A chinese evergreen's leaves will be a lot more narrow than a dief's.

Try going to yahoo or google an click the image tab. Type in dieffenbachia and you'll see a bunch of pictures. Do the same for the chinese evergreen (aglaonema).

Amanda

There are so many new hybrids of both, with narrow and wide leaves, that it is very hard to tell the difference any more. Do the google image search as suggested - that's how I verify ID's on most plants.

I had no idea about the new hybrids...

Hope4, can you post a picture? Maybe someone will be able to identify it.

The silver markings you describe sound much more like characteristics of an Aglaonema than a Dieffenbachia. If it's a large silver "spread" down the center, it may be Aglaonema 'Silver Bay'. A picture really would help narrow down the ID.

GH

I agree with growhappy: silver almost certainly means Aglaonema.

There may or may not be the precise cultivar in question at the linked site (actually you'd have to click on "Aglaonema" and on "Dieffenbachia" to get to the pictures), but it has several of each, and you might get lucky, or at least see enough to be pretty sure one way or the other. Another good place for Aglaonema pictures specifically (they don't seem to carry Dieffenbachias) is:

http://www.specimenhouse.com/photo%20links.htm

Which might be able to help by process of elimination.

Alternately, you could play it safe and give the new plant care that would work for either: water when the top inch to half-inch is dry, bright indirect light but no sun at all, no cold temperatures (never below 60F), slightly above-normal humidity. Dieffenbachias will handle more light than that, Aglaonemas can go drier, cooler, and lower-humidity than that, but there's your happy medium if you don't want to mess with proper identification.

Here is a link that might be useful: Aroids ID

Okay...
Here are some pics of "Curly." Thanks to everyone for trying to help me! Hopefully, one of you will know for sure after seeing his pic...
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It's an Aglaonema.

Exactly which cultivar, I'm not sure, but it looks more or less like Aglaonema 'Diamond Bay,' Aglaonema 'Key Largo,' and Agalaonema 'Pattaya Beauty.'

So does anybody know why the new leaves look washed out? Is that normal or am I doing something wrong?

The new leaves are often a paler green at first. If they don't darken up, it's probably because they are growing in lower light than the plant was in when it grew it's original leaves.

Hope, together with watergal's suggestion for light levels, check also for insects. For example, when spider mites set up shop on a plant, the leaves will appear washed-out. It might not be a pest invasion at all but it doesn't hurt to check.

I really hope it's not insects! What should I look for? I don't see anything obvious on him...

Hope, I didn't meant to alarm you! LOL... It may not be that at all. But I always check my plants when the leaves don't look right...just in case. And since you just brought this baby home, a thorough inspection wouldn't hurt.

To check for spider mites, here's a simple, quick method:

Place a blank, white piece of paper under a leaf of your plant and shake, shake, shake or tap, tap, tap the selected foliage. Small specks of dust and debris will fall onto the paper. Get up close and personal with the fallen debris on the paper and watch carefully (make sure the lighting is good where you view the sheet). Dust and dirt donÂt move but mites do! If spider mites are present, you will see tiny specks moving across the paper. Check more than one leaf, even healthy ones, to make sure your plant is mite-free. This simple but useful method is a technique that helps detect the presence of mites that canÂt be otherwise seen by the naked eye. You can also check the plantÂs leaves, stems, axils, etc, for fine webbing, which is a sure sign of mite infestation.

Again, this is just a precaution! And it's good to rule out any pests for your plant's sake.