Where To Place Chinese Evergreen? (Ideal Spot+Tips For Placement)

Chinese evergreen is a tropical houseplant highly tolerant to different conditions. If you are thinking of getting a new Chinese evergreen plant for your house and don’t know where to place it, you are at the right place. 

In this article, we will discuss everything about where to place Chinese evergreen.

You can keep Chinese evergreen at any spot where it is a few feet away from the east or west-facing window that is covered with a sheer curtain. Use a humidifier to maintain ideal humidity and protect the plant from direct sun and cold drafts. Also, keep the plant away from furnace and Aircon.

You need to consider a few factors to find the ideal spot for your Chinese evergreen, such as proper lighting, correct temperature, humidity levels, etc.

You must protect this plant from low temperatures during winter. Since the Chinese evergreen is toxic, you should find the spot away from the reach of your children and pets. 

Unfavorable conditions can take a toll on your plant’s health. Therefore, considering the correct factors for the placement of your Chinese evergreen will save the plant from unnecessary stress. 

This article will help you identify the right living conditions for your Chinese evergreen and find the right spot according to that. So, keep reading.

Factors to consider for the placement of the Chinese evergreen

Although the Chinese evergreen can tolerate different conditions, you must provide the right ones to help it thrive. Let’s understand all the factors that come into play while deciding the correct place for your Chinese evergreen.

Light requirements of Chinese evergreen

Before you understand the light requirements of your Chinese evergreen, you must understand the different types of lights. There are mainly three types of lights: direct, indirect, and low light.

Direct sunlight means that your plant is receiving the direct intense rays of the sun. Most houseplants don’t prefer direct sunlight as it causes sunburns and scorches the leaves. Therefore, while looking for a place for your Chinese evergreen, you must ensure no direct sunlight.

Indirect sunlight is the ideal light for most houseplants, including Chinese evergreen. If you put a filter between the plant and the direct rays of the sun, the plant receives indirect light. 

If you move the plant a few feet away from the window, it gets less intense light, also called indirect light.

Try to find a spot with indirect light for your Chinese evergreen.

Now, let’s understand low light. When you place your Chinese evergreen in any corner of the house away from the window or other light sources, it receives low light. Chinese evergreens can survive in low light conditions.

However, without enough light, the rate of photosynthesis will reduce in the plant, and therefore, you might notice significantly slow growth or other problems.

You can place your Chinese evergreen near a bright window but use blinds or curtains to filter the direct sunlight. Or you can place the plant a few feet away from the window to protect it from direct sunlight.

Find a shady spot to place your Chinese evergreen outside the house. You can place it under a big tree to protect it from direct sunlight.

Also read: How Much Light Does A Chinese Evergreen Need? (Light Requirements)

Temperature tolerance of Chinese evergreen

Temperature plays a significant role while deciding the placement of the Chinese evergreen or any other houseplant. Tropical plants, including the Chinese evergreen, prefer high temperatures and do not react well to low temperatures.

The ideal temperature level for a Chinese evergreen is between 68-77°F. You must ensure that your Chinese evergreen receives such temperature levels where you place it.

Chinese evergreens can tolerate temperatures up to 55°F, but anything below that will become unfavorable for them. Exposing the plant to unfavorable temperatures for too long will cause many problems for the plant.

During winter, the temperatures tend to go down significantly, and you must keep your Chinese evergreen safe during those times.

You can keep them in a room with a fireplace or radiator to provide warmth, but you must not keep the plant too close to any heating source.

Keeping the Chinese evergreen too close to heating sources can burn the leaves and dehydrate the plant. Keep your Chinese evergreen at least a few feet away from them.

Also, keep in mind these points:

• Avoid placing the Chinese evergreen outside when the temperatures go below 55°F. If it is placed outside, bring it inside when temperatures fall.
• Never keep your Chinese evergreen near a frosty window.
• Don’t expose the plant to temperature fluctuations by keeping it near doors or windows opened and closed frequently.
• Keep the Chinese evergreen away from cold and hot drafts.

Humidity requirements of Chinese evergreen

Chinese evergreens come from tropical regions of Asia, where they receive ample humidity. Providing as high humidity as those areas will not be possible for you indoors.

Since Chinese evergreen is a hardy and tolerant plant, it can tolerate low humidity levels. However, you must not let the humidity levels drop below 50%.

There are many effective ways of increasing the humidity for your Chinese evergreen. Many people like to mist their Chinese evergreen, but it is not the best to provide humidity.

You can place your Chinese evergreen in the kitchen or bathroom as these rooms are more humid than the other rooms. Make sure that these rooms provide the ideal living conditions for your Chinese evergreen.

• You can also install a humidifier and keep your Chinese evergreen near it to increase the humidity around the plant.
• You can place your Chinese evergreen near an aquarium if you have one. The water evaporating from the aquarium will provide humidity to the plant.
• You can group your Chinese evergreen with other tropical plants that require high humidity. These plants will transpire and increase the humidity around the area.
• Prepare a pebble tray by adding pebbles to a tray and then pouring water into it. Place the Chinese evergreen on the pebbles. When the water evaporates from the tray, the humidity around the plant will increase.

Also read: Should I Mist My Chinese Evergreen? (+Humidity Guide)

Chinese evergreen indoor placement guide

Let’s discuss all the potential spots that you might find for your Chinese evergreen inside the house and what you need to keep in mind about them.

Near a window

A window brings sunlight into the house and makes an ideal spot for houseplants. However, you might not receive the same amount and type of sunlight from every window.

The direction of the window can determine how much and the type of light your Chinese evergreen gets.

An east-facing window will get the sunlight during the morning. However, itis will not be sufficient for the plant as the sun will move away when the day progresses.

A west-facing window will get the intense afternoon sunlight later in the day. This will neither be sufficient nor suitable for your Chinese evergreen as the afternoon rays tend to be intense.

However, south-facing windows will be ideal as these will get sufficient light throughout the day. You can place your Chinese evergreen some feet away from the window or use a curtain to filter the direct sunlight.

One more critical factor is the size of the window. A big window will allow more light to enter the house, whereas a small window will allow less light.

If you think your Chinese evergreen is not getting enough light from the window, you can use artificial lights.

You must keep your Chinese evergreen away from the frosty windows during the colder months. Even if you keep the plant near the window, you can close the window to stop any cold damage.

In the bathroom

These days many people like to keep plants in the bathroom. Since bathrooms get a lot of humidity, it becomes suitable for tropical plants such as the Chinese evergreen.

If your bathroom has a window, you can place your Chinese evergreen near the window. It will also do well under the artificial light available in the bathroom.

However, avoid splashing water on the leaves or the soil as that can cause pest infestation, fungal diseases, or overwatering.

In the kitchen

Did you know you can place your Chinese evergreen in the kitchen? These plants are tolerant to low light and artificial lights, so they do well in the kitchen.

While placing the Chinese evergreen in the kitchen, keep it away from the oven. The heat of the oven can make the plant dry.

Kitchens have more humidity than many other rooms, so your Chinese evergreen will remain happy there. You can place the Chinese evergreen near a kitchen window also.

In the bedroom

Chinese evergreen is an excellent air-purifying plant that makes it ideal for your bedroom. Having this plant will remove toxins from the air and make the air of your bedroom cleaner.

Having a beautiful plant like the Chinese evergreen can also reduce stress and make the bedroom feel alive.

Since Chinese evergreen can tolerate low light, you can keep it in the bedroom even if the room doesn’t get enough light.

You need to remember that you must keep the Chinese evergreen away from the direct air of the AC as it can dry out the leaves, leaving the plant dehydrated.

Away from pets and children

Chinese evergreen plants are toxic to pets and humans. These plants contain calcium oxalate crystals that make them poisonous.

If your child or pets touch the plant, they can experience skin and oral irritation. If they ingest any part of the Chinese evergreen, they can develop other internal issues.

Your pets may experience vomiting, diarrhea, swelling around the lips and on the tongue and mouth. If they consume the plant in a large quantity, they can develop breathing issues also.

You must contact a vet if your pet ingests a Chinese evergreen. But when you are deciding the place for the plant, make sure to find a spot that is not reachable by your pets or children.

Away from the fireplace

Since Chinese evergreen is a tropical plant, it prefers warm conditions, and many hobbyists consider placing their Chinese evergreen near the fireplace to keep it warm.

However, that is not correct. You should keep your Chinese evergreen away from the fireplace, radiator, heater, or other heating sources.

The heat coming from the heating sources can damage the foliage, dry out the soil, and dehydrate the plant.

If you want to provide warmth to your Chinese evergreen, keep the plant a few feet away from the fireplace so that it receives enough warmth without undergoing any damage.

The temperature of the room

Before you decide on a place for your Chinese evergreen, determine the room’s temperature by using a thermometer.

If the temperatures are around 68-77°F, your Chinese evergreen will not have any issues, but it will become challenging for the plant if the temperatures are lower than that.

If the room gets consistent temperatures suitable for your Chinese evergreen plant, it will thrive, but if the room experiences temperature fluctuations, the Chinese evergreen will get stressed.

Also, keep the Chinese evergreen protected from hot or cold drafts.

Where do you put Chinese evergreens?

You can sum up the whole placement process with the following steps:

• A south-facing window that gets enough light is ideal for the Chinese evergreen.
• You can keep the Chinese evergreen a few feet away or use curtains to filter the direct sunlight.
• Ensure that the temperatures are between 68-77°F wherever you place the Chinese evergreen.
• You can place the Chinese evergreen in the bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen if the conditions are favorable for the plant.
• Keep the surrounding of your Chinese evergreen humid with the help of a humidifier or by grouping it with other moisture-loving plants.
• Keep the Chinese evergreen away from your children and pets as it is toxic for both.
• Protect the plant from frost and low temperatures during winter.
• Keep your Chinese evergreen away from cold and hot drafts.
• Keep the Chinese evergreen at least a few feet away from the fireplace, radiator, heater, etc.
• Don’t keep the Chinese evergreen directly opposite to the AC, as the air can make the plant dry.

Besides the points mentioned above, you must maintain the proper watering schedule, fertilize the plant with a well-balanced fertilizer in the growing season and change the care routine during winter.

Keeping the Chinese evergreen in the right place will allow the plant to thrive with all the ideal living and growing conditions. 

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Reference: Wikipedia, Nasa clean air study, Missouri Botanical Garden, The University of Kansas, NC State University.