Question
I received a houseplant and am unsure what it is and therefore also unsure how to care for it.
It has shiny leaves approx. 10" long.  They are silver green except for green variations along the outsides of the leaves.  The undersides of the leaves are med. green.  There appears to be a lily type stamen starting to come out of one of the stems.  
The florist said it was a Aglaonema, however, in looking on the internet for care, it appears these do not flower.  I found the Spathiphyllum online which also looks likes like my plant.  However, I have been unable to find anything w/ these colored leaves.
I'm confused now how to best care for the plant since Aglaomema and Spathiphyllum are cared for differently.
Can you help me?

Answer
Hi Denise,

Both Aglaonema and Spathiphyllum have dozens of hybrid varieties, each with different leaf characteristics. Although there a few variegated Spathiphyllum varieties, most are all-green, so I suspect yours is an Aglaonema hybrid.

Both have somewhat similar flowers, but the Aglaonema flower is much smaller (under 6 inches, including flower stem) and the hood never really opens as the Spath flower does.

I hope that helps you ID your plant. If not, is it possible for you to send a photo to me at my address below?

Once we have an ID, I will he happy to also provide care instructions for you. In the interim, don't do anything drastic like repotting!

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

If this information has been helpful, please remember to give me an AllExperts rating and nomination.