Identity & taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Epipremnum aureum (Linden & André) G.S.Bunting
- Family
- Araceae
- Genus
- Epipremnum
- Order
- Alismatales
- Wikidata
- Q161809
- Pothos aureus Linden & André
- Rhaphidophora aurea (Linden & André) Birdsey
- Scindapsus aureus (Linden & André) Engl.
- Epipremnum mooreense Nadeaud
- Pothosen
- Devil's ivyen
- Golden pothosen
- Money planten
- Guldrankeda
- Kultaköynnösfi
- Efeututede
Mo'orea (Society Islands, French Polynesia)
How to identify it
Growth habit. Juvenile vining plant in indoor conditions — soft heart-shaped leaves, internodes every 5–10 cm, aerial rootlets at each node. Given a moss pole and high humidity, the plant transitions to its mature form with much larger, pinnately split leaves; almost never seen in cultivation.
Leaves. Juvenile leaves: heart-shaped, 5–15 cm long, often variegated in gold, cream, or white depending on cultivar. Mature leaves (rare indoors): pinnately lobed and up to 75 cm, resembling a Monstera.
Flowers. Essentially never flowers in cultivation. The species is thought to have been sterile since its introduction to horticulture — for decades no flowering specimen was known anywhere in the world.
- Heart-shaped leaves with an asymmetric twist at the leaf tip.
- Single aerial root at every node; the stem is notably thick for a trailing plant.
- Variegation (when present) has a marbled or fractured pattern, not symmetric stripes.
- Petiole is shallowly grooved on the upper side — useful for distinguishing from heartleaf philodendron.
Commonly confused with
Heartleaf philodendron
Leaves are thinner, softer, more matte, and a pure symmetric heart shape; petiole is round-to-D-shaped, not grooved. New growth emerges inside a cataphyll (a protective sheath) rather than as a tight rolled leaf.
Satin pothos
Silver-splashed matte leaves with a velvety surface. Different genus entirely — not a pothos and not a philodendron.
Dragon-tail / Cebu blue pothos
Same genus as pothos; juvenile leaves are elongated and arrow-shaped rather than heart-shaped. Cebu Blue has a distinctive blue-green sheen.
Care
Light
Low to bright indirect.
Pothos is the archetypal low-light houseplant — it will survive in 500 lux (a dim office corner) but variegation fades and growth slows dramatically. Bright indirect light brings out full variegation and fast growth. Avoid direct midday sun through glass, which scorches pale variegated leaves first.
Water
When the top 2–3 cm of soil is dry.
Pothos is one of the most forgiving plants for missed waterings — leaves droop dramatically when thirsty and recover within hours once watered. Overwatering is the real killer, manifesting as whole-vine yellowing from the soil line upward.
Seasonal: Expect longer intervals in winter — every 10–21 days rather than weekly.
Soil
Standard well-draining potting mix.
Not picky. Any commercial houseplant mix works. Adding 20–30 % perlite reduces rot risk and is cheap insurance against overwatering.
Humidity
40–60 % ideal; tolerates down to 25 %.
Grows faster and produces larger leaves in higher humidity, but will survive indefinitely in dry indoor air. Worth knowing if you want variegation to stay crisp — dry air can cause brown leaf edges.
Temperature
15–30 °C.
Keep away from cold window glass in winter. Otherwise extremely temperature-tolerant.
Fertilizer
Balanced liquid feed monthly in spring/summer at half strength.
Pothos is a fast grower and appreciates regular feeding during active months. Skip December–February. Over-fertilising causes crispy leaf margins.
Pruning
Prune anytime to control length and encourage branching.
Each cut triggers new growth from the node just below it, so a single pruning can turn a single long vine into a bushy, multi-branched plant. Always cut just above a node.
Repotting
Every 2–3 years once roots circle the pot bottom.
Pothos tolerates being rootbound but will slow growth noticeably. Upgrade one pot size at a time.
Stem cutting in water
easy~1–3 weeksCut a section with at least one node — leaves optional. Place in water at room temperature, refresh weekly, keep in bright indirect light. Pot up once roots reach 5 cm.
Stem cutting in moist soil
easy~2–4 weeksDip the cut end in rooting hormone (optional) and push the node into damp potting mix. Cover loosely with a clear bag for 1–2 weeks to raise humidity around the cutting.
Layering
easy~3–5 weeksWithout cutting, pin a node of an existing vine into a second pot of damp soil. Once roots establish at the node (gently tug — resistance means rooted), cut the connecting stem to separate.
Cultivars
'Golden'
The original form: medium green heart-shaped leaves marbled with yellow-gold. Still the default sold under 'pothos' with no cultivar name.
'Marble Queen'
Heavily variegated with cream-to-white marbling covering 50–70 % of the leaf; slower-growing than Golden because less chlorophyll means less photosynthesis.
'Neon'
Solid chartreuse leaves with no variegation; fastest-growing cultivar and the most forgiving in low light.
'N'Joy'
Compact plant with small leaves cleanly divided into bright green and pure white sectors — marketed as a patented cultivar.
'Pearls and Jade'
Sport of 'Marble Queen' with smaller leaves and speckled, fine-grained white-and-green variegation. Slow growth.
'Manjula'
Wavy-edged leaves with pastel cream, silver, and green swirls; a patented cultivar sometimes called 'Happy Leaf'.
Common problems
Whole-vine yellowing
Symptom
Leaves yellow from the soil line upward along the vine.
Cause
Root rot from overwatering.
Fix
Unpot, cut away mushy black roots, repot into fresh airier mix in a pot one size smaller, and water sparingly until new growth resumes.
Variegation disappearing
Symptom
New leaves emerge solid green on a cultivar that was previously variegated.
Cause
Insufficient light. Variegated tissue has less chlorophyll, and in dim conditions the plant reverts to all-green cells that photosynthesise better.
Fix
Move to brighter indirect light. Prune back to the last variegated leaf — the new growth from that node will typically revert to variegated form.
Long vines with no leaves between nodes (leggy growth)
Symptom
Vines elongate with 10+ cm gaps between leaves; sparse, spindly appearance.
Cause
Too little light.
Fix
Move closer to a window or add a grow light. Prune the leggy sections — new growth from the cuts will emerge with normal spacing.
- Mealybugs
- Spider mites
- Scale
- Fungus gnats
- Root rot (Pythium)
- Bacterial leaf spot (Erwinia)
Toxicity & safety
Burning of the lips, tongue, and throat if chewed; excessive salivation; skin contact with sap may cause irritation.
Mechanism: Insoluble calcium oxalate raphides
Oral irritation, intense burning of the mouth, tongue, and lips; drooling; vomiting; difficulty swallowing.
Mechanism: Insoluble calcium oxalate raphides
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) — ASPCAOral irritation, drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.
Mechanism: Insoluble calcium oxalate raphides
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) — ASPCAPothos essentially never flowers in cultivation — and for decades no flowering specimen was known anywhere in the world. It is thought the species lost the gibberellin synthesis pathway needed to trigger flowering, and spreads almost entirely by vegetative fragments. A tropical invasive in many places for exactly this reason.
Frequently asked · 5
Is pothos toxic to cats and dogs?+
Yes. All parts of Epipremnum aureum are toxic to cats and dogs per ASPCA. Chewing releases calcium oxalate raphides which cause immediate burning of the mouth, drooling, and vomiting. Same mechanism as monstera and philodendron — different from the saponins in snake plant.
What's the difference between pothos and heartleaf philodendron?+
Pothos leaves are thicker, glossier, and have an asymmetric twist at the tip; the petiole is grooved on the upper surface. Philodendron leaves are softer, matte, symmetrical, and new growth emerges from a protective cataphyll sheath. Pothos is in Araceae genus Epipremnum; heartleaf philodendron is genus Philodendron.
Why is my variegated pothos turning green?+
Not enough light. Variegated tissue has less chlorophyll, so in low light the plant reverts to more efficient all-green cells. Move to brighter indirect light and prune back to the last variegated leaf — new growth from that node will usually return to variegated form.
How fast does pothos grow?+
In bright indirect light with regular feeding, expect 30–45 cm of new vine per month in spring and summer. 'Neon' and 'Golden' grow fastest; heavily variegated cultivars like 'Marble Queen' and 'N'Joy' grow about half as fast because they have less chlorophyll.
Can pothos survive in a bathroom with no window?+
Only if there is at least some ambient light — pothos tolerates low light (500 lux and up) but cannot live in total darkness. A bathroom with a frosted window, or one with a few hours of incidental light from an adjacent room, works. Pure windowless spaces need a grow light on a timer.