Are you ready to explore how to care for pothos or devil’s ivy? Pothos plants make fantastic houseplants and provide a tropical feel to the interior of your home, as they are simple to grow and only require minimal maintenance.
Lower light environments can promote growth, but medium to lower light areas are more optimal for faster growth. Some varieties do appreciate higher exposure light, but overall, all varieties are able to tolerate low lighting situations even if it means slower growth. While pothos do need water every 7-10 days, they will tolerate being underwatered and missed occasional watering.
If put in hanging baskets, Pothos plants will trail while also winding around any trellis or support provided to them. They are beautiful additions to containers and do not require frequent repotting. Many people adore Pothos due to the newer cultivated varieties that exhibit remarkable and stunning leaves with bright colors as well as variegated segments.
About Pothos (Devil’s Ivy, Epipremnum aureum, Scindapsus aureum)
Alongside being a nearly ideal houseplant, Pothos is also a character from ancient Greek mythology. He was recognized for the pairing with two other brothers Eros and Himeros as The Erotes; mythological gods depicting longing, craving and desire. Born between Aphrodite and Ares, Pothos was popularly known to represent passionate yearning.
Varieties of Pothos
The most popular cultivar is golden pothos which boasts large mid green leaves adorned with yellow spots and streaks on its decoration. If exposed to high indirect light conditions, an increased amount of yellow pigmentation will manifest within the leaves which can reach 12 inches in length.
Other intriguing types of pothos are Marble Queen Pothos, with its marble splotches of green and yellow, as well as Neon Pothos whose bright green leaves attracts all eyes and loves medium to high indirect light. Jade Pothos is probably best for low light situations given its solid green leaves with no variegation.
Growing Conditions for Pothos
Pothos has become such a popular houseplant because it thrives in a multitude of differing conditions. It will grow outdoors in the shade or partial shade, or indoors where there is bright indirect light.
Offices and bathrooms, which may have low light conditions and little natural sunlight, pose no problem for pothos. These spaces can benefit from 12 to 14 hours of artificial lighting daily.
Pothos Is not particularly picky regarding soil type whether it be gravelly or poor as long as the drainage is good and the moisture level is optimal. In fact, this houseplant can even be grown in water without soil.”
You can grow a pothos in your home and manage its nutrition so that it lives anywhere from 5-10 years. lt thrives easiest when maintained on an all-purpose liquid fertilizer, alongside the typical care it requires.
Care of Pothos
A pothos plant should be given bright sunlight, but not scorching hot sun that is too direct for them. Indoors, they thrive in areas with east facing windows; also rooms lit by bright windows work as well.
Outdoors it does well in partial shade or normal shade. Unless the pothos is being grown hydroponically indoors, it is best to pot them in regular potting soil.
Overwatering or underwatering will make the plant develop root rot, as they’ll suffocate the roots with excess soil moisture. The soil needs to dry out down to half the container depth before watering again. A few times a week you can stick your finger into the soil a couple inches deep and assess if more water is needed.
If placing the plant reminescent of an aquarium without soil, look into changing the water often enough to feed nutrients and support healthy growth.
How to Propagate Pothos
Pothos is one of the most popular houseplants, with ease of propagation being one of the reasons for its popularity. It is simple to propagate: Just cut four to six inches from a healthy pothos plant, and you can start a new pot or share it with a friend. The removal won’t set back fast growing pothos much.
In fact, trimming appropriately helps in growing bushier and fuller as we will discuss further in pruning section.
The first step is to sanitize pruning shears, as the edges must be clean. Your cutting should be made above a leaf node and contain four leaves and two nodes which are small brown bumps on the stem. Two of those nodes should be below the closest trimmed leaf to ensure the cutting will grow roots.
That cutting can then be placed directly into the soil or water if that is how your plant grows.In case your cutting turns out fine, while stubbornly refusing to adapt to soil once they have been used to growing in soil or water they will eventually succumb too stubbornness, so try not forcing them from water to soil or vice versa after rooting then transplanting/stretch rooting.
When growing in soil-filled containers, choose one that is at least wider by two inches compared to the plant’s root ball or its previous home. The depth of the container should be around twelve inches.
Planting a pothos cutting is straightforward; you simply make a hole in the soil with your finger, place the cutting inside, and gently press down the surrounding soil until it is firm but not compacted. Once again, water a pothos cutting immediately after planting to ensure optimal hydration.
Pruning Pothos
Maintenance trimming helps retain leaf fullness along stem length. Pothos can be pruned for length and encouraged to grow denser and younger foliage instead. If stems are cut back by several nodes, new top growth will result.
Long stem ends can be removed and sprouted back into the pot to rejuvenate plants or transferred to new pots as gifts or to increase houseplant populations within your space.
Before starting any garden work, tools like shears should always be disinfected to prevent spreading diseases through the garden. For clean aesthetics, trim cuttings above nodes so only small stubs remain visible. You may also remove stems with dead leaves or discoloration.
When stems begin to look bare, trim them to about four inches above ground level and observe as they regrow fully covered with leaves.
Garden Pests and Diseases of Pothos
If left unattended to, pothos will suffer from root rot due to overwatering especially if watering is more frequent than once per week. To prevent this from happening, make sure that there is a full 7 to 10 days gap between each watering or ensure that the soil is at least half the container depth dried during prior watering. Signs of yellowing leaves are a direct result of overwatering.
Symptoms of root rot are manifested as brown, slimy roots, soft spots on the plant, and an unpleasant smell. To prevent root rot from spreading, you must take measures to treat the plant. First step is to remove the plant from its container and rinse the roots under clear running water.
With clean and sterilized shears, cut away any discolored roots and portions of the plant exhibiting signs of infection. Afterwards, wash your shears again then sterilize them before pruning one half to one third of the leaves off the plant.
Encouraging healing through supporting growth is achieved by removing diseased portions competing for energy. Finally repot treated pothos with fresh soil while also addressing root overwatering concerns to prevent recurrence of root rot.
Pothos can be susceptible to mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites. While a diluted neem oil spray is useful as a preventative measure, a gentle sink spray on the leaves will often solve the issue if performed early on. For more severe infestations, neem oil based soaps or sprays may be necessary.
To prevent further damage from pests, other soaps or sprays may need to be utilized. Neem oil can be used for homemade pest solutions by combining one teaspoon of neem oil with warm water and dish soap in specific measurements of one liter: four to five drops for the latter two ingredients.
Common Questions and Answers About Pothos
Are pothos fast growing?
During the caring period between December to May, they can gain almost 1 foot in length each month making pothos a relatively quick grower. When nurtured properly, these plants have the potential to grow up-to 40 feet tall and 3-6 feet in width while also lasting them 5-10 years average lifespan.
Can pothos climb?
Pothos are twining plants and the small houseplants do not climb on their own. In its natural habitat, a mature pothos will often grow large enough to easily reach and climb trees or walls. However, as houseplants, they are juveniles and have not reached full maturity.
With training, an indoor pothos can be made to ‘climb’ or be placed in climbing positions. Since they lack the clinging appendages of true climbing plants, there is no risk of them damaging paint or furniture while growing.
Using thin wooden stakes it is possible to train them vertically. They can be affixed with Command hooks and similar devices that use double sided tape and leave no mark on the surface. String or twine can also be used to lash sections of the pothos plant to fixtures or furniture.
Can pothos grow underwater?
The roots of pothos can survive submerged in water; thus it is possible to grow the plant in water. Nevertheless, if foliage is submerged, it cannot survive.
Can I grow pothos in water?
Yes, with sufficient light and liquid fertilizer, you can grow pothos in water rather than soil. Even tap water will suffice. Use an all-purpose liquid fertilizer adhering to recommended dosages and make sure to change the water regularly as well as clean the container as necessary.
Can pothos live in water forever?
Given appropriate lighting and nutrition from liquid fertilizers, pothos can live submerged in water for a significant portion of their natural lifespan, which is typically between five to ten years.
Can pothos survive without sunlight?
Pothos does not need actual sunlight and can be placed under office fluorescent lights or other low-light environments. However, it is better grown indoors where it should be kept out of direct sun yet is ideal offered bright indirect light shade to partial shade if outdoors.
Reduced light may diminish the color range present on multi-colored variegated forms of pothos. In case no natural light is available, 12–14 hours of artificial illumination daily will work.
Does pothos flower?
Pothos plants seldom bloom when grown as houseplants; however, in their natural habitat where they can grow over 35 feet tall, pothos does bloom. This is because the houseplant version of pothos is juvenile—mature pothos may have leaves stretching up to two feet long.
The flowers are not particularly eye-catching and consist of a pale cup-shaped leafy spathe that encloses a spiky spadix covered with miniature flowers.
Does pothos grow faster in water or soil?
Given the appropriate care, pothos cultivated in soil will outpace those in water. In both scenarios, for optimal growth, plants require nutrition from potting soil or liquid fertilizer (though exposure to sunlight is imperative), and while low-light conditions are tolerable for pothos, they are not ideal.
Do pothos like small pots?
Pothus can thrive in pots smaller than what other houseplants prefer and do quite well. Ideally suited for a pothos plant, a container should be just no more than two inches wider than the previous container or root ball of the plant.
Ten inches deep is sufficient for a pothos plant to thrive. It is best to repot them in spring. Leaves that droop while the plant has ample water may suggest a need for repotting.
Do pothos plants need light?
Pothos tolerate various lighting conditions, including dim light and bright but indirect light, as long as they do not receive excessive direct sunlight. They are commonly placed in bathrooms or offices where there is only artificial illumination.
Do pothos need to be repotted?
For most plants, pothos roots do not require frequent repotting; it is advisable to do so every two to three years. Pothos can become rootbound; this may result in drooping leaves despite adequate watering.
When repotting, the new container should measure no more than two inches wider than the previous one while also being at least 10 inches deep with a width of approximately two inches wider than the root ball’s diameter. Spring season is ideal for this type of repotting.
How do I know if my pothos has root rot?
Pothos is susceptible to rot, leading to symptoms such as drooping leaves, brown slimy roots, and yellowing or dull foliage. There may also be foul smell. Treatment involves removing the plant from the soil and rinsing the roots under water.
Treat by pruning any decayed roots but first soak your shears in rubbing alcohol for disinfection. To stimulate recovery, remove one third to half of leaves while trimming. Make sure to use fresh potting soil while replanting. For further details on treatment, see our article on stem and root rot.
How do I know when my pothos needs water?
For a pothos plant, ensure not to overwater it by allowing it to dry out completely before watering again – moistening its soil once more should only be done after letting it fully dry first . One of the noticeable tell-tale signs that comes with dehydration is drooping foliage – which makes timing easy when deciding whether it is time to water or not.
Don’t wait until the leaves are drooping or browning to check on things. It’s best to check moisture levels finger deep by the soil with a weekly rhythm, and only water when it is dry at least half-way down. Overwatering can lead to root rot which will ultimately kill the plant.
How do you fertilize pothos?
To fertilize pothos growing in water, use any all-purpose liquid fertilizer but do not exceed recommended dosage. For pothos growing in soil, select 19-16-12 fertilizer, applying as per manufacturer directions.
How do you pinch pothos?
To make a bushier shape, apart from nurturing fuller forms of spindly growth through pinching or pruning, this species of plant is also known to respond well to such grooming techniques.
Remove the tips of the shoots of new growth every few weeks during the growing season, which runs from December to May. As needed, prune any dead, diseased, or otherwise damaged foliage through cuts just above a leaf node.
To rejuvenate an overgrown pothos plant, you can decisively remove many long spidery vines to foster a more compact shape. In cases a pothos is severely overgrown, it is advised to retain around four inches worth of each vine above soil level when pruning back the excess growth.
How do you plant pothos?
Pothos should be provided with ordinary potting soil. A container that is 10 inches deep and at least two inches wider than the root ball or previous pot should also be obtained. If planning to work with cuttings instead of a whole plant, one may elect to root them in water before transferring them into the pot filled with soil, although this step is not essential.
Some gardeners also notice that pothos are tricky to switch from water to soil and vice versa after getting used to one method or the other. When switching from water to soil, cover the root ball with potting soil and check moisture levels about every week by dipping your finger into the potting soil layer.
Moisture should be halfway up the container so give it some additional water especially if it is positioned indoors near bright indirect light or outdoors in partial shade.
How do you propagate pothos in water?
To make the stem cuttings, dip approximately four to six inches above a leaf node and ensure that there are four leaves and two leaf nodes on the cutting. Slice off the lowest leaf of the cutting so that only one leaf sticks out above the water surface, then submerge that end into a glass filled with water.
As long as you provide the pothos with liquid fertilizer, it will thrive in water without soil. For ideal growth, use an all-purpose liquid fertilizer adhering to the guidelines on its container.
Once cuttings are propagated in water, they may struggle to acclimatize to being placed in soil. If you intend to cultivate them in soil, you may directly put the cuttings into the soil filled containers.
How do you revive a pothos plant?
Assessing what’s wrong with your plant is essential in determining what actions needs to be done. The most common issues are wilted yellowing leaves which indicate overwatering or wilted green leaves that maybe indicates under watering. Meet this guideline by checking the moisture content of soil with your finger once or twice per week at about halfway down and only watering if necessary.
Crisp brown leaves that appear burned signal the plant is receiving too much direct sunlight and needs to be relocated to a sheltered area. Dark, soft or slimy spots can indicate root rot associated with overwatering.
To correct root rot, remove the plant from the soil and wash it under running water. Trim any affected roots. Afterward, sterilize your shears before trimming one third to one half of the leaves so that it can better heal its root system and encourage regrowth. Replant the pothos using fresh soil.
A homemade spray formulated with one liter of warm water, one teaspoon of neem oil, and four or five drops of dish soap would effectively treat a plant infested with aphids or mites.
How long does it take for pothos to root in water?
If you are propagating a cutting in water, expect roots to develop within a month.
How often do you water a pothos plant?
Overwatering can happen too easily with pothos, and this may cause yellowing leaves or even root rot. Allow soil to dry for around half the container’s depth before watering again. You can check soil moisture a couple of times weekly by feeling the soil.
How often should I repot my pothos?
Unlike some other houseplants, pots do not need changing too frequently as they are not constricted in containers. Repotting is needed every two to three years. In these cases, it is best to take a new pot that is at least two inches wider than the old one and about twelve inches deep.
Is devil’s ivy good for indoors?
Like most types of indoor plants, devil’s ivy or pothos can be grown indoors without any issues as they do not require much water and grow well under low light conditions.
Given that they do not receive an excess amount of direct sun, these plants should do well. In case there is no natural light available, 12 – 14 hours of artificial light will suffice.
Is pothos poisonous for children, dogs or cats?
Yes, pothos has been shown to be harmful if consumed by humans as well as dogs and cats. Those affected may suffer from symptoms such as drooling, difficulty swallowing, skin rashes, along with burning or irritation of the mouth, tongue, or lips and other symptoms lasting approximately one day.
Should I mist my pothos?
No. Overwatering is common with pothos plants due to their susceptibility to root rot. Since there is no need to mist a pothos plant and this practice could contribute to overwatering it’s best to avoid misting altogether.
What do pothos flowers look like?
Flowers of pothos are rarely kept as houseplants bloom at home. However in their natural habitat where these plants can grow beyond 35 feet long with leaves extending up two feet long they do flower. The juvenile forms we keep don’t shed off flowers but do stay dormant.
Every inflorescence bears a white spathe which is horn shaped surrounding a spadix covered in tiny florets that are very much so of pike shape.
Why are the leaves on my pothos plant turning yellow?
Typically yellowing leaves signal too much water provided. Keeping an eye on whether your pothos adjusts while being left without water until the half mark of soil depth will prevent let downs by gently probing soil with fingers few times weekly helps immensely.
The yellowing of leaves may indicate that a plant is positioned too close to cold drafts or heating elements. It could simply need to be placed somewhere else. If, however, the yellowing leaves are the oldest ones near the base stem, then this might be normal senescence.
Why is pothos called devil’s ivy?
Being excessively difficult to eradicate makes it rather easy for pothos to earn nicknames like devil’s ivy. Some other synonyms for pothos include: hunter’s robe, money plant, silver vine, taro vine and Solomon Islands vine.
More frequently than not, people mistake it for philodendron which has more heart shaped leaves.