The scientific name of the Pothos plant is Epipremnum, they are indoor plants. They can gain a length of 40 feet long in tropical regions.
Pothos are evergreen plants they flourish in outdoor setups but at the time when they mature in a suitable environment and in the presence of adequate light; the color of the bloom is greenish-offwhite and they have great size. Pothos plants do not flourish in indoor setups.
Pothos plants are known as climbers because of the presence of long aerial roots whose height relies on the place where they thrive i.e. either indoor or outdoor.
In outdoor settings, they can attain a height of up to 40 feet and in indoor settings, they can thrive up to a maximum of 6 to 8 feet. The foliage of the pothos plant shine in a different shade like yellow, green, neon green and so on
The pothos plant generally encloses itself to approximately six to ten feet. Their leaves have bright colors and waxy texture along with a significant and in heart shape with pointed edges and are frequently green or prismatic in yellow color, or pale green color.
It is infrequent for pothos to bloom or make drupe, mainly houseplants, but definite variation can have small, stalk-less instant blooms that feature tiny drupe.
Pothos is also known as devil’s ivy. They are very good at supporting in filtering the air and liberal of bright light. Pothos plants also help to clarify the air when developed in an indoor environment.
The pothos plant is captivating and in addition, they are healthy, this is the most trouble-free and a calm tree to develop in the indoor settings.
Although pothos is endemic to the understory forest because the forests have a hot climate and they are rich in high humidity in the Islands of the south pacific region, pothos is capable of adapting to a great range of developing surroundings out of their natural tropical environment.
Pothos are not only used as ornamental plants but also they purify the air in the surrounding by increasing the moisture level and absorbing carbon dioxide.
There are many diversities of pothos plants like Jade Pothos, Golden Pothos, Neon Pothos, Blue Pothos, Silver Pothos, Glacier Pothos, and Jessenia Pothos.
Although there are many variations of pothos plants, only a few can thrive in indoor settings like pothos and Golden Pothos.
Table of Contents
Rate Of Growth:
Pothos are average to quick developers. If Pothos are in shade or in low light, the rate of growth will decrease. In their endemic environment surrounding pothos grow up to the trees & they can grow up to 60′. This is the reason Pothos is considered as tough to remove and have gained a new regular name: Devil’s Ivy.
During the development period between autumn and winter and spring season grows quickly. When the proper growth suppliers are present in balanced proportions they gain a height of approximately 20 to 40 feet and scatter up to 3 to 6 feet broad, they have an average life span of 10 years.
Growth Factors:
Light:
Pothos plants develop greatly in a variety of light availability and can even endure minimum light available.
Medium-light is adequate in the indoor setting and in outdoor settings, Pothos grows into the shade or in low light intensity. Direct sunlight is harmful to Pothos plants. A highly multicolored pothos may drop its spectrum when pothos is under low-light intensity.
The green parts of the leaves if the pothos plant makes food in the form of energy, leaves balances for the low quantity of light by transforming into more green color.
Plant leaves changes from Pale to yellowish in color would specify that the plant is acquiring a lot of light.
The number of light pothos plants require is moderate. The plant will endure low light but will not develop greatly at all.
Do not reveal pothos plants into direct sunlight. The plants will burn in very little time. High intensity of light is excellent but be cautious of the plant away from direct contact.
If pothos plants are getting light from only one direction, then the leaves of the plant will incline towards the direction of light.
Temperatures:
The pothos can bear a great range of temperatures. Pothos grow in temperature between 55° – 85℉, although the plants belong to tropical plants and the maximum range of high temperatures is between 70° – 90℉.
Soil:
Use any type of damp soil which is well-drained and full of nutrients to promote growth.
Watering:
Pothos plants are extremely subtle to watering so it is significant to know the needs of water a plant requires. Watering will result in two ways either the plant will develop greatly or the plant will wilt. Be cautious of the water plant’s daily irregularity in watering will lead to plant diseases. Usually, this result comes after the overwatering sessions.
Do not let the soil lose its moisture but be cautious do not overwater plants.
Is it easier to water plants than said? Pothos grow great when the soil is able to lose its moisture between intervals of watering.
Do not let the roots lose their moisture in the watering intervals, only allow the potting mix to get dry.
Colors of leaves will tell how much quantity a plant needs.
- If the leaves of pothos plants are turning into brown color or wilting, it needs watering more often.
- If the leaves of pothos plants are turning yellow, this indicates that the plant gets too much water. Excessive watering causes decomposition of roots.
Pothos plants develop in water and in addition soil, but it’s not easy for pothos plants to switch from one medium to another. If pothos plants start developing in the soil medium will grow greatly if it continues to grow in soil, and inversely.
Pothos plants can also grow only in water under suitable conditions like
- Low light or partial shade
- A normal relative humidity level
- Proper misting
- Use a liquid fertilizer.
- Easy to propagate
- Free from pests
Humidity:
The level of relative humidity is usually low in the months of winter. pothos are in the benefit because they do not require regular misting.
The pothos plant does great in the environment of the level of relative humidity but will develop in very little humidity present in the surrounding environment.
Brown edges of the leaf may point out that the air present in the environment is moisture-free i.e. air is dry.
Fertilizer:
If pothos plants are growing in water then liquid fertilizer will provide better nutrients to thrive and if the pothos plants are developing in soil then the normal balanced fertilizer will work to grow the plants.
Fertilize pothos plants alternate months with a quality with high balanced proportions of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in a diluted form for providing strength to thrive better.
Most indoor plants when bought they are rich in good potting mix and soil with all the required supplements absorbed in the soil and help the pothos to thrive greatly.
In some situations like pothos are developing in a bad potting mix; the Pothos plant will require a light quantity of fertilizers.
a light application of worm compost
Apply fertilizers with a balanced proportion every spring season and in summers to strengthen the plants.
Do not fertilize in autumn seasons or in winters because they go into the dormancy phase.
Do not overfeed the plant because it will make salts and will burn the roots and then the plant will not able to thrive again.
Repotting:
It is not a hard task to repot a pothos plant. If the pothos plant has elongated strings just tie them up because they are delicate to move them aside while repotting a pothos plant. The pothos plant can thrive in the given pot for a year or more if the proper nutrients are available.
Check the condition of soil either it is loose or the roots are overgrown by touching it. If the condition is so bad then repot the plant otherwise there is no need to repot the pothos plant.
Pruning :
Trim all the dead parts or rot roots and different color parts of the plant.
Always try to remain the stems short to support foliage with the entire elongation of the stem.
Prune the plant to provide new development and nourishment. Trimming the stems until some nodes will also promote the new development of the plant. Trim the long stem ends and propagate again into a new pot to regenerate the plant to spread, or plant it into the same pot either to entourage new developments.
Always sterilize scissors or other sources before pruning to prevent from spreading allergies or diseases in the surrounding. Cut the dead or decayed leaves or foliage or if they have lost their color.
Toxicity:
Although the pothos plants are hardly fatal. If a pet or a baby ingests pothos it will result in vomiting and irritation because it secrets calcium oxalates.
Propagation:
Cut the stem overhead the leaf node about 4 to 6 inches elongated, with three or more leaves and not less than two leaf nodes.
Remove the leaf which is close to the end of the root, and then place it in a pot filled entirely with water. Freshen the water and wash the pot completely as required, and then the pothos plant will develop in the water without soil mixture as much as the liquid fertilizer is available. If the cutting has started propagating in water, it will not get adjusted in the soil medium.
So if the cutting is in soil medium then use the normal fertilizer in a balanced proportion to promote the new growth.
Pests:
The pothos plants have no issues with the insects and they do not have any disease problems. Though mealybugs and scales are found on the leaves of plants creating a home in the soil.
Using a ball of cotton dipped fully in the alcohol will help to prevent insects from coming to the plant.
Check the pothos plant every week to stop infestations and either use a pesticide or a spray to kill the mealybugs and other insects.
In abstract the question ” how do I know when my pothos needs water ” the response is:
Permit the soil mix of the pothos plant to lose all the moisture dry out entirely between intervals of watering. It will indicate that the foliage starts to bend when the pothos plant starts to require adequate water, then it is the ideal time to start watering the pothos plant.
Do not overwater the plant. It is better to dip a finger up to 2 inches into the soil in a regular interval of time every few days to check relative humidity levels, and do watering when the soil of the pothos plant loses its moisture till a little down from the superficial surface. Overwatering will result in either root rot or yellowing of roots and it is fatal to the plant life.
Watering indoor plants at different intervals and different frequencies it all depends on the need of the plant to how much water a pothos plant requires, size of the pot, seasons of the year i.e. spring, summers, autumn and winters, and the conditions of the environment.
Hi there! My name is Constance and I am a professional botanist. My enthusiasm for organic farming has led me to start this blog about gardening for beginners!
I write articles and tips on improving your home and garden with less work. I also share my own advice from the perspective of someone who loves all things green – like how to grow vegetables in containers or how to make compost out of kitchen scraps.