Pothos Plant Care

INSIDE : Easy General Pothos Plant Care and tips! Including their watering needs, light needs, the best containers, where to buy and much more.

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This post has been updated since it’s original November 2019 publish date.

Today I am talking in-depth about one of the easiest trailing plants out there – the Epipremnum aureum or the Pothos Plant. I even included it in my 11 Hard to Kill Houseplants post.

I have had my Golden Pothos plant for a little under a year and have been so pleasantly surprised at the ease at which he grows!! I’ve also had a mini neon pothos plant for a little over two years. He has grown much more slowly but I love his delicate and sweet little leaves.

Are plants your jam like like me? You might like some of my other Plant Care + Tip posts.

Basic Pothos plant care tips

Why are Pothos such easy plants?

Basic pothos care is so simple and I always recommend these plants for beginner plant owners! They are easy to take care of because they are such accommodating plants. They do really well in bright indirect light but also can do well in low light. They grow great in fairly dry poor soil and also in vases of just water.

How often to water a Pothos plant?

Most Pothos like to have their soil dry out between waterings. If the soil is kept too damp, then your plant will be more susceptible to root rot. If you have black spots on the leaves or have parts of the plant die suddenly, then you may be keeping your Potho too wet.

When your plant starts to droop, it needs a good drink and dry, brown edges mean the plant was kept dry too long. It’s important to find that perfect in between watering time, which typically you can achieve when the top two inches have dried out.

What is the best soil type for Pothos?

Pothos plants like well-drained potting soil the best. However, pathos are such awesome plants and do well even when planted in nutrient less soils – they are like magic plants.

What kind of light does a Pothos need?

Ready for another reason that Pothos plants are great? While they like bright, indirect light, they can still do well in locations that don’t get a lot of sunlight or even spaces that have only fluorescent lighting. Because of this, they are often a great plant for locations such as offices or dimly lit rooms.

My Golden Pothos gets indirect sunlight and my Neon Pothos does not get much sunlight at all. Both plants seem to be doing wonderfully. Be sure to check out my post about Best Sunlight Needs for Indoor Houseplants.

If you are looking to grow your Pothos outdoors, be sure to locate them in shade to partial shade.

How to prune Pothos

Pothos Plants are well known for their trailing nature. Some tendrils can grow up to 20-30 feet long. However, if you are looking to keep your plant with a more full look, you will need to see the stems trimmed up a bit more.

-When pruning your plant, make cuts just below a root node on long stem pieces. The root nodes are little brown bumps protruding from the stem of the pothos.

-When starting a new propagation Pothos Plant, cut about a 4 inch stem section. Make sure it has at least three healthy leaves and cut just below a root node. Remove any leaves from the bottom few inches of the cuttings.

-If a stem grows bare, you can cut it back to the soil and new stems will sprout.

Why are my Pothos leaves turning yellow?

Generally any time a plant has leaves turning yellow, it is a sign of too much water. Once the leaves start to yellow, they are on their way out. Slow down your watering schedule and allow the Pothos to dry out a bit before giving him another drink.

If your plant has had WAY too much water, you might have a root rot issue. In that case, remove your plant from it’s pot and cut back any dead squishy roots. Allow your plant to dry out before resuming a weekly watering schedule.

Can Pothos plants grow in water?

Yet another reason that Pothos is a wonderful plant, they can be grown in water or in soil. Cuttings from a mother plant can be rooted in water and kept in water as a houseplant!

This is an ideal solution to have pathos plants in hard to reach spots. As long as there is water in the container, your plant can survive there.

Check out my post for Water Propagation for plants for more tips on this.

What are other names for Pothos?

The pothos plant has several other common names including devil’s ivy, golden pothos and hunter’s robe.

Devil’s Ivy: This name comes from its hardiness and ability to survive in low-light conditions, even in darkness.
Golden Pothos: Refers to the common variety with golden-yellow variegation.
Hunter’s Robe: Another descriptive name, possibly referring to its trailing growth habit.

The scientific name for Pothos is Epipremnum aureum.

Where should I buy a Pothos plant?

Pothos plants can be purchased at just about any local plant nursery. However, if you are wanting some plants delivered right to your front door there are a few places online to get them, too. Amazon sells a few awesome Pothos and my favorite plant store, The Sill carries Neon and even Marble Queen Pothos.

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