissolve in water needed for healthy growth.
Perlites help the plant because they help retain and drain water and improve air circulation. An alternative to perlite is sand.
Different plants require different potting mix, for example Philodendron, Pothos, or Succulent mix are all different.
That is why you should use a potting mix that meets the requirements of Aglaonema sparkling Sarah like aroid soil mix.
The ideal pH level ranges from 6.1 to 6.5. This range indicates a slight acidity. If the acidity of the soil isn’t regulated, you can always add some extra peat moss.
Repotting Of Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah Plant
The Chinese evergreen sparkling Sarah should be repotted every two to three years.
Always consider purchasing a pot with drainage holes to avoid clogged air spaces in the soil mix if you accidentally over water your plant.
A middle-sized or larger pot is the best way to go.
Of course, you can use the old pot, but make sure to replace the old potting mix with a new fresh one to avoid any complications if you do.
The Propagation Of Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah
Photo from: @pothosiblyaboutplants
One of the best things about sparkling Sarah’s is the fact that they can be propagated.
You can propagate using three methods: root division, propagation in water, and propagation by cutting.
When is the best time to propagate? You can either propagate in the middle of summer or in spring.
Read on to find out how to use each propagation method.
Propagate the plant by root division
Root division is when you separate clumps.
You will need:
• Gloves (actually you need to use gloves whenever you are touching the plant, read on to see why)
• A sterilized sharp blade or knife
• A new pot
• Water
This process of propagations should follow this pattern:
• Take the plant out of the pot and shake off the soil so you can see the rootball
• Separate the roots in the root ball
• Secondary and tertiary roots should be cut using the sterilized sharp blade or knife
• Fill another pot with potting mix that consists of coco peat and cow dung (1:4)
• Take plantlets and put them in another pot. Pay close attention to their distance, which should range from 2 to 3 inches
• Water the soil, but be careful not to drench it
• Place the pot somewhere with low indirect light
After completing this process, wait between a month and a half and two months so the roots can develop.
Now you can replant the mini aglaonema sparkling Sarahs into your desired pot and place it wherever you like.
New plants and new leaves will grow!
Propagation the Plant In Water
Another way to propagate this Chinese evergreen is by using water.
You will need:
• Gloves
• A glass jar
If you want to propagate in water, do the following:
• Take the plant out of the pot and shake off the soil so you can see the rootball
• Separate the roots in the root ball
• Secondary and tertiary roots should be cut using a sterilized sharp blade or knife
• Fill half of the glass jar with water
• Place the roots in the jar
• Place the jar somewhere with low indirect light
• Wait for between a month and a half and two months before replanting the roots
Caution! In order to avoid contamination, change the water once a week.
After replanting, stick to the watering schedule provided in the watering section above.
Propagation By Cutting
Cutting refers to the cutting of stems.
You will need:
• Gloves
• Sterilized shears
• New potting mix
• Water
This is the simplest way to propagate, simply follow these steps:
• With sterilized shears, cut off preferably older stems (cuttings should be between 5 and 8 inches in size)
• Take new potting mix and plant the cuttings in the potting mix with a good drainage system (plant the cuttings approximately 3 inches in the soil)
• Water the cuttings
• Place the cuttings somewhere with low indirect light
• Wait a month and a half before replanting the cuttings
Here’s a video if you prefer a visual representation:
Read on to see what may have a bad effect on an Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah plant.
Pests that may affect Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah
Photo from: @thelongevitygarden
Pests that may affect Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah include scale insects, spider mites, and mealy bugs.
Scale insects look like shell bumps. They affect the undersides of the leaves and stem.
Spider mites will cause the appearance of tiny spots on the leaves that can be either white or brown.
Finally, if you notice any cotton-like changes on your plant, it may be suffering from a mealy bugs infestation. These bugs are tiny and white and their presence on your plant can be easily spotted.
How to remove pests from the plant
I am sure you are wondering how to get rid of scales because you don’t want any harm to come to your Chinese evergreen. Rubbing is the best choice for their removal. You can use either a soft sponge or swab. Dip them in the rubbing alcohol and rub the plant gently.
How to get rid of spider mites: mix alcohol and water, dip in cloth, and gently rub the leaves. You can also use dish soap. Make a mixture that contains dish soap and water, dip the cloth in it, and gently rub the leaves.
If you want to remove mealybugs, you can use rubbing alcohol and dish soap. Mix it together and spray over the mealy bugs.
Fortunately, there aren’t many pests that affect this Chinese evergreen plant.
Even though the pests mentioned above may affect your plant, they can be easily removed.
The resistance to different diseases that affect other plants is another great reason to purchase an aglaonema sparkling sarah.
Low maintenance along with easy care is one of the main reasons this Chinese evergreen has become one of the most popular houseplants.
Caution: Toxicity
The aglaonema sparkling Sarah plant is toxic due to the presence of toxin calcium oxalate crystal on the leaves.
Try to keep young children and pets away from plants. If they accidentally ingest the leaves, their gastrointestinal tract may be affected.
The consequences of ingestion include diarrhea, nausea, and ulcers of the mouth and throat.
You can protect yourself by using gloves when touching the plant.
FAQs
What is the lifespan of a sparkling Sarah?
The Sparkling Sarah is a perennial, which means they live a long time if you take good care of them.
What are aglaonema plants good for?
Aglaonema plants are air purifiers, which means that they remove toxic gasses like benzene and formaldehyde. They also absorb Carbon dioxide during the night.
How does Aglaonema grow?
Aglaonema grows slowly under the right conditions and thrives in bright indirect light.
To wrap up
The Aglaonema sparkling sarah, with its beautiful dark green and pastel pink colored vein-like patterns, will look great in your home.
Take proper care using the tips above and you Aglaonema Sarah will sparkle even more!
Until next time!
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