Summer Blakeley: What’s an Aroid?

Aroids are from the family Araceae and include many common
houseplants like aglaonemas, monsteras, philodendrons, pothos and ZZ plants. While
these plants tend to be “low light” indoor plants, they’re often understory
plants in the wild.

Aroids come in all different sizes from the extra-large
corpse flower to the desk-sized peace lily. You can usually spot them by their
colorful, spiky blossoms. Each aroid blossom is made up of numerous tiny
flowers clustered together on a “spadix,” that’s found within a curved,
leaf-like “spathe.”

Some aroids have special talents, like being able to generate
their own heat or being propagated in water. This family has long been
swamp-dwellers that were able to adapt to regular floods, one of the reasons
they’re an easy-care houseplant.

Many of these plants have waxy roots and leaves that prevent
the plants from absorbing too much water. If you do choose to root your aroid
in water for an extended period of time, remember that the longer they do, the
harder it will be for them to adapt to soil conditions.

Many aroids have the same preferences, so they do well
grouped together and make for easy beginner plants. These plants prefer medium
light but will tolerate low light. Too much direct sun can cause them to get
sunburn. They should be watered about once a week, allowing the top 1-2” of
potting mix to dry out in between waterings.

The easiest aroids
for new plant parents

Peace Lilly

The peace lily is an essential houseplant. Not only does it have
stunning green foliage, but if given enough light, classic lily blooms will
flower. They have air cleansing and cooling abilities, making them perfect as
part of your air-cooling
house plant team. Peace lilies prefer medium to low light and well-drained
soil. For quality potting soil and houseplant success, try Espoma’s
Organic Potting Mix. The biggest danger with peace lilies, and
most plants, is over watering. The peace lily is a hardy, forgiving
plant that will let you know when it needs water. It has a telltale droop to
signal it’s thirsty. It will pop back up as soon as it gets the water it
desires.

ZZ Plant

This is one tough houseplant! It can survive with only
florescent lights and no natural light. Don’t worry if you forget to water it,
it may start to drop some of its leaflets to conserve the water left and will
rebloom after a good drink.

Monstera

Known as the split leaf philodendron, the
foliage on this plant is striking. Being a tropical variety, this plant can
survive lower light and higher humidity. It has large, lush, dark green foliage
that stands out against a blank wall, making it one of the most popular plants
of the year. Keep it near a window with indirect light and watch it grow.

Aglaonema

Also known
as the Chinese evergreen, this houseplant can come in colors from deep green to
silver to red. It is slow
growing, with large, narrow and glossy oval foliage. When deciding where to
put your aglaonema, keep in mind the lighter the variegation, the more light it
needs. So if you’d prefer dark green foliage, it can thrive in low light. Water
when the top two inches of soil are dry and add humidity by surrounding ags
with other houseplants in the summertime or set pot on top of a saucer layered
with stones and water. Use Espoma’s
Indoor! liquid plant food during the growing season to give it the
nutrients it needs.

Looking for more easy care houseplants? Check out Garden Answer’s
favorite low light houseplants!