How to Grow and Care for Pothos

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is one of the easiest houseplants to care for and an excellent choice for beginning growers. It's a tropical vine native to the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific easily trained to climb a support or trail from a pot or hanging basket. Adaptability and minimum maintenance make it a great plant for any houseplant collection.

Pothos are fast-growing plants often adding 12 to 18 inches of length in a month. Draping vines feature pointed, heart-shaped green leaves that may be variegated with white, yellow, or pale green striations. Be aware that pothos plants are toxic to pets.

Common Name	Pothos, Golden Pothos, Devil's Vine, Devil's Ivy
Botanical Name	Epipremnum aureum
Family	Araceae
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 slightly acidic
Bloom Time	Rarely flowers
Flower Color	Gold/Yellow, Purple/Lavender
Hardiness Zones	10–12 (USDA)
Native Areas	Asia
Toxicity	Toxic to dogs and cats

Pothos Care

Pothos plants live an average five to 10 years, but with minimal consistent care can live much longer.

• Plant pothos in standard houseplant potting mix or well-draining aroid mix.
• Provide plenty of indirect light, ideally in an east- or west-facing window.
• Allow soil to dry out completely between waterings.
• Feed with balanced houseplant fertilizer monthly during spring and summer.

Light

Pothos likes sun or shade and can grow in low-light areas or those with only fluorescent lighting. Grown indoors, it prefers bright but indirect light. Too much shade causes variegated plants to lose their leaf pattern and revert to all-green foliage. Moving them to brighter conditions usually restores the variegation. Suddenly pale-looking leaves mean the plant is receiving too much direct sun.

Soil

Pothos plants thrive in ordinary, well-draining potting soil on the dry side and do just as well in coarse, chunky planting media. Neutral to slightly acidic soil is tolerated with a preferred soil pH from 6.1 to 6.8.

Water

Pothos should be watered when the top 2-inch layer of soil is dry. In ideal lighting conditions, you'll water a pothos every week or two. In winter you'll likely water less often.

The best thing about a pothos is that it will droop when it needs water. Don't wait for the leaves to shrivel or turn dry before watering. You want the leaves to be just a little bit droopy when you water.

Like any plant, when left in soggy soil for a prolonged period of time a pothos will develop root rot.

Temperature and Humidity

Keep pothos at temperatures consistently above 50°F and preferably between 65°F and 75°F. They grow best in high humidity, but adapt to low-humidity conditions. You can increase humidity around the plant by keeping it in a typically humid area of the home, such as a bathroom, or by grouping it with other tropical houseplants to create a humid microclimate.

Fertilizer

Pothos plants should be fertilized with a balanced houseplant fertilizer during the growing season, ideally one with a ratio of 3-1-2. Follow the directions on the container for frequency of fertilizing (usually it's once or twice per month). Fertilizer supports growth, so if your houseplant is still growing new leaves in winter, you can continue to fertilize it.

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Is This the Right Plant for You?

A POTHOS IS A GOOD CHOICE FOR YOU IF:

• you want a houseplant that can hang and be trailing or sit on top of a shelf or table
• you don't have dogs or cats (or can place it somewhere out of reach from pets)
• you have a place in your home with bright, indirect light
• you want a plant that won't die if you forget to water it once in a while

Types of Pothos

Pothos hybrids feature different types of leaf variegation, with white, yellow, or light green patches highlighting the predominantly deep green leaves. Some cultivars have solid light green leaves. Recommended pothos varieties include:

• 'Marble Queen': A varietal with an exceptionally attractive white-and-green variegated pattern. It requires more light than most pothos to maintain its unique coloring.
• 'Pearls and Jade': This varietal is an avid white and green climber, but instead of striping, the colors of gray, green, and white show boldly around the perimeter of the leaves.
• 'Neon': A bright chartreuse variety, this pothos needs less light and is great for brightening up a dark area in your home.
• 'Silver Satin': This varietal has thick gray-green leaves with silver splotches. It is tolerant of drought and low-light conditions.

Pruning

Because pothos grow quickly, they can develop a sparse or leggy appearance. Pruning isn't necessary for the health of the plant, but occasional trimming can improve its shape. Use a sharp sterile cutting tool to make your cuts.

Pruning can make your pothos look bushier. To prune it, cut below a node close to the crown, always leaving at least two leaf nodes on the vine you are pruning. If your plant is leggy, cut back the growing tip to a desired length anywhere along the length of the vine.

You can prune pothos any time during the growing season, but you should avoid pruning when the plant is dormant.

Plants tend to develop a few yellow leaves every now and then, which can be removed by pinching it off at the base.

What Happens When You Cut a Pothos?

When you cut a pothos stem, the plant will grow a little callus over the cut end of the stem still attached to the plant. Eventually, a new stem with new leaves may grow from the node closest to the cut end of the stem. This is a good remedy for stems that have large bare areas.

You can take the piece of stem you cut off from the plant and propagate it in water. Once it has roots that are a few inches long, you can repot it back with the parent plant.

Basketing a Pothos

If you don't want to propagate the stems that are bare near the soil, you can basket the vines to make the plant look fuller. Lay the bare stems in the soil so they go in a circle around the interior of the pot. Secure them in place with unfolded paperclips.

Propagating Pothos

You can buy a mature pothos from a plant shop, but it's easy to propagate using stem cuttings rooted in water. Gather together a sharp hand pruner and clear glass or vase. Once roots form you'll need a pot and houseplant mix. Follow these steps:

1. Use a sterile, sharp pruner to remove a healthy stem with at least three leaves. Cut at an angle about a half-inch or inch below the lowest leaf.
2. Remove the lowest leaf from the stem (you don't need to remove the other leaves).
3. Place the stem in a vase or jar of water, but do not let the remaining leaves touch the water.
4. New roots emerge in a week to ten days. Once roots are several inches long transplant cuttings into pots as soon as possible.
5. Place pots in a spot with bright indirect light and keep soil moist but not wet.

Potting and Repotting Pothos

Over time, your pothos will become pot-bound. When leaves continue to droop no matter how much or how often you water, it's a sign that roots have filled the pot. Look for roots growing through drainage holes, or carefully lift the plant out to examine the roots.

When the plant reaches this stage, you can repot it into a container one or two sizes larger in diameter and depth. Use fresh potting soil and water well to help the plant recover. If possible, wait to repot when the plant is in active growth. Use a plastic, ceramic, metal, or terracotta pot with sufficient drainage. If your pothos lives in an area with low light, consider using terracotta, which helps wick away moisture.

With its long, trailing vines, pothos is well suited for hanging baskets and macrame planters. You can even grow pothos in water as long as the vessel is nonporous and watertight.

Essential Supplies for Pothos

• A self-watering planter will help your pothos' soil stay evenly moist.
• A good grow light will result in more growth, larger leaves, and better variegation.
• Fertilizer is essential for supporting plant growth.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Even hardy, low-maintenance pothos can experience common houseplant problems, including pests and diseases.

Pothos is usually pest-free, but it can attract spider mites, whitefly, scale, and mealybugs. Use a soft clean cloth to remove pests or apply neem oil or insecticidal soap in cases of infestation.

Plants may also succumb to bacterial leaf spot or root rot; two conditions often caused by overwatering, soggy soil, and inadequate light. Reduce watering frequency and in cases of root rot, try trimming back damaged roots and repotting in fresh, dry soil.

Pest	What to Look For	How to Treat
Spider mites	Stippling on leaves, webbing on leaves and stems, tiny spider-like bugs	Wipe down leaves with soft, dampened cloth; spray with horticultural or neem oil
Whitefly	Tiny, heart-shaped flies that emerge from the plant when disturbed	Spray plant with water or insecticidal soap, use sticky traps
Scale	Clusters of shell-like bumps on stems or leaves	Prune affected stems, rub insects with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol
Mealybugs	Small, white, oval insects measuring 1/4 inch and powdery wax on plant stems	Spray with water, insecticidal soap, or neem oil

Common Problems With Pothos

Leaves Turning Yellow

The occasional yellow leaf is nothing to worry about as long as the plant is putting out new growth, but sudden or widespread yellowing is cause for concern. Root rot due to overwatering or a bacterial or fungal disease may be the cause.

Browning Leaves

Browning leaves can be caused by a range of issues, including too little light or overwatering. Brown leaves that are dry and crispy indicate underwatering or lack of humidity.

Drooping Leaves

Pothos leaves drooping or wilting are signs the plant is stressed, often by lack of water. Give your plant a deep watering and monitor soil moisture going forward. Droopy leaves can also be a symptom of the plant being pot-bound or affected by a disease.

Tip

If your pothos is struggling, take a few cuttings from the healthy growth to propagate into new plants. You can also add rooted pothos cuttings to your plant when repotting to help fill out its growth.

From: thespruce