I have two calathea: a rattlesnake and another variety. The latter has bloomed at the base with these fragrant little flowers. So I have this other plant that I could swear had calathea on the label, but I bought it years ago and threw out the original container that had the sticker.

The leaves have patterns on top and are solid green underneath. It just started to bloom for the first time. I don't know what's going on around here - I just had a mother-in-law's tongue bloom for the first time ever, which from what I read is probably a sign I don't have a green thumb.

So what is concerning me now is the bloom on this mystery plant reminds me of a peace lily. I own a cat. I don't think this is a peace lily plant, but I want to be sure of exactly what it is. My cat leaves the plants alone but I'm aware on peace lilies that even the pollen shaken off is deadly toxic to them.

Here are some pics of the plant, leaves, and the bloom.

Hi gardenSue,

Your plant is Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum) which is in the same family of plants as Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) Philodendron, Anthurium, etc.; all parts of the plant are toxic to both dogs and cats.

Wow, thank you so much for helping me identify this one! I used to keep the little inserts with the info but this one had it as a sticker on the original container. Perhaps they labeled it wrong or my memory is kaput. I have an older cat and she has always left my plants alone, which is a blessing since my last one used to always be nibbling on things. WIth that, I'll cut the bloom off to be on the safe side. The plant itself sits on a high shelf. I appreciate your help!

plantladylin said:Hi gardenSue,

Your plant is Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum) which is in the same family of plants as Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) Philodendron, Anthurium, etc.; all parts of the plant are toxic to both dogs and cats.

• Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum)
• By plantladylin

I saw this post and was surprised to find that I had the same plant and was also never quite sure what it was! My grandma gave it to me about 10 years ago and said it was a peace lily, but it didn't seem to match the peace lilies I saw in the garden centers. Thanks so much for the positive ID!

@WhistlingWisteria Emma, you are very welcome. The Chinese Evergreen is in the Araceae family of plants, the same family as the Peace Lily, Anthurium Philodendron, etc. They all have the similar flower structure, consisting of a spathe and spadix.

This is a great comparison, thanks for providing it! Mine is currently blooming and I love the little cups that it forms