How to Grow: Pothos

Sun Requirements
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) or devil’s ivy is related to Philodendron, another vining, popular houseplant. They both grow best in bright, indirect light. Pale green leaves usually means too much sun. The loss of variegation and the leaves may reverting to all green can mean too little light.

Bloom Period and Plant Shape
Pothos is grown primarily for its heart-shaped leaves and long vining stems. Some types vine more aggressively than others.

Mature Height x Spread
The plant vines almost uncontrollably outdoors in tropical climates. They are often used to cover a fence or as a groundcover. Indoors the vines can grow 6 to 10 feet long. Pothos is easily trimmed to keep in bounds. There are also versions, such as the Golden pothos, that stay more bushy-like not growing more than 1 foot tall and are slow to vine.

Planting Tips
Plant pothos in hanging baskets or containers perched on a shelf to take advantage of its sprawling nature. Grow slow to vine pothos in containers to sit on tabletops. Plant in pots filled with moistened potting soil.

Growing Tips
Pothos and philodendrons are easy to grow houseplants with hard to kill plants and vines. Give them enough light and minimal care with watering, pruning, and fertilizing, and you can enjoy these plants for years. Pinch off long vines just above a leaf. You can also train the vines to grow along curtain rods and door jams to create a jungle feel. Take the pinched stems and root them in a pot filled with moistened potting soil to make more plants.

Keep the soil evenly moist, but not soggy. Let the soil dry out between waterings. In winter in cold areas, increase the humidity around the bush versions of pothos by placing a pebble tray filled with water under the plant and by misting.

Only add fertilizer once or twice in spring. Pothos are light feeders. The leaves are toxic to pets.

Design Tips:
Grow pothos on a shelf or in a hanging basket to cascade down with its vining nature. Bushy types grow well on desks or tabletops. Train the vines into other houseplants to create a jungle effect or along windows and doors. Fasten the vines to the walls and doors to stay upright. 

Varieties:
Dark green is the standard leaf color for pothos. However, there are variegated versions with green and yellow, and green and white colored leaves that are less aggressive growers, but do need more light to hold their color. Some pothos have light chartreuse colored leaves.