Scientific name: aglaonema (shining thread). Common name: chinese evergreen, philippine evergreen, poison dart plant. Origin: tropical and subtropical asia and new guinea. Light: likes bright, indirect light; too little or too much natural light and you may lose the variegation, with the leaves becoming more green or more red/pink respectively- so keep an eye out for this as your plant acclimatises! Water: allow the top third of the soil to dry out in between waters. Humidity: average household humidity is fine; keep an eye out for leaf browning which indicates too dry air. Will benefit from an occasional mist or hose down to keep it free of dust. Soil: use a coarse, well-draining soil and repot every couple of years as it grows. Food: feed every four waters in the growing season, reduce to every six in autumn and winter. Temperature: ideally likes room temperatures of 18-26°c. Sprouts top tips: always water with lukewarm water, and let tapwater stand for 24 hours before using it. If y