It was originally classified under the Genus Pothos Aureus but due to its popularity, many different cultivars have emerged. This includes varieties such as Lime Green Pothos Neon; Golden Pothos with its heart-shaped green leaves and yellow variegation, and Marble Queen Pothos which features deeper green and white variegations throughout.
Pothos has become a popular choice for many people when it comes to buying an air-purifying plant. These plants are known for being versatile and able to fit in many different places such as hanging baskets, plant stands, and bookcases.
Caring for Pothos Plants
Pothos has become a popular choice for many people when it comes to buying an air-purifying plant. These plants are known for being versatile and able to fit in many different places such as hanging baskets, plant stands, and bookcases.
A pothos plant makes a fantastic addition to the bathroom or office because it can survive on low-level light. As long as there is some level of natural light, pothos is comfortable in many different conditions. They do not thrive in direct sunlight, though.
Are Pothos Plants Poisonous?
While pothos plants are low-maintenance houseplants, there are some things you should know about them before bringing one home. Because they contain calcium oxalates, ingestion of the plant can lead to nausea and vomiting; direct contact with or exposure to the sap may also result in skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people.
While these generally only produce temporary discomfort rather than lasting harm, keep this in mind when considering whether this plant is right for your family or household members who have allergies or asthma.
What is a Golden Pothos Plant?
It’s because it has little care needed. And look how attractive it is! These beautiful trellising plants can be displayed anywhere from in a hanging basket to curling out of shelves. This plant was given its moniker ‘devil’s ivy’ due to its impeccable reputation for being nearly impossible to kill.
Golden Pathos makes an excellent first-time housewarming gift for new plant parents – it survives just fine with less water and thrives in darker rooms. Plus, there’s very little that can actually kill this resilient plant; even if you forget to give it some water every now and then or keep it near the window. It also doubles as a natural air purifier, so the Golden Pathos makes a great addition to any bedroom too. And don’t worry if you’re not really into plants hanging from walls because they tend to droop down; instead, try training them upward so they reach heights of up to six feet high!
Toxicity Level
When ingested, these substances can cause nausea, vomiting, and oral irritation. Keep this plant out of your pet’s reach so they don’t ingest it or avoid placing it in spots where they may have access to it if you’re dealing with clever animals who will eat anything.
Air Cleaner
NASA recommends the Golden Pothos plant for air purification. This plant is capable of removing four kinds of chemicals from the atmosphere: benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, and xylene. Additionally, according to a NASA study on household plants’ ability to remove chemicals from indoor air, this species was among the best performers!
Pothos, Epipremnum aureum: “Devil’s Ivy”
Since I am a garden designer and certified plant enthusiast (read: borderline obsessed), I rarely grow indoor plants. I think people think my interior spaces would be as lush, jungly, and dotted with stately potted centerpieces as my exterior spaces: verdant, jungly, and crammed with cascading and climbing greenery. Most indoor plants I’ve attempted to grow simply require a lot of care and fussing. However, of the three houseplants, I grew—pothos was one.
A plant found in tropical climates, pothos does well as an indoor houseplant even when living in colder regions. Though trailing vines can make it look messy from time to time and heart-shaped leaves are easy to overlook, this comes with its own set of perks such as being able to purify the air and being able to thrive in low light or humid environments while still resisting neglect for long periods of time. In short, pothos may just be the perfect plant for those too busy for houseplants but who still want all the benefits they provide.
Pothos is often called golden pothos, hunter’s robe, or ivy arum. It goes by one other odd name: devil’s ivy. That strange moniker comes from the plant’s tenacity – it cannot be killed and stays alive even if you keep it in the dark!
Pothos plants can grow quite large when given space and light, but most of us who keep these vines indoors will never see them reach their full potential. This plant does best in USDA zone 10 and 11 (hot areas). Pothos plants make excellent ground covers for shady spots or even great scramblers along the side of a house!
Both indoors and outdoors, if your pothos starts growing too tall you can always trim them back to control their shape and keep the height manageable. Yellowing or withering leaves mean that you may have over-watered it, so try giving your plant friend a good soak of water (but don’t go overboard).
What Are Pothos Plants?
The Epipremnum aureum, also called pothos, is a type of climbing vine that can be found in many different regions of the world such as Southeast Asia – French Polynesia to be exact. It is sometimes mistaken for Philodendron, which are leafy shrubs with heart-shaped leaves. To avoid making this mistake when purchasing this plant, always check for tags or ask staff members at your local garden center. One thing that makes these plants unique is their ability to climb trees and lay across forest floors because of their aerial roots.
Pothos are vines that grow up to 10 feet long, even indoors! Due to these qualities, they’re perfect for being placed on top of bookshelves or being put into hanging baskets – where they’ll flow down and make gorgeous curtains of bright green leaves. They can also be grown as climbers; just give them the right trellis-like structure so they have something to climb around.
Pothos are versatile enough to work well either outdoors or inside; and since they don’t need much light, they’re an excellent pick no matter where you live. If you have pets at home (cats especially), keep in mind that pothos has toxic properties, including calcium oxalate crystals and proteins – which may cause skin irritation when consumed. This means it’s best to keep your plants out of pet reach (try a plant-like cat grass instead).
How to Use Pothos
Pothos are best kept indoors as they do not need light. Trim them if they become too invasive and make sure to keep their roots moist. Pothos make great pets for fish tanks, which help keep water quality high while providing companionship!
Calcium oxalate—small crystals that will scratch the lips, mouth, and throat upon consumption. Ingesting the plant isn’t generally life-threatening unless there’s enough swelling to obstruct breathing (that said, don’t let animals near these). Properly handled and kept out of reach from pets and kids alike, this plant is totally safe!
Propagating Pothos
Propagate pothos by taking 6-inch cuttings from the tip of stems. Keep the cuttings in bright, indirect sunlight for one month before checking for roots to develop; once they’ve started appearing, plant them into pots with potting soil and treat them as you would with other plants indoors.
Common Issues of the Golden Pothos Plant
Sometimes pests jump between plants when watering them. So always inspect your plants every time you water them, and look at their stems, undersides of the leaves, and soil around their base. Spider mites, scales, and mealybugs might attack Pothos. Identify and treat promptly because if left untreated; then these problems will likely spread to other plants in your home garden. This problem affects all plants which means that all green friends need a watchful eye!
Types of Pothos
The most common variety is Aurea or Golden Pothos – found on many shelves and hanging plants all over the world. Learn more about some of the other most common pothos hybrids by continuing to read.
Neon Pothos
In spite of the fact that neon pothos isn’t found in a nightclub, you’ll still appreciate its bright, eye-catching leaves. Neon pothos leaves are more vibrantly green in comparison to other varieties of the pothos family, so much so that they sometimes appear yellower than they really are.
Satin Pothos AKA Silver Pothos
Most commonly known as the Satin Pothos, this lush houseplant has dark green leaves splashed with a delightful gray color that gives it a shimmering finish similar to silk. The leaves are also large and heart-shaped, which makes it an attractive option for both home gardeners and commercial growers alike. Satin Pothos can be kept healthy indoors by keeping them in an area with plenty of natural light without direct exposure – about four hours per day should do just fine!
Epipremnum Aureum AKA Golden Pothos
It is advised to provide these plants with a couple of hours of just enough sun for them to thrive since those growing in low-light environments will not feature the yellow variegation as prominently as those that flourish when given adequate lighting.
Marble Queen
These plants are highly variegated with leaves that tend to be mostly white rather than green. Marble Queens can be difficult to care for compared to Golden Pothos—which means that they’re less popular among gardeners. But since this variety grows slowly, it’s perfect if you live in a smaller home or apartment where every inch counts.
The Basics of Pothos Plant Care
They also make thoughtful gifts when given to those who recently relocated, since they require little care (aside from consistent watering). Before giving this type of plant as a gift, there are a few things you should know about caring for it.
Potting Soil
Pothos don’t like to have wet feet, so they need an organic potting mix that is light in nature and has good drainage. You can prevent root rot in your plants by providing them with well-drained potting soil – a common problem caused by too much water and insufficient drainage.
Sun
If you buy a variegated pothos plant, such as golden pothos or marble queen, then sunlight exposure is one of the most important factors. Some types can withstand being kept in low-light conditions but others who show these patterns may lose them after too much time spent in the dark.
In order to keep your pothos from fading away, make sure it receives plenty of indirect light if you bought it for its unique leaf design. Find a spot with enough brightness but stay away from locations with direct sunlight; this might lead to burned yellow leaves and possible wilting.
Water
Pothos plants need to be watered frequently. They don’t like wet soil because they are native to hot, humid climates, so they must be watered appropriately. Their roots prefer to dry completely between waterings, just like most other houseplants.
Give the pothos plant enough water until the excess drips out from the pot’s drainage holes – this will ensure proper hydration and will also flush out any salt buildup that may be causing harm to its roots. Plants release humidity into the air, so if you’re growing pothos near other plants, it’ll benefit from increased humidity too.
Hydroponic gardening is easy and sustainable when done using the Back to the Roots Water Garden – a self-watering planter that provides all of the nutrients your plants need for vibrant green growth every day.
Pruning and Repotting
Pothos plants are extraordinarily rewarding when given some tender care – like vigorous pruning. For one, it helps the plant become fuller, which in turn prompts new growth for a more lush-looking pothos. Additionally, it’s a way to train those newly grown vines to grow just how you want them! To do so, just grab your sharp knife or pair of scissors and cut the stem above the joint where leaves touch branches.
You will need to remove all of the dried-out parts of your plant and use water to rejuvenate them. Make sure the soil stays wet so it does not become drought-stressed. Even if you’re following the correct watering protocol, if your plant looks droopy it may just be root-bound.
Pick up a larger container (that’s about two inches wider) and replant this pothos plant in there. You can do this whenever you’d like during the growing season- which starts at the beginning of spring.
FAQ about Pothos Plant Care
Is pothos easy to care for?
Caring for a pothos plant is very easy and they’re fairly tolerant of neglect and growing environments that are not totally ideal.
How fast does pothos grow?
Pothos is a quick-growing houseplant with the potential to add over a foot of length in one month.
What’s the difference between pothos and philodendron plants?
Pothos and philodendron are two common houseplants that look almost identical but they are two separate and distinct plants. The easiest way to tell them apart is by their leaves. Pothos plants have subtle heart-shaped leaves that are large, thick, textured, and waxy while philodendrons have more distinctive heart-shaped leaves that are thinner, softer, and smoother.