Pothos care
An easy trailing vine that copes with lower light and the odd missed watering. (Epipremnum aureum)
- Light
- Bright, indirect light
- Water
- Water when the top inch or two of soil is dry…
- Cats
- Toxic
- Dogs
- Toxic
Care card
Light
Bright, indirect light: near a window but out of strong midday sun.
Water
Water when the top inch or two of soil is dry, then let the extra drain away. Never leave the pot standing in water.
Humidity
Likes some humidity. Keep it away from heater vents.
Soil and pot
A light, well-drained potting mix in a pot with a drainage hole.
Feeding
Feed every month or so in spring and summer with a houseplant fertilizer at half strength. None in winter.
Through the year
Spring
New growth starts. Begin feeding again, and repot if roots come out of the bottom.
Summer
Water more often as it grows. Keep it out of hot afternoon sun through glass.
Autumn
Growth slows. Stop feeding and let the soil dry a little more between drinks.
Winter
Water less. Keep it away from cold windows, drafts and radiators.
Common problems
Yellow leaves
Soft yellow leaves on a pothos are usually from mix that stays wet. Check the pot hole and the saucer before you fertilize. A single yellow leaf near the base of a long vine is less worrying.
Watering a pothos
Limp leaves with dry mix mean it is time to water. Limp leaves with wet mix mean the opposite. Give it a drink only in the first case, and let excess water leave the pot.
Leaf trouble?
Why houseplant leaves turn yellow
Several yellow leaves at once usually mean the roots are staying wet. Feel the…How often to water a houseplant
There is no single weekly schedule. Water when that plant's soil says so, then…Brown tips and crispy edges
Brown tips usually mean dry air, a pot that dried out too far, or minerals in…Drooping houseplant leaves
Droop can mean thirst or roots that are too rotten to drink. Feel the soil…Fungus gnats and other small pests
Fungus gnats breed in mix that never dries. Letting the top layer dry, and…Background
Epipremnum aureum is a species in the arum family Araceae, native to Mo'orea in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. The species is a popular houseplant in temperate regions, but has also become naturalised in tropical and sub-tropical forests worldwide, including northern South Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent, the Pacific Islands and the West Indies, where it has caused severe ecological damage in some cases. The plant has a number of common names including golden pothos, Ceylon creeper, hunter's robe, ivy arum, silver vine, Solomon Islands ivy, and taro vine.
From Wikipedia’s article Epipremnum aureum, by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More leafy tropical plants
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: toxic and non-toxic plants Pet safety
- Wikipedia: Epipremnum aureum Background