Epipremnum aureum
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Scindapsus aureus
- Phonetic Spelling
- ep-ih-PREM-num AW-ree-um
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Pothos is a low maintenance perennial evergreen houseplant in the Araceae (arum) family. Desired for it's glossy, green or variegated leaves on cascading stems. It only grows 6 to 8 feet as a horizontal groundcover, but the trailing, climbing vines can grow as long as 40 feet. This feature makes it well-suited for hanging baskets.
Pothos is a very easy to grow housplant prefering medium light, well-lit but not direct sunlight. It is even able to survive for long periods in low light. Mist the leaves regularly to keep humidity levels up and let the well drained potting medium dry out between watering. Fertlize ever other month except when the plant is dormant in the winter. Wipe down the leaves every so often with a soft rag to remove any collected dust. Over time leaves will yellow and fall off concentrating most of the leaves at the end of the stems. Prune stems back to maintain a bushy habit. Vines easily root in water. They climb by brown adhesive aerial roots.
It is distinguished from Philodendron hederaceum var. hederaceum by the absence of conspicuous free stipules on new growth and by the grooved petioles.
Quick ID Hints:
- Indoor vine with glossy, heart-shaped leaves
- No free stipules on new growth
- Petioles are grooved
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Rootrot can occur with overwatering.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants " a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Container Garden with Epiphytes Flower Bonanza Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Golden Pothos'
Yellow variegated leaves - 'Jade'
Solid dark green leaves, great in low light - 'Lime'
Yellow-green leaves - 'Marble Queen'
Leaves and stems marbled with white - 'Neon'
All yellow leaves - 'Tricolor'
Leaves variegated with white, stems off white
- 'Golden Pothos'
- 'Golden Pothos', 'Jade', 'Lime', 'Marble Queen', 'Neon', 'Tricolor'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Golden Pothos'
Yellow variegated leaves - 'Jade'
Solid dark green leaves, great in low light - 'Lime'
Yellow-green leaves - 'Marble Queen'
Leaves and stems marbled with white - 'Neon'
All yellow leaves - 'Tricolor'
Leaves variegated with white, stems off white
- 'Golden Pothos'
- 'Golden Pothos', 'Jade', 'Lime', 'Marble Queen', 'Neon', 'Tricolor'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Epipremnum
- Species:
- aureum
- Family:
- Araceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Society Islands
- Climbing Method:
- Scrambler
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
- Width: 13 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Houseplant
- Poisonous
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Creeping
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Description:
- Red-orange when ripe
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spadix
- Flower Description:
- Rarely flowers in a spadix surrounded by a spathe. Spadix shorter than spathe, stout; spathe boat-shaped, not forming tube, yellow to green or purple.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Variegated
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Smooth
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Deltoid
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves heart-shaped to elliptic-ovate, glossy medium green variegated with paler green underside. Veins may be reddish. Alternate, simple, sheathing, cordate, acuminate, cordate base, entire, coriaceous, glossy, green or green variegated yellow, cream to white, 3-4 in long. Petioles slender, shorter than leaf blade, and grooved to clasp the stem; stipule fused to petiole, free edges whitish, turning brownish, drying & dropping.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Variegated
- White
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems green and striped with white or yellow. Slender, with adventitious roots.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Houseplants
- Vertical Spaces
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Dry Soil
- Heavy Shade
- Rabbits
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- Oral irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue, and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting (not horses), difficulty swallowing, skin irritation, diarrhea
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Calcium oxalate crystals
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Seeds
- Stems
