Pothos Care (Epipremnum aureum): Light, Watering, Propagation and Varieties

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), also called golden pothos or devil’s ivy, is about as forgiving as houseplants get. It tolerates missed waterings, grows long vines you can let trail or train up a pole, and roots from cuttings with almost no effort. Variegated cultivars like ‘Marble Queen’ have also made it a favorite with collectors.

How to identify pothos

Pothos is an evergreen vine in the arum family (Araceae). Indoors it has glossy, leathery, heart-shaped leaves, typically 3 to 6 inches long. Depending on the cultivar they are solid green or splashed and marbled with yellow, cream or white. Brown aerial roots along the stem let it cling to tree trunks in the wild.

Kew’s Plants of the World Online gives its native range as Mo’orea in French Polynesia’s Society Islands. You’ll still see it sold under older names such as Scindapsus aureus or Pothos aureus, and the RHS lists golden pothos as Epipremnum pinnatum ‘Aureum’. The accepted name in POWO is Epipremnum aureum.

Pothos vs. philodendron: the plant it’s most often confused with is heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum). According to NC State Extension, pothos has grooved petioles (leaf stalks) and no free stipules on new growth. Philodendron has smooth petioles, and each new leaf emerges from a sheath (stipule) that later dries and drops.

Given something to climb and enough light, pothos switches to adult foliage: much larger, deeply cut leaves. The RHS notes that ‘Marble Queen’ can produce lobed leaves up to 90 cm (about 3 ft) long under ideal conditions. In a hanging basket it stays in its juvenile, heart-leaf form.

Light requirements

Bright, indirect light is best: an east- or west-facing window, or a south-facing window filtered by a sheer curtain. Direct summer sun scorches the leaves, especially the white or yellow parts of variegated types.

Pothos is famous as a low-light plant, and it does survive there. University of Florida guidelines say it tolerates very low light, but new leaves come in small and variegated cultivars lose their color. The RHS adds that deep shade leads to poor growth. If you want to keep the variegation, give it light. See our houseplant light guide for more on placement.

How often to water pothos

Water when the top inch (about 2 cm) of potting mix feels dry to your finger. Then water thoroughly and empty the saucer. Never leave the pot sitting in water.

• Water less often in winter. Soggy soil in cool conditions is the main cause of root rot.
• The RHS recommends room-temperature rainwater or filtered water where tap water is hard.
• If the plant climbs a moss pole, keep the pole damp so the aerial roots grow into it.

More on reading your plant’s water needs in how to water houseplants.

Best soil for pothos and repotting

Pothos wants a loose mix that holds some moisture but drains quickly. The RHS suggests:

• 3 parts peat-free ericaceous (acidic) potting mix,
• 1 part grit,
• 1 part medium orchid bark.

A regular houseplant mix works too, especially if you lighten it with bark or perlite. For more recipes, see aroid soil mix.

Repot in spring once roots fill the pot or poke out of the drainage holes, usually every two to three years. Go up only one pot size. A pot that’s too big stays wet for too long and invites root rot.

Humidity and temperature

Unlike many tropical houseplants, pothos doesn’t need high humidity. Normal indoor air is fine.

The RHS recommends 18–30 °C (65–86 °F), away from cold drafts and radiators. University of Florida research notes that a few hours at 33–40 °F (1–4 °C), or sudden temperature swings, cause brown patches in the center of the leaves. Be careful with plants on a windowsill when you air out the room in winter.

Fertilizing

Feed about once a month from April to October with a general houseplant fertilizer, as the RHS suggests. NC State Extension recommends every other month. Either works; skip feeding in winter. Give a newly bought or repotted plant about four weeks before fertilizing.

How to propagate pothos

Pothos is one of the easiest houseplants to propagate, because the stems root readily from the nodes.

1. Pick a healthy vine and find a node: the spot where a leaf joins the stem, often with a small aerial root.
2. Cut just below the node. Each cutting can have one to three leaves. Long vines can be cut into several pieces, each with a node.
3. Put the cutting in water with the node submerged and the leaves above the waterline. Keep it in bright light out of direct sun.
4. Wait for roots. In commercial production, University of Florida reports buds breaking in 2–3 weeks and rooting in 3–4 weeks. In a cool room it can take longer.
5. Pot it up, ideally several cuttings together for a fuller plant.

You can also layer it: pin a trailing vine onto a pot of free-draining mix, let it root at the node and only then cut it from the parent. Wear gloves when cutting, since the sap irritates skin. For a detailed walkthrough, read how to propagate pothos.

Pothos varieties

NC State Extension lists these cultivars, among others:

• ‘Marble Queen’: leaves and stems marbled with white,
• ‘Njoy’ (Beautifall®): smaller, thinner leaves with cream variegation,
• ‘Pearls and Jade’: green-and-white variegated leaves,
• ‘Snow Queen’: heavily white-variegated leaves,
• ‘Neon’: bright chartreuse leaves with no variegation,
• ‘Jade’: solid dark green, the best choice for low light.

Variegated types need more light than green ones. University of Florida lists low light, magnesium deficiency and too little fertilizer as causes of new leaves losing variegation. If an all-green shoot appears, cut it back to the last variegated leaf so it doesn’t take over. Read more in variegation reversion and our overview of variegated houseplants.

Common problems

Symptom	Cause	Fix
Older leaves turning yellow	soil kept too wet or too dry	check moisture with your finger and adjust watering
Blackening leaf edges, wilting in wet soil	overwatering, root rot	let it dry, trim mushy roots, repot in a chunkier mix
Small new leaves, fading variegation	not enough light, low fertilizer	move closer to a window, feed during the growing season
Scorched brown patches on white areas	direct sun or heat	move out of direct sun; damaged leaves won’t recover
Brown patches in the middle of leaves	cold exposure or sudden temperature change	keep away from cold drafts and open windows in winter
Long bare vines with leaves only at the tips	natural aging, low light	prune back, root the cuttings and replant them in the pot
White fluffy clusters or brown bumps on stems	mealybugs, scale	wipe off, isolate the plant; see mealybugs on houseplants

Is pothos toxic?

The ASPCA lists golden pothos as toxic to cats and dogs. It contains insoluble calcium oxalates. Chewing it can cause oral irritation, intense burning of the mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. If your pet chewed the plant, call your vet.

NC State Extension rates it as medium severity for people as well and notes that the sap can cause skin irritation. Wear gloves when pruning and keep it out of reach of children and pets. See houseplants toxic to cats and dogs for other plants to watch.

In the game

Pothos ‘Marble Queen’ is one of six species in the mobile game Rare Leaf Tycoon. Cuttings from a mother plant only reveal their pattern after they root: green, unstable, stable or rare. A stable line is the safe bet; an unstable one gives better odds of a rare leaf. Growing is simplified in the game, and plants never die.