Pothos is arguably one among the simplest houseplants to grow, albeit you’re someone who forgets to water your plants often enough. This trailing vine, native to the Solomon Islands within the South Pacific , boasts pointed, heart-shaped green leaves that are sometimes variegated with white, yellow, or pale green striations.
Pothos are often planted or attended indoors throughout the whole year and can grow quickly, often adding between 12 and 18 inches of length a month. While pothos likes bright, indirect like, it also can thrive in areas that don’t get tons of sunlight or only have fluorescent lighting, making it a superb option for locations like offices and dorm rooms.
Botanical Name | Epipremnum aureum |
Common Name | Pothos, golden pothos, devil’s vine, devil’s ivy |
Plant Type | Vine |
Mature Size | 20–40 ft. long, 3–6 ft. wide |
Sun Exposure | Full sun, partial shade |
Soil Type | Moist but well-drained |
Soil pH | Neutral to acidic |
Bloom Time | Does not flower |
Flower Color | Does not flower |
Hardiness Zones | 10–12 (USDA) |
Native Areas | South Pacific |
Toxicity | Toxic to dogs and cats |
Pothos Care
Pothos vines don’t hold close trellises and supports on their own (like ivy might), but they will be trained onto supports to offer the looks of twining. As indoor plants, pothos specimens up to 30 feet long are common, though most are kept at a way shorter length. If you select to let your pothos grow into an extended vine, it are often secured on hooks along walls and over window frames. Vines left to grow on their own can get very tangled, so shake them loose every now then to stay them from becoming a multitude .
Caring for a pothos plant is extremely easy and they’re pretty tolerant of neglect and growing environments that aren’t totally ideal. additionally , pothos is typically pest-free. However, they will occasionally get infested with mealybugs—insecticidal soap works against them, but the simplest method is to easily dab the insects with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab.Volume 90% 1:41
Watch Now: the way to Easily Grow and look after Pothos
Light
When grown indoors, pothos prefers bright but indirect light. varicolored plants sometimes lose their leaf pattern and revert to all-green plants if they don’t get enough light—moving them to brighter conditions usually restores the variegation. Suddenly paler-looking leaves mean the plant is getting an excessive amount of sun.
Soil
Pothos plants thrive in ordinary, well-draining potting soil. Soil pH is additionally not of consequence to the plant, and it can thrive during a range of conditions, from neutral to acidic.
Water
Pothos wish to have their soil dry out completely between waterings. If left in continually damp soil, the plant’s roots will rot. Black spots on the leaves (or the sudden collapse of the plant) indicate that the soil has been kept too wet. Let the plant tell you when to water—when it starts to droop, it needs an honest drink. However, don’t wait until the leaves start to shrivel otherwise you will lose some leaves. Dry, brown edges mean the plant was kept dry too long.
Temperature and Humidity
Pothos should be kept in temperatures that are consistently above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, though they most appreciate a standard temperature that hovers between 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Additionally, pothos plants like high humidity, so you’ll increase the moisture within the air round the plant by housing it during a typically-humid area of the house , like a kitchen or bathroom. Still, the plant is extremely tolerant and may thrive even where there’s low humidity, so there’s no got to invest during a space humidifier or attend extreme measures.
Fertilizer
Pothos plants aren’t heavy feeders, but since there are typically no nutrients in most potting soils, you’ll feed monthly to bi-monthly with any balanced houseplant fertilizer to extend their nutrition.
Is Pothos Toxic?
Though a gorgeous indoor plant, pothos is toxic to pets like cats and dogs if ingested, so consider keeping the plants out of reach of your animals or choosing a special varietal if you’ve got especially curious critters.
Still poisoning from pothos is never fatal and typically only leads to mild oral irritation. the difficulty lies within the insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that, once they are available contact with moisture from the mouth, can cause a problem . If you notice your pet exhibiting any of the below symptoms, contact your vet immediately.
Symptoms of Poisoning
- Eye irritation
- Mouth irritation
- Tongue swelling or irritation
- Foaming at the mouth
- Trouble swallowing
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Pawing at face, mouth, or eyes
Pothos Varieties
Many varieties of pothos are developed with differing types of leaf variegation, with white, yellow, or light green patches interrupting the predominant deep green. There also are cultivars with leaves that are solid light green. Some recommended pothos cultivars include:
- “Marble Queen”: A varietal with an exceptionally attractive white-and-green variegated pattern. it’ll need more light than most pothos so as to take care of its unique coloring.
- “Pearls and Jade”: This varietal is additionally white and green, but rather than striping, the colors show up within the sort of small dots.
- “Neon”: A bright chartreuse variety, these pothos need less light and is great for darker spaces.
- “Silver Satin”: This varietal has thick gray-green leaves with silver splotches. it’s very tolerant of drought and low-light conditions.
Potting and Repotting Pothos
Eventually, your pothos will become pot-bound. When the leaves droop, regardless of what proportion or often you water them, that’s a sure sign that the roots have probably filled the pot. Carefully lift the plant and check to ascertain if this is often the matter . When the plant has reached this stage, you’ll re-pot it during a container one or two sizes larger, crammed with fresh potting soil.
Propagating Pothos
Pothos is definitely propagated just by taking stem cuttings and rooting them in water or in potting soil. Once cuttings in water have sprouted new roots, move them into the soil as soon as possible in order that they can begin getting nutrients.