Sparkling Sarah Plant Care

The sparkling Sarah plant, or Aglaonema sparkling Sarah plant, is a type of Chinese evergreen plant. These aglaonema sparkling Sarah are extremely easy to keep, and for many novice gardeners, out of all aglaonema plants, such as Silver queen or silver bay, this is the only one that is easy to care for and will add aesthetic value to your home.

Not only do they attract people outdoors, but they are ornamental plants indoors. Here is all you need to know about growing an aglaonema sparkling Sarah.

Appearance: Aglaonema sparkling Sarah plant

The aglaonema sparkling Sarah has a clumping growth, so the average plant has a height of either 1.5 feet or 4 feet. There are strips of different colors, such as pink, green, and yellow, on leaves. This stunning plant with lush foliage needs proper care to enhance the aglaonema emerald beauty. The dark green leaves of the aglaonema sparkling Sarah are around 6 and 8 inches long.

Origin of Sparkling Sarah Chinese evergreen plants

The sparkling Sarah plant originated from the swamps of tropical regions, and many other varieties of Chinese evergreens are found in rainforests of Asia and sometimes in New Guinea. To ensure that the aglaonema sparkling Sarah is taken care of, follow the factors below.

How To Care For Sparkling Sarah plant

Lighting: Bright Indirect Light or Direct Sun?

The Aglaonema sparkling Sarah needs a bright indirect light source for growth. Using a south-facing window for it may be useful if you are growing the aglaonema sparkling Sarah as an indoor plant.

Giving too much direct light can scorch the leaves, and the bright light can also make the foliage dry, and the plant may wilt and die.

On the other hand, a low light source can also be harmful because the plant may not grow at all; if you are in a windowless room like an office cubicle, then ensure it is under a fluorescent light source, and furthermore, add artificial growing light to give at least medium light conditions.

If you are growing these plants at home and in a pot, the morning sun is the ideal time to provide steady indirect light.

Soil For Sparkling sarah

The well-draining potting mixture is the best potting mix for growing an aglaonema sparkling sarah. Coco peat, peat moss, cow dung, perlite, or sand mixtures are also great additions to the soil.

The optimum pH for the sparkling sarah plant is to get a soil mildly acidic; the range should be somewhere around 6. The beautiful plant will be happy in acidic peat-based mixtures.

You can make a common houseplant mixture at home using vermiculite, peat moss, and perlite; this will increase the drainage in the soil, and aglaonema sparkling Sarah will thrive.

Humidity Required For Aglaonema plants

As the sparkling Sarah does not like low indirect light, it also does not survive in dry areas. The typical humidity level required for an aglaonema sparkling Sarah is around 65% because it is a tropical plant.

It may survive in some dry spells, but if you live in a place where the climate is rigidly dry for the year, then do not expect the sparkling sarah to survive outdoors.

As for indoors, you can raise the humidity of the surrounding; however, never let the plant sit in water for long.

Temperature Needed for Sparkling Sarah

Like low light, the aglaonema sparkling Sarah cannot survive in the cold. This is an extremely cold-tolerant plant. The plant will be severely affected if the temperature falls from 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The best range for the sparkling sarah aglaonema is between 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you live in USDA zones that have winters where temperatures fall beyond 60, then you cannot plant the aglaonema sparkling sarah outside. However, for indoor pots, you can raise the thermostat and regulate the heat, ensuring the plant thrives.

Since they are temperature sensitive, make sure the temperature around these plants never variates above 10 degrees.

Watering Routine for Sparkling Sarah

The watering routine of the sparkling Sarah is a bit tricky; the watering schedule must be set so that you never overwater or underwater the plant.

The topsoil of the plant must remain dry when the time comes to water it again, so ensure there are drainage holes at the pot’s base to drain excess water from the soil.

You might need to water more if the aglaonema sparkling Sarah is put in a well-lit bright light area; you can use your fingers to check if the upper half of the soil is dry enough or not.

On the contrary, if the sparkling Sarah is in low light, then wait for some time to let the soil dry. The artificial light conditions may not allow a dry-up completely in time, so set the schedule accordingly.

Watering depends on the weather and temperature of the area where the plant is; if the temperature is high and the weather is windy, the plant will dry easily. This is why you need to water regularly in the summertime.

Is A Balanced house plant fertilizer best for sparkling Sarah?

The aglaonema sparkling sarah needs a balanced house plant fertilizer in moderate amounts to thrive. Avoid over-fertilizing the aglaonema sparkling sarah, or else its baby roots will be harmed.

You can give mild doses two times a month if these are new plants. Also, never fertilize in winter because it is the sleeping phase of the aglaonema sparkling sarah, and the dormant plant does not require nutrients.

Common Issues With Growing Chinese evergreen sparkling plants

Over watering

The issue of overwatering rises when the plant is waterlogged in the soil. There is more than enough water in the soil that causes root rot.

Root rot occurs when the root ball does not get nutrients from the soil due to excessive water blocking access. This is why the leaves may droop, wilt, discolor, and fall off. Always use a medium-sized pot with drainage holes to avoid waterlogging.

The only way to get aglaonema sparkling sarah out of root rot is to eliminate all the affected parts from the root ball carefully.

Underwatering

The underwatering occurs when not enough water reaches the foliage. These beautiful plants would dry and then wilt due to underwatering. Since water does not reach the leaves, aglaonema sparkling sarah will die after drooping and curling.

Curling Leaves

The curling of leaves is the direct response of underwatering the curling of the aglaonema sparkling sarah happens when tertiary roots do not receive water, and then a well-grown plant dies. Instead of letting the sparkling sarah plant dry, try to water it regularly in summer.

If you see curling of leaves in winter, it could be probable from the temperature. As mentioned before, all the members of the aglaonema family do not tolerate cold, so even a few hours in the cold can make the plant leaves curl.

Yellow leaves of Sparkling sarah plant

Overfertilization, waterlogging, not enough light, underwatering, pest infestations, and temperature changes all affect the aglaonema sparkling sarah.

The care plant will get yellow leaves as a result of any of the mentioned issues. Sometimes the yellowing, drooping, and curling can also be due to the old age of the plant.

Pest attacks

Spider mites

Spider mites are one of the common pests that rarely attack the plant. However, when they do, use antibacterial or insecticidal soap in a spray bottle to spritz on the leaves so that all mites are dead.

Mealybugs

These white bugs can be seen easily on the leaf axils. The honeydew they leave on the leaves attract the other scales and insects, so it is important to get rid of this immediately because it reproduces in large quantity. You can make a solution that repels the bugs using mild dish detergent, cleaning solution, and oils like neem to mist on the plant. The cleaning solution has chemicals that are enough to kill an army of mealybugs.

FAQs

Can Water Propagation be successful for the Sparkling sarah plant?

There are several ways to divide a sparkling sarah. The safer and more common way for plant divisions and propagation is to grab a leaf by the root and yank it off the plant, then grow it in water.

For the first part, be careful when wiggling the shoot away; gently pull instead of ripping it off to prevent hurting the shoot when performing the technique.

Another method for separating the leaf from the stem is to use a cutting and pruning scissor.

The freshly split shoot should now be put into a glass jar with water. Freshwater should surround the shoot to the stem at a depth of around an inch.

Take care to keep the jar in a warm, humid location in the home until the plant’s roots emerge from the bottom.

These roots may not begin to grow for a few days because patience will be required throughout this time. Be careful to replenish the water as necessary to maintain it fresh and refreshing.

Upon noticing the roots growing at the bottom of the stem, you must now place the sparkling sarah plant in the potting mix in order for it to grow substantially.

Alternatively, one can grow the stem cuttings of aglaonema sparkling sarah in water as well.

What Shade of flowers blooms on the Sparkling sarah plant?

The sparkling sarah aglaonema usually has flowers of pink shade, yet there are white and some shades in between both colors as well.

Are these Chinese evergreens great air purifiers?

Yes, most people only get aglaonema sparkling sarah because they purify the air.

Are Sparkling sarah plants Toxic?

These plants are highly toxic to consume for both animals and humans. There are calcium oxalate crystals in the plant that can lead to ulceration inside the throat or, worse, diarrhea. So, always keep aglaonema plants away from kids and your pets.

How To Increase Humidity For sparkling sarah care?

A few houseplants grouped together can improve the air’s moisture content.

You can keep the right humidity level once again by only putting the pebble water tray underneath the container.

Put a pot above a tray filled with stones, then fill the plate with water; the level of water must be less than the stones. As evaporation occurs, the humidity will ascend to the surface and raise the air moisture content.

You could always take it a step further and purchase a humidifier.

Conclusion: Aglaonema sparkling sarah care

There are some pretty straight dos and don’ts for an aglaonema sparkling sarah plant that you must follow to keep the plant happy. The plant does not like low indirect light, it needs to be watered according to the temperature and humidity in the atmosphere. The atmosphere should have high humidity, and the temperature must not fall below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

As a house plant, any aglaonema species, whether it is sparkling sarah or aglaonema silver bay, must be kept out of the range of pets and children because it is a toxic plant but a great air purifier.