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.
Be aware that pothos plants are toxic to pets.
The Spruce / Candace Madonna
Grown indoors, it prefersbright 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.
Marble queen pothosThe Spruce / Kara Riley
Suddenly pale-looking leaves mean the plant is receiving too much direct sun.
Neutral to slightly acidic soil is tolerated with a preferredsoil pHfrom 6.1 to 6.8.
Water
Pothos should be watered when the top 2-inch layer of soil is dry.
Marble queen pothosThe Spruce / Kara Riley
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.
Jessenia pothosThe Spruce / Krystal Slagle
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.
Temperature and Humidity
Keep pothos at temperatures consistently above 50F.
Pearls and jade pothosThe Spruce / Cori Sears
and preferably between 65F and 75F.
They grow best in high humidity, but adapt to low-humidity conditions.
Fertilizer
Pothos plants are not heavy feeders, but benefit from occasional fertilizing during the growing season.
Silver satin pothosThe Spruce / Melina Hammer
Feed with a balanced houseplant fertilizer once per month during spring and summer.
Avoid fertilizing in winter when the plant goes dormant.
Want more gardening tips?
Pothos cuttingsThe Spruce / Kara Riley
Is This the Right Plant for You?
Some cultivars have solid light green leaves.
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.
Propagating Pothos
Potting and Repotting Pothos
Over time, your pothos will becomepot-bound.
Look for roots growing through drainage holes, or carefully lift the plant out to examine the roots.
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.
With its long, trailing vines, pothos is well suited for hanging baskets and macrame planters.
it’s possible for you to evengrow pothos in wateras long as the vessel is nonporous and watertight.
Pothos is usually pest-free, but it can attractspider mites,whitefly,scale, andmealybugs.
Use a soft clean cloth to remove pests orapply neem oilor insecticidal soap in cases of infestation.
Root rot due to overwatering or a bacterial or fungal disease may be the cause.
Brown leaves that are dry and crispy indicate underwatering or lack of humidity.
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.
It makes a great option for hanging planters and will naturally hang down.
Pothos should be kept in bright, indirect light.
American College of Veterinary Pharmacists
Golden Pothos.
Animal Poison Control Center.
POTHOS (EPIPREMNUM AUREUM) DISEASES: IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL IN COMMERCIAL GREENHOUSE PRODUCTION.
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
