Pothos
Epipremnum aureum — Light, Water, Soil & PropagationPothos is the plant that grows anywhere, forgives almost anything, and rewards you with long, lush trailing vines that transform any space. Whether you're a first-time plant owner or an experienced collector, mastering pothos care opens the door to a truly thriving plant.
If you've been told you have a "black thumb," pothos is the plant that will change your mind. Epipremnum aureum — known as pothos, devil's ivy, or golden pothos — is one of the most adaptable, fast-growing, and forgiving plants available for indoor growing. It tolerates drought, tolerates low light, and grows vigorously enough that even neglected plants often look good.
This guide covers everything you need to know about pothos care indoors: the core care requirements, how to diagnose and fix yellow leaves, practical tips for encouraging faster and more lush growth, and a complete step-by-step propagation guide for growing new plants from cuttings.
Popular Pothos Varieties
Golden Pothos
The most common. Deep green leaves with irregular yellow-gold variegation. Very forgiving of low light.
Marble Queen
White and green marbled leaves. Slower growing than Golden. Needs brighter light to maintain white variegation.
Neon Pothos
Solid lime-green to chartreuse leaves — no variegation. Brightest in good light. One of the most striking varieties.
N'Joy
Small, compact leaves with crisp white patches. Slower growing and less vigorous than Golden. Very distinctive.
Pearls & Jade
White and green with grey-green mottling. Compact grower. Slightly more sensitive to overwatering than others.
Cebu Blue
Silvery blue-green leaves. Stunning in bright light. Grows very large leaves when allowed to climb a moss pole.
Core Care Requirements
Light
Very AdaptablePothos will survive in conditions ranging from near-darkness to bright indirect light — a range almost no other houseplant can match. In low light, growth will be slow and variegated leaves may revert to solid green. In bright indirect light, growth accelerates dramatically and variegated varieties maintain their patterns much more vividly.
Direct sun causes bleaching and scorching of the leaves. The ideal position is 3–6 feet from a bright window receiving indirect light, or in a spot with filtered sun. Fluorescent and LED grow lights work excellently if natural light is limited — pothos responds well to 12–14 hours of artificial light daily.
Watering
ForgivingPothos is drought-tolerant and actively prefers to dry out partially between waterings. Let the top 2 inches of soil dry before watering again — this typically means once every 1–2 weeks in summer and every 2–3 weeks in winter. Adjust based on your pot size, light levels, and season rather than following a fixed schedule.
Overwatering is the most common cause of problems. Signs of too much water include yellowing leaves, soft stem at the base, and persistently wet soil. Signs of underwatering include slight wilting and dry, pulling-away soil — pothos tolerates this well and recovers quickly with a thorough watering.
Soil & Potting
Drainage KeyPothos grows well in standard potting mix amended with 20–30% perlite for improved drainage. It also grows readily in 100% perlite or LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) for semi-hydroponic setups — even in plain water for extended periods, which makes it ideal for propagation.
Always use a pot with drainage holes. Repot every 1–2 years or when roots emerge from drainage holes. Size up by one pot size (1–2 inches) at repotting time — overly large pots hold excess moisture and contribute to root issues. Spring is the ideal repotting time.
Temperature & Humidity
Easy RangePothos thrives in the temperature range of most indoor environments: 60–90°F (15–32°C). It adapts to normal household humidity levels and does not require additional humidity, though it appreciates higher humidity (50–70% RH) during active growth and will produce larger, more dramatic leaves in humid conditions.
Avoid positioning near air conditioning vents, radiators, or exterior doors — sudden cold drafts and rapid temperature fluctuations stress the plant more than sustained warmth or coolness. Keep above 55°F (13°C) at all times; sustained cold causes yellowing and poor growth even without frost damage.
Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength every 2–4 weeks during spring and summer. Pothos is not a heavy feeder — monthly is sufficient for most plants. Stop feeding entirely in autumn and winter. High nitrogen fertiliser (first number in NPK) encourages the fastest leaf and vine growth.
Why Are My Pothos Leaves Turning Yellow?
Yellow leaves are the most common concern with pothos — and they have several possible causes. The key is distinguishing which factor applies to your specific situation, because treating the wrong cause can make things worse.
Overwatering (Most Common)
Yellowing that starts on lower or older leaves and is accompanied by wet or soggy soil is almost always overwatering. The roots are being suffocated and can no longer deliver nutrients efficiently.
Check: Is the soil still moist? Are multiple leaves yellowing at once? Is the base of the stem soft?
Nutrient Deficiency
Pale or yellow new growth — particularly with green veins remaining (interveinal chlorosis) — indicates a lack of nitrogen, iron, or magnesium. Common in older soil or plants that haven't been fed for many months.
Check: Has the plant been fed recently? Is the potting mix more than 12 months old?
Low Light
Insufficient light causes gradual paling and yellowing across the plant, often accompanied by small leaf size, long internodal spacing, and loss of variegation. The plant has insufficient energy for healthy chlorophyll production.
Check: Is the plant very far from a window? Has the season changed recently to lower light months?
Natural Aging (Normal)
Oldest leaves at the base and furthest from the growing tips naturally yellow and drop as the plant redirects resources to new growth. One to two yellowing lower leaves at a time is completely normal and requires no action.
Check: Are only the very oldest, lowest leaves yellowing? Is the rest of the plant looking healthy?
Pothos is toxic to cats, dogs, and humans if ingested, due to calcium oxalate crystals in the leaves and stems. It causes oral irritation, drooling, and gastrointestinal distress. Keep out of reach of pets and small children. The Marble Queen variety tends to be positioned at shelf height and is a particular risk for curious cats.
How to Get Your Pothos to Grow Faster & Fuller
Give it something to climb
Pothos is naturally a climbing vine and produces dramatically larger leaves — sometimes several times the size — when allowed to climb a moss pole, wooden plank, or wall-mounted trellis. The aerial roots attach and the plant responds with its most vigorous, impressive growth.
Pinch and prune regularly
Cutting trailing vines back to a node encourages the plant to produce multiple new shoots from that point, resulting in a bushier, fuller appearance rather than one or two long trailing vines. Prune by ⅓ in spring for maximum new growth response.
Increase light levels
The single biggest growth accelerator for pothos. Moving from a dim corner to a bright indirect position can double the growth rate and dramatically increase leaf size. Add a grow light positioned 12–18 inches above the canopy for 12–14 hours daily in winter.
Keep it warm and humid
Pothos grows fastest in warm (70–85°F / 21–29°C), humid conditions. A bathroom or kitchen position with naturally higher humidity will produce noticeably more vigorous growth than a dry, cool room. Growth effectively pauses below 60°F (15°C).
Repot before it's rootbound
A plant in appropriately-sized fresh soil with room for roots to expand grows much faster than one that's crowded and exhausted. Don't wait for roots to emerge from the drainage holes — check annually and move up one pot size in spring if roots are visible.
Feed through the growing season
A regular half-strength feeding schedule from March through September provides the nitrogen pothos needs for rapid vine and leaf growth. Stop feeding in October and don't resume until March, when active growth restarts.
How to Propagate Pothos
Pothos is one of the easiest plants to propagate — a cutting with at least one node will root readily in water, soil, or even a damp paper towel. This makes it possible to produce dozens of new plants from a single mature specimen, making it perfect for sharing with friends or expanding your collection for free.
A node is the small brown bump on the vine where leaves attach and aerial roots emerge. Every cutting must include at least one node — without it, the cutting will not root. You can have multiple leaves on a cutting, but even a bare node with no leaves will root successfully. When cutting, make a clean cut ¼ inch below the node.
Water Propagation
(Most Popular)
3–4 weeks
- Select a healthy vine and cut a 4–6 inch section just below a node, using clean scissors.
- Remove lower leaves, leaving 1–2 leaves at the top. All leaf nodes should be above the waterline.
- Place the cutting in a jar or glass with enough water to submerge the node(s) but not the leaves.
- Position in bright indirect light. Change the water every week to prevent bacterial growth.
- Roots appear in 2–4 weeks. Once roots are 1–2 inches long, transfer to soil.
- Pot into a small container with moist (not wet) potting mix. Water sparingly at first as roots adjust.
Soil Propagation
(Most Direct)
3–5 weeks
- Take a cutting of 4–6 inches with at least one node and one leaf. Remove any leaves near the node.
- Optional: dip the cut end in rooting hormone powder to accelerate root development.
- Insert the cutting 1–2 inches into lightly moistened potting mix, ensuring the node is buried in the soil.
- Keep soil consistently lightly moist — not wet. Cover with a plastic bag or humidity dome to maintain moisture.
- Place in bright indirect light. Roots form in 3–5 weeks. Test by gently tugging — resistance means roots have formed.
- Remove humidity cover, transition to normal pothos care, and begin watering as usual.
Spring and early summer produce the fastest-rooting cuttings — the plant's natural growth cycle supports quick establishment. Cuttings taken in autumn and winter will root, but more slowly. A single pothos vine can yield 4–8 cuttings, each capable of becoming a full plant — making this one of the most rewarding plants to propagate.