Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

How much light does a Pothos need?

Indoors, pothos does best in bright, indirect light, though it survives for long periods even in low light. If you grow it outdoors, give it part shade to full shade rather than direct sun. Shade levels between 63 and 80 percent suit it well in a shaded bed or patio. Even deep shade, with less than two hours of direct sun, is tolerated outdoors. As a climbing, spreading vine, pothos can trail 8 to 10 ft (2.4 to 3 m) or more. Its leaves stay evergreen throughout the year.

• Light: Bright, indirect light; tolerates low light¹

How often to water a Pothos

Between waterings, let the potting medium swing from fully dry to lightly moist. Let it dry out completely before you water again, rather than keeping it constantly damp. A mix that drains well keeps the soil from staying wet around the roots. It also tolerates soil that occasionally runs dry. This vine's habit is climbing and spreading, and it keeps its leaves year-round as an evergreen plant. A soil pH between 6.5 and 7.0 also suits it.

• Water: Dry to medium¹

Best soil for a Pothos

A well-drained, soilless potting mix, of good quality, suits pothos best. It also tolerates a mix that runs dry between waterings rather than staying wet. Aim for a soil pH between 6.5 and 7.0, in a medium with good aeration and moisture-holding capacity. Overwatering can bring on root rot and blackened leaf margins in this plant, according to extension sources. The spathe ranges from yellow to green or purple.

• Soil drainage: Well drained and occasionally dry²
• Soil pH: pH 6.5–7³

Temperature and humidity

Keep pothos above about 34°F (1°C). Exposure to 33-40°F (1-4°C) for several hours, or a sudden swing in temperature, can injure it. It does best in high humidity, in the range of 50 to 70 percent. Outdoors, it is winter-hardy only in USDA zones 10a to 12b; in colder regions, it is grown as a houseplant or a seasonal annual instead. This plant is native to the Solomon Islands. It has also become introduced in Hawaii, the continental United States, and Puerto Rico.

• Minimum temperature: 33.8 °F (1 °C)³
• Humidity: High⁴

Fertilizing a Pothos

Feed pothos about once a month during its growing season. Overall, this plant has a moderate growth rate, and it also ranks as a low-maintenance plant to care for. It grows as a climbing, spreading vine indoors and outdoors, and its leaves stay evergreen throughout the year. It prefers humidity between 50 and 70 percent as well. Cold exposure near 33-40°F (1-4°C) for several hours can also harm it.

• Fertilizer: Monthly in the growing season³

Pruning a Pothos

Shorten a pothos stem at any point along its length, using sharp scissors just above a node. For a harder renewal cut, remove the entire stem length, leaving a 2-inch stub behind. Both light shaping and this harder renewal pruning suit this climbing vine. A mature vine can reach 8-10 ft (2.4-3 m) or more in length. Mealybugs and scale insects are among the pests recorded on this plant.

• Pruning: Light shaping and Hard renewal pruning²

Repotting a Pothos

Plan to repot pothos about once a year, in spring, moving it into a slightly larger container each time. Use a potting mix that drains well and is allowed to dry out between waterings. A soil pH of 6.5 to 7.0 suits it well at repotting time. Overall, pothos is a low-maintenance plant with a moderate pace of growth.

• Repotting: Every 1 year (Mar–May)²

How to propagate a Pothos

You can propagate pothos by stem cuttings, division, or layering. Cuttings taken from the stem root easily when placed in water, and division and layering also work as propagation methods for this plant. A mature vine can trail 8 to 10 ft (2.4 to 3 m) or more. Pot new cuttings in a mix that drains well and is allowed to dry out occasionally. Pothos has a moderate growth rate overall. It also prefers humidity between 50 and 70 percent.

• Propagation: Stem cuttings, division and layering¹

Common problems

Several pests are recorded on pothos, including mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies, and armyworms. Banded greenhouse thrips and the whitefly Aleurodicus dispersus are among the species recorded on this plant. Reported diseases include root rot, bacterial wilt, southern blight, and both leaf spot and bacterial leaf spot. Phytophthora root rot is the most common disease affecting it, and overwatering can also blacken its leaf margins.

• Common pests: mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies and armyworms^1,5
• Common diseases: root rot, bacterial wilt, southern blight, leaf spot and bacterial leaf spot^1,6

Questions and answers

Is pothos toxic to cats and dogs?

Yes, pothos is toxic to both cats and dogs, and the ASPCA lists it as a toxic plant for each species. In cats, the reaction is rated moderate in severity.

How much light does pothos need indoors?

Give it bright, indirect light, though it also tolerates low light for long periods. Outdoors, it prefers part shade to full shade rather than direct sun.

How often should you water and fertilize pothos?

Let the potting mix dry out from fully dry to lightly moist between waterings. Fertilize it about once a month during its growing season. It also prefers a soil pH between 6.5 and 7.0.