It was inevitable that sooner or later I would write about a plant and its family that started it all: Golden Pothos, also know as Devil’s Ivy, Devil’s Claw and even Centipede Tongavine. In garden centers and any place that sells plants, you’ll most likely run across the Golden Pothos more often than any of its other cousins. The golden cultivar is the most-commonly available plant from the Pothos group, and the most familiar.

And when you do run across it, you may find it labeled as ‘Scindapsus Aureus’, but when you ask a botanist what it’s called, you may hear the names ‘Epipremnum Aureum’, ‘Epipremnum Pinnatum’, ‘Rhaphidophora Aurea’ or ‘Pothos Aurea’. In addition, even though Pothos is a common name, it’s the name most indoor plant gardeners use to refer to it. Perhaps there are other names for this plant that has so many aliases you’d think it was a fugitive in hiding. But no matter what you call it, it’s one of the most popular and recognizable indoor plants. This is the first plant I ever owned - almost two decades ago – and a plant that has followed me around ever since. My plant kingdom is just not complete without it.

Frankly, I have no idea why I even waited so long to write about this undemanding little charmer that introduced me to the world of houseplants, a world that has become a cherished (and indispensable) hobby. This indoor plant is not only in my home; it’s in a lot of homes. And it’s not only in homes; it’s also in offices, commercial buildings, restaurants, retail stores, hospitals and any other place you can imagine plants in. The reason you find it everywhere is because it’s a ‘tried and true’ potted plant; it always looks good, it’s easy to care for and it’s available for purchase all year round.

To top it all off, this low-growing plant propagates effortlessly, allowing you the opportunity to add one in every room of your house or to give away as a gift to friends and family who will add one in every room of their house. Pothos is one of the weeds of the houseplant world, utterly invasive, multiplying rapidly if encouraged. And you don’t need to own many of these plants to make many more. You can simply take cuttings from the ‘momma’ plant, place them in water or soil and...‘poof’...another rooted Pothos vine.

Before you know it, you’ll find yourself eagerly making more and more of these beauties, until your entire home is plagued by them. And if you happen to be making new plants with the easy and flexible water-rooting method, you’ll succumb to dropping cuttings into thrifty or fun containers such as empty jars, plastic pots, unused Tupperware, glass vases – anything within reach that is impermeable. You won’t be able to help yourself; it’ll just be too easy! For some folks, this ultimate way of filling up a home with greenery – frugally - may not be such a bad thing. A simple ‘poof’ here and a simple ‘poof’ there can increase your collection of Pothos plants in no time.

As for me, my ‘only one of each’ rule about houseplants applies to the versatile and omnipresent Pothos as well. I only have one of these plants - one of each that is. One Golden Pothos and one Marble Queen Pothos. Golden Pothos, if given sufficient light and adequate care, adorns any space it occupies with (golden) yellow-green variegated leaves. The Marble Queen on the other hand has green and creamy-white marbleized leaves that can make it stand out far more than its ‘golden’ cousin.

There are a few other varieties of this plant that I’ve heard of – Jade, Lime, Tricolor and Neon – but I’ve yet to find any of them locally. From photos I’ve examined, the Neon Pothos looks like it may take a little getting used to with its pale-coloured leaves that look like they’re either getting way too much light or badly in need of some fertilizer. Lime Pothos has bright yellow-green leaves unlike the all-yellow leaves sprouting from the Neon. It’s also worth mentioning that the names of these two seem to interchange from one information source to another for photos of similar-looking Pothos plants, so for all I know, the Lime and Neon might be one and the same. Tricolor boasts of shades of green, deep yellow and creamy white, but I can’t find a great deal of information or pictures of this one, which makes me wonder if it even exists. And finally, the Jade Pothos is the solid green variety, which is perfect for low light areas and just as attractive as the variegated cultivars.

And even though my article is a tribute to my very first Pothos, the Golden cultivator, the information below pertains more or less to all the members of this family. So stick around and learn a little about this versatile plant and its needs.


Simple Needs For An Easygoing Tropical

Originally native to the Solomon Islands, Pothos is an Aroid living wildly in many of the world’s tropical regions. Even though it is considered a tropical, it’s one of the few of its kind that won’t pull a tantrum if faced with dry air, droughts or cold drafts. Its ability to tolerate these three elements that are detrimental for most houseplants, and its capacity to survive in low light levels, make it the perfect specimen for indoors.

This highly-decorative, fast-growing plant - sometimes mistaken for a philodendron – is deserving of its reputation as one of the best choices for public places and houseplant novices with its undemanding nature and hardy constitution. Rated as one of the top indoor air purifiers, it sets the standard for neglect-tolerant plants. But no matter how resilient and carefree it is, Pothos does have certain conditions that must be met for optimal health. And one of those needs that should be monitored carefully is watering. Because about the only thing that will kill a Pothos is over-watering.

Pothos does not have a deep root system, which makes it very susceptible to root rot. It is extremely important to water this plant that hates wet feet carefully, making sure it does not sit in waterlogged soil one too many times. As a preventive measure, always use a loose, well-draining potting soil that doesn’t take too long to dry out between waterings. Keep the soil evenly moist during the active growing season and allow it to dry out a little more in the winter months.

When in doubt, put down the watering can and wait for signs of thirst. If you’ve ever forgotten to water a Pothos on time, you’ll likely find the trailing stems hanging limply over their container, which perk back up as soon as you hydrate the plant. Of course, you should never make it a habit of taking too long to water, which will eventually damage the root system. In time, with more experience, you’ll be able to judge whether the plant needs watering or not by simply picking up the pot to check how heavy it is. If it’s weightless, it’s definitely time for a drink.

The statement “If there’s enough light to read with, you can place a Pothos there” may very well be true but it’s not advice you should be following. The all-green variety can grow reasonably well in low light but the variegated cultivars are best grown in bright, indirect sunlight. Some morning sun does wonders for this vine; it stimulates growth and maintains healthy foliage. If light is insufficient, the variegation will fade, foliage will revert to solid green, plant growth will slow down and the distance between leaves will widen. And while the motto for this tropical is “the more light the better”, avoid midday sun, which will scorch the plant. Monitor your Pothos by checking the condition of the leaves; it’s the best way to determine whether you are providing too much – or not enough – light. Change locations if necessary.

A tropical plant likes to stay warm so place your Pothos in a room where the temperature is between 16°C (60°F) and 27°C (80°F). All you need to remember is that your plant enjoys the same temperatures as you do; if you are comfortable, so is your Pothos. Because of its enormously accommodating nature, even when temperatures drop to a chillier level, it’ll take awhile for your Pothos to show signs of stress. But why would you want o stress this lovely plant like that?

Generally speaking, Pothos does not make a fuss about humidity; it can handle dry air better than most indoor plants. Even so, during the winter when the heating system is running, try to raise the humidity to more reasonable levels, which will benefit you as well.


With proper care – bright light, careful watering, warm temperatures and fertilizer about once a month during the growing season – your Pothos will thrive. And no matter how you choose to grow one – on a stand, in a hanging basket, up a totem pole or creeping along a wall – it’ll adorn your home for many years to come.

No green-thumbed home should ever be without the fuss-free and attractive Pothos.


How To Tell The difference Between A Philodendron And A Pothos

Both Philodendron and Pothos have similarly-shaped leaves. Although it's rare and less readily available at common stores like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and the like, you will find variegated forms of Philodendron just like you do with Pothos in other more specialized plant shops. But in common stores, you will most likely run across a Pothos if the leaves are variegated. And if a Philodendron happens to be available as well on that shopping day, the leaves will almost certainly be solid green.

But regardless of that, since the leaves are so similar and variegation is possible for both, unless you're familiar with both plants, the foliage alone won't help very much. The vine tells the tale a little more clearly.

• Philodendron does not have the distinctive ridge in its vine like Pothos does, which you can feel with your fingers. And Philodendron does not have troughs in the petioles of the leaves like Pothos.

• Philodendron has a dried, brownish-red sheath at each leaf node, highly visible (you really can't miss it), which is there to protect emerging leaves. As the leaf grows out, the sheath is no longer needed and it dries out. It'll stay in place (the sheath) until - and unless - you pull it off.

• Pothos also has a sheath but it's shorter and you really have to look closely to notice it.

• Pothos leaves are slightly more leathery than the ones on a Philodendron and the Philodendron vine is a little more slender than the one on a Pothos.

• The mature vine of a Philodendron is slightly brownish and new growth is green.

• The mature vine of a Pothos is green and new growth is pale green.

• Both Philodendron and Pothos leaves are heart-shaped but Philo leaves have a more pronounced shape. The point is sharper, longer and the leaves are darker.

• The petioles on a Philodendron are smooth as it has no trough, while the Pothos has a trough on each petiole.

• There is a ridge on the Pothos vine and it tends to be sturdier than the Philodendron, which has smooth vines all around.

• Both plants have nodes that can become roots but Pothos does not have obvious sheaths like the Philodendron.

Obviously a plant that adapts to almost any situation in a home should have absolutely no problem adapting to a different growing method. And it doesn’t. The Pothos, which ‘poofs’ into a new plant as soon as a cutting dips its toes in water, sprouts water roots quickly and embraces the Hydroculture style with ease.

There are a few ways to convert a Pothos from soil to clay pellets, and every single one works.

1. Take cuttings from the mother plant, root them in water and pot them up in the Hydroculture method when water roots emerge.

2. Remove the plant from its pot, wash away all traces of soil from the roots, place the clean stems in a glass of water and pot them up when water roots form.

3. Remove the plant from its pot, wash away all traces of soil from the roots and pot it up right away in clay pellets. Water roots will form within a month.

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