The Golden Pothos plant might win the award for the most popular houseplant. You’ll see it in indoor buildings, offices, and most greenhouses.
The scientific name for the Golden Pothos is Epipremnum Aureum. It is also commonly known as Devil’s Ivy and it’s a vining foliage plant. It comes from the Araceae plant family.
Epipremnums come in lots of shapes and sizes! The Golden Pothos loves to wrap around objects and climb whatever it can attach to. The leaves are a heart-like shape and it’s lovely to look at. It is so popular due to its easy care.
I find this plant thrives even when I forget about it. If you don’t have one already, it is a wonderful addition to your plant family. In this post, I am going to share some tips on keeping your Golden Pothos alive and well!
Potting
First, when you get a plant, purchase one that looks healthy. Signs of a healthy plant will be upright leaves (no drooping) full of new growth and no yellow or brown leaves.
Once you’ve found your new plant, it’s time to find a pot. I love terra cotta or earthenware pots. Make sure the pot has a drainage hole so the water has a way of escaping or your plant will be prone to root rot (more on that later in the post).
You will want a pot that is one size up from the pot that it came in, which is about 2 inches bigger. Sometimes I find a beautiful decorative pot without a hole. If I don’t want to drill a hole at the bottom (using a drill bit), then I like to put my plant in a terra cotta pot.
Then, I place that pot inside of the decorative pot. I take it out of the decorative pot to water and let all the water drain out before putting it back in.
The Pothos enjoy a standard indoor potting mix. I like Miracle Gro indoor potting mix. Depending on the size of the pot, I will add a scoop of Perlite and a scoop of orchid bark for added aeration. This way, the soil isn’t as compact.
Adding these will let water drain and not sit in the plant for too long. As your pothos grows, it will need repotting so it is not root-bound. Spring is the best time to repot your plant to a bigger pot.
When repotting, go up one pot size (as stated above) to give your plant room to grow.
I like to water my Pothos when the plant is pretty much dried out. It might be holding a little moisture but the top 2/3 of the plant are dried out. Once it is dry and ready for a drink, I give it a generous watering.
I let the water flow out and immediately discard any water that is left pooling in the saucer. The plant loves lukewarm water (around 60 degrees Fahrenheit). If you have city water, then pour your water the day before in an open container and let the chemicals evaporate.
You don’t have to do this, but it is just a little extra step that will help your plant in the long run. Collected rainwater and well water are excellent water sources as well.
Water your pothos well in the growing season (spring and summer months) and in the winter, don’t water as thoroughly but just keep the soil moist.
I like to remember that if my Golden Pothos is in brighter sun, it will dry out faster and need more watering. If the pothos is in a darker room, it will take longer to dry out and need less watering.
If the leaves turn yellow, this is likely due to overwatering, so back off watering and let your Pothos dry out more.
Pruning
In the wild, these plants will grow quite large and they will actually flower. Indoors though, the plant will likely not flower, but there is a small chance! If you like the vine look of the pothos, just let it grow!
You can place it on top of a shelf or a pedestal and it will eventually trail down. You can place the vines over objects or even clip them onto objects to promote the vines to attach to objects. If you prefer the “bushy” look for your pothos, then pinch off new growth.
If there is a vine that is getting too long, then you can prune the vine. To do this, use a freshly cleaned pair of scissors or shears. Cleaning your tools will keep your plant from being introduced to any bacteria when you cut it.
Cut the vine 1/4-/1/2 above a leaf. You can propagate your freshly cut vine or give it to a friend!