Golden Pothos
Epipremnum aureum
Grows faster than almost anything else you can put in a pot. The gold in the leaves gets brighter with more light, so if yours looks plain green, it wants a sunnier spot.
Buy this plant $15 In Stock- Light
- Medium Light
- Humidity
- 40-60%
- Temperature
- 60-85°F
Light Requirements
Medium Light. Does well in spots that get indirect light most of the day. A few feet back from a bright window, or right near an east-facing one!
Watering
Every 1-2 weeks, and let the top inch dry out between waterings. Pothos handles drought better than most plants, so if you forget for a while, it'll be fine. Cut back in winter when growth slows down.
Humidity
Target humidity: 40-60%. Normal home humidity of 40-50% is usually fine! Just keep it away from heating vents, which dry the air out fast.
Temperature
Keep it between 60-85°F. Watch out for cold drafts from windows in winter and hot air blowing from vents. Most tropical houseplants start struggling below 55°F, and frost will kill them.
Soil and Potting
Standard indoor potting mix works great. Want to go the extra mile? Mix 2 parts potting soil with 1 part perlite for better drainage. Just avoid anything super dense that holds water forever.
Propagation
One of the easiest plants to propagate! Cut a 4-6 inch piece of stem just below a node, pull off the bottom leaves, and stick it in water with the node submerged. Roots show up in 2-4 weeks. Move it to soil once the roots are a couple inches long.
Common Problems
Losing that gold color? It needs more light. Leaves that come out solid green in low light won't turn gold later, so move it somewhere brighter now. Yellow leaves all over the plant? That's overwatering.
Worth Knowing
- In the wild in French Polynesia, Pothos leaves reach 30-40 inches long on mature climbing plants. Those cute little heart-shaped leaves on your shelf? Baby leaves. The plant never fully grows up indoors!
- Pothos is classified as invasive in several countries including Sri Lanka and parts of Australia. It does so well in shade that once it escapes into the wild, good luck getting rid of it.
- Almost nobody has ever seen a Pothos flower. They only bloom in their mature adult phase, which basically never happens indoors. The flower is a cream-colored spathe with a purple center. It exists! You'll just probably never see one.
Toxicity
Toxic to cats, dogs, horses, and humans. All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals causing mouth irritation, drooling, and vomiting. Keep trailing vines up and away from curious pets!