Palm · Aroid
Pothos
Epipremnum aureum
Pothos is the ultimate beginner houseplant — a trailing tropical vine native to the Solomon Islands that tolerates almost any light, forgives irregular watering, and roots from cuttings in a glass of water. Its heart-shaped leaves come in dozens of variegated cultivars, from Golden to Marble Queen to Neon. Give it a shelf to trail from or a pole to climb and it will grow almost indefinitely.
Quick care
At a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect; tolerates low light
- Water
- Let top 2-3cm dry between waterings
- Humidity
- 40-60%
- Temperature
- 18-27°C
- Potting mix
- Standard well-draining potting mix
- Toxicity
- Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed; mildly irritating to humans.
- Mature size
- 2m+ trailing or climbing indoors
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Origin
- Solomon Islands
Where to start
The first things to learn
01
Roots
Pothos has relatively shallow, fibrous roots that fill out a pot quickly. Healthy roots are white to cream-coloured and firm; mushy brown or black roots signal rot. Pothos also sprouts aerial roots along its stems, which help it climb in the wild.