How to Grow and Care for Glacier Pothos

A cultivator of the popular marble queen pothos, the glacier pothos (Epipremnum aureum 'Glacier') is a dainty pothos variety with oval-shaped leaves and stunning green and white colors. The glacier pothos is a hardy, low-maintenance houseplant that prefers partial sun and standard household conditions. As with all pothos plants, the glacier pothos is considered toxic to pets.

Glacier Pothos Care

Perfect for plant novices and experts alike, the glacier pothos is as easy to keep alive as it is pretty. If you’ve cared for any other type of pothos, you will have no problem with this variegated cultivator. Here are the most important things to do for the glacier pothos to thrive.

• Place in a window that receives partial sun exposure.
• Irrigate semi-regularly, allowing the soil to dry between waterings.
• Fertilize once a month during the growing season.
• Be patient, as it can be relatively slow-growing compared to its relatives in the Pothos family.

Light

This pothos appreciates plenty of bright light. A location that receives several hours of bright, indirect light is ideal, although the glacier pothos can also do well in medium light. While many pothos varieties thrive in low light, this is not one of them. Due to its highly variegated leaves, the glacier pothos will become leggy and lose its variegation if it does not receive enough light.

Soil

Glacier pothos should be planted in a soil mix that is well-draining but still retains some moisture. A 1:1 mixture of organic and mineral components will help to achieve this balance.

Mix a combination of equal parts indoor potting soil and perlite. While most indoor potting soil has some perlite, adding more before planting your glacier pothos will ensure that the soil doesn’t compact over time and provides plenty of drainage to the plant’s roots.

Water

Let the top 2 to 3 inches of soil dry out between waterings, then water well. This pothos enjoys regular watering but is drought tolerant and should be allowed to dry slightly between waterings to prevent root rot. Always ensure that you allow any excess water to drain from the pot’s drainage holes during each watering, which will also help protect against overwatering and root rot.

Temperature and Humidity

Pothos are native to warm, humid environments and do best in temperatures between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 24 degrees Celsius). This makes them well-suited to indoor growing, and the glacier pothos is no exception.

Glacier pothos are not frost-tolerant plants and should be kept away from any windows that are cold or drafty during the winter months to protect them from going into shock.

For the most part, standard indoor humidity levels are fine for the glacier pothos, although it will flourish if provided with added humidity. This plant makes a great bathroom plant due to the naturally humid conditions in most bathrooms, or you can place a small humidifier close to the plant.

Fertilizer

During the active growing season, the glacier pothos appreciate regular fertilization to help support strong, healthy growth. Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month during the spring and summer for best results. Stop fertilizing during the fall and winter when the plant is no longer actively growing.

How to Identify Glacier Pothos

Among its identifying characteristics, glacier pothos have smaller, heart-shaped leaves than other pothos. In contrast to the N'Joy and pearls and jade pothos, the glacier pothos has a silvery-green hue instead of creamy or whitish.

They are most often confused with pothos N'Joy. To tell them apart, N'Joy has more oval-shaped leaves with less rounded tips and two leaf textures to its leaves—smooth, waxy leaf tops with a leathery underside.

N'Joy has a white background with dark green variegation, while glacier pothos has silver coloration that is streakier and more blotchy than N'Joy, which has more dominant green. Sizewise, N'Joy grows much taller than glacier pothos, about 10 feet tall, versus glacier, which grows about 6 feet at its max. However, glacier pothos grow about four times wider than N'Joy, measuring about 4 feet across.

Although the exact origins of glacier pothos are unclear, it is one of the origin species for marble queen pothos, a very popular cultivar.

Pruning

Pruning is not necessary for caring for the glacier pothos, but it can be done occasionally to control its growth. Remember that since this pothos is slow-growing, any trimmed growth will not be quickly replaced.

Also, it’s essential to know that, unlike some other types of houseplants, pothos do not branch at the location where a pruning cut is made.

Usually, a pothos vine that has been pruned will send out a new shoot from the closest node and continue to grow the singular vine in this fashion. Sometimes, more than one new growth point will develop, but this doesn’t always happen.

Propagating Glacier Pothos

Like all pothos, the glacier pothos can be propagated easily using stem cuttings. Propagating your pothos is a great way to achieve a fuller plant (by replanting the rooted cuttings in the same pot) or propagating new plants to keep or share with friends. Plus, it can be done in just a few simple steps.

1. Use pruning shears or scissors to remove stem cuttings from a healthy glacier pothos plant. Each stem cutting should have at least 3 to 4 nodes on the stem, but no more than 6 or 7. Cuttings that are too long and have too many nodes/leaves will have a more challenging time rooting.
2. Remove the bottom 1 to 2 leaves from each cutting so that the nodes are exposed at the base of the stem.
3. Prepare a container with fresh water and place the stem cuttings in the water so that the exposed stem is submerged and the leaves at the top of the cutting remain above the water.
4. Place the cuttings in a location that receives bright, indirect light, and refresh the water once a week. After a couple of weeks, you should notice small white roots growing from the nodes along the stem. Once the roots are 1 to 2 inches long, the cuttings can be planted in the soil.
5. Prepare a small pot(s) with a well-draining potting mix and plant the rooted cuttings in the soil. Water the cuttings well, allowing the excess water to drain from the pot, and return the planted cuttings to their original bright location.
6. For the first couple of weeks, you should keep the soil evenly moist to help the cuttings acclimate back to the soil. After one to two weeks, allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings.

Potting and Repotting Glacier Pothos

Don’t worry about repotting this pothos too frequently; it doesn’t mind being slightly root-bound. Usually, repotting a glacier pothos once every two to three years is sufficient unless the plant shows signs of being heavily root-bound before then.

Keep an eye out for roots growing from the pot’s drainage holes or circling the inside of the pot, signs that your plant is ready to be repotted. Then, it is best to wait until the spring or summer to repot this pothos. It is actively growing in these months, making it less likely to suffer from shock.

When it is time to repot your glacier pothos, make sure that you choose a pot that is only 2 to 3 inches larger than its previous container. Moving your plant into a pot that is too large can result in accidental overwatering. Then, carefully remove any excess soil around the plant’s roots and move it to its new pot, filling the rest with a fresh, well-draining soil mix. Water the freshly repotted plant thoroughly and return it to its original location.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

While the glacier pothos is not prone to any particular pests or diseases, you should watch for some common houseplant pests that will happily reside in this plant. In particular, watch for signs of spider mites, thrips, scale, and mealybugs. Usually, these pests will infest a glacier pothos by traveling from another infested houseplant, so checking your houseplants regularly for signs of pests is a good idea to prevent full-blown infestations.

Common Problems With Glacier Pothos

The glacier pothos is pretty easy to care for and is generally problem-free. However, as with any plant, there are a few common problems you might run into as you learn how to care for this tropical vine indoors. These include yellow leaves, brown leaves, and stunted growth.

Yellow Leaves

The most common reason that a glacier pothos develops yellow leaves is underwatering. Yellow leaves can also indicate overwatering, lack of light, or sometimes too much light. The best way to figure out which one may be the issue is to examine your plant’s growing environment closely.

Are you allowing the top 2 to 3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings? Is the pothos positioned in bright, indirect light? Ideally, place it within a few feet of the nearest window. Once you have figured out the root cause, you should be able to prevent further leaves from yellowing. Unfortunately, there is no way to save leaves that have already begun to yellow and die off.

Brown Leaves

Brown leaves indicate that your plant is experiencing a lack of humidity, is underwatered, or is getting leaf scorch from too much direct light. Ensure that this pothos is kept away from overly dry locations in the home and out of direct sunlight, which will burn its delicate leaves. Otherwise, ensure you are regularly watering your plant to prevent underwatering.

Stunted Growth

While glacier pothos are known to be slow-growing, lack of growth indicates something is wrong. Stunted growth is usually due to insufficient light, and moving the plant to a brighter location should fix the problem. Also, ensure that you are fertilizing your glacier pothos regularly during the spring and summer months, which will help boost growth.

From: thespruce