plantatiousPothos (Epipremnum aureum)
- Light
- Bright, indirect light
- Watering
- When most of the soil is dry
- Temperature
- 18–29°C
Pothos, also sold as golden pothos and devil’s ivy and in some places called money plant, is known to botanists as Epipremnum aureum, a climbing member of the arum family, Araceae. It is native to islands in the south-central Pacific, where it climbs high into the trees, and it has also been named Scindapsus aureus and Pothos aureus, which is where its everyday name comes from. Indoors you grow it as a trailing or climbing vine with heart-shaped green leaves splashed with gold, and it is one of the easiest houseplants you can own.
How fast does pothos grow?
Pothos is one of the fastest-growing houseplants: in a bright spot its vines lengthen steadily through spring and summer, adding new leaves along their length, and then slow right down in winter. In a dim corner it still grows, just much more slowly.
Light sets the pace. Bright, indirect light gives you long vines with large, well-marked leaves, while low light brings small leaves, long bare stretches of stem and less gold on each leaf. How you grow it changes the leaves too. A trailing vine keeps the small leaves you know from shelves and hanging pots; give it a moss pole to climb and the new leaves tend to grow larger, as they do on a tree trunk in the wild. Each time you cut a vine back, new shoots grow from just below the cut, so pruning makes the plant fuller instead of setting it back.
How to care for a pothos
Give your pothos bright, indirect light, water it when most of the soil is dry, and keep it between 18°C and 29°C. It copes with less light than most houseplants but grows slowly there, and strong direct sun through a window can scorch its leaves. Let most of the soil dry out before you water again, then water thoroughly and let the extra drain away, because roots that sit in wet soil start to rot. Ordinary room air suits it, though it grows best with a little extra humidity; just keep it away from radiators and cold drafts.
| Light | Bright, indirect light |
|---|---|
| Watering | When most of the soil is dry |
| Temperature | 18–29°C |
| Humidity | 50% – 70% |
| Repot every | 2 years |
| Native to | South-central Pacific islands |
| Growth form | Climbing plant |
Sources
- Epipremnum aureum (Devil's Ivy, Devil's Vine, Golden Pothos, Ivy Arum, Marble Queen, Pothos, Taro Vine), NC State Extension
- How to Grow Pothos Indoors (Epipremnum spp.): Care, Cultivars, and Common Problems, Clemson Cooperative Extension
- How to grow epipremnum, Royal Horticultural Society
- Pothos as a Houseplant, Penn State Extension
- Pothos, Epipremmum aureum, University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension
- Pothos, University of Illinois Extension
- Govaerts R (ed.). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, CC BY 3.0
Tips
- Cut long vines back just above a leaf to make the plant bushier.
- Root the cuttings in a glass of water, then plant them back into the pot for a fuller look.
- Turn the pot now and then so every side gets light.
- Feed it with a balanced plant food in spring and summer, and let it rest in winter.
- Repot in spring once roots fill the pot, into a pot only a little larger.
- Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth now and then, so dust does not block the light.
Is pothos toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists pothos as toxic to both cats and dogs and counts it among the mildly toxic plants. It contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, so chewing it gives a pet a sore, burning mouth and lips and can cause heavy drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing. Keep your pothos where pets cannot reach it, including any vines that trail down from a shelf, and if yours has chewed it, call your vet or an animal poison control line for advice.
Pothos care: common questions
Why are my pothos leaves turning yellow?
Most often the soil stays wet for too long, so the roots struggle. Let most of the soil dry before you water again and make sure the pot drains. An old leaf near the base yellowing now and then is normal.
Can pothos grow in low light?
It survives in low light better than most houseplants, but it grows slowly there, with smaller leaves spaced further apart and less gold on them. For steady growth, give it bright, indirect light.
How do I make my pothos fuller?
Cut long vines back just above a leaf; new shoots grow from near the cut. Root the cuttings and plant them back into the same pot, and give the plant more light, since a dim spot makes long, sparse stems.
Can you grow pothos in water?
Yes. Cuttings root easily in a glass of water and can keep growing there for a long time. Change the water often, keep the glass out of direct sun, and pot them in soil if you want bigger, faster-growing plants.