Pothos
Epipremnum aureum
Pothos is a trailing tropical vine with glossy, heart-shaped leaves, famous for being almost impossible to kill. It thrives in a huge range of light conditions and roots easily from cuttings, making it a top choice for beginners.
- Light
- Low to bright indirect light
- Water
- When top inch is dry
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is an evergreen vine in the arum family, native to the Solomon Islands and across the South Pacific. Its nickname 'devil's ivy' comes from how hard it is to kill — it stays green even in deep shade.
Indoors it is grown as a trailing or climbing foliage plant, with cascading stems that can reach many feet long. Numerous cultivars exist, including golden, marble queen, neon, and jade.
It is one of the easiest and most popular houseplants in the world, tolerating low light, irregular watering, and a range of temperatures with little complaint.
How to identify it
- Leaves: Glossy, heart-shaped, 2-4 inches indoors, often marbled or streaked with yellow, white, or pale green
- Habit: Trailing or climbing vine with stems that can exceed 10 feet
- Roots: Produces aerial roots at nodes that allow it to climb
- Variation: Cultivars include 'Golden' (yellow variegation), 'Marble Queen' (white-streaked), 'Neon' (bright chartreuse), and 'Jade' (solid green)
Pothos is often confused with heartleaf philodendron; pothos leaves are thicker, waxier, and slightly asymmetric.
Care & growing
Light: Tolerates low light but variegation is brightest in medium to bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sun.
Water: Water when the top inch of soil dries out. Drooping leaves are a clear sign it's thirsty; let it dry between waterings to avoid rot.
Soil: Standard well-draining potting mix.
Temperature: Comfortable at 65-85°F (18-29°C); avoid cold drafts below 50°F.
Feeding: Monthly balanced fertilizer during spring and summer.
Propagation: One of the easiest plants to propagate — cut a stem below a node and root it in water or soil within a couple of weeks.
Habitat & origin
Epipremnum aureum is native to the island of Mo'orea in the Society Islands but has spread throughout Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and tropical regions worldwide.
In warm climates (USDA zones 10-12) it grows outdoors as an aggressive groundcover and tree climber, and it is considered an invasive species in places like Florida, Hawaii, and parts of Asia. Indoors it is one of the most widely grown houseplants on Earth.
Frequently asked questions
Can pothos grow in just water?
Yes, pothos can live in a jar of water indefinitely, though it grows best with occasional liquid fertilizer added.
Why is my pothos losing its variegation?
Insufficient light causes variegated cultivars to produce more solid green leaves. Move it to brighter indirect light to restore variegation.
How do I make my pothos bushier?
Prune regularly just above a node; cuttings can be replanted into the same pot to fill it out.
How is pothos different from philodendron?
They look similar, but pothos leaves are thicker, waxier, and slightly asymmetric, and pothos produces aerial roots at the nodes for climbing.
Pothos guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Pothos.
