Partial to Pothos

I’m partial to Pothos because they’re one of the most undemanding and rewarding houseplants to grow and care for. The attractive heart-shaped leaves are substantial with a waxy texture that almost looks like plastic, and indeed they are nearly as tough.

Whether cascading from a hanging basket or sitting on a windowsill, Pothos add lush tropical beauty to your home in short order for their vining and trailing growth tends to be vigorous. They’re also super easy to propagate so that over time you can make many plants from just one mother plant!

I’ve grown Pothos for decades although I’ve never actually purchased a plant. Years ago I started caring for a pot of Pothos in the office where I worked. Initially, I thought it was one large plant but soon discovered that this pot contained several different types of Pothos planted together in a colorful combination – ‘Jade Green,’ ‘Golden,’ ‘Neon’ and ‘Marble Queen.’ By propagating cuttings from each, I now have all of these beautiful varieties growing at home!

In the wild, Pothos is a robust, tropical vining plant that can quickly grow up to 40 feet long as it climbs trees from the forest floor. Grown indoors as a houseplant, it’s thankfully much more tame in habit although some vines can still reach several feet in length over time. You can twine these longer vines around a support if you wish but pruning them back creates a fuller plant, plus you can use the cut vines to propagate more plants.

Although Pothos naturally grow in warm and humid areas of the world, they adapt to the drier and cooler air in our homes with ease. Pothos grow best in temperatures between 55 F and 75 F and prefer bright indirect light although they’ll tolerate lower light areas and even fluorescent lighting. For this reason, they are often found in office buildings, restaurants and shops.

In the world of houseplants, caring for Pothos is a breeze! You can fertilize your Pothos once a month during the warmer months but these plants will grow enthusiastically with little coddling on your part. As far as water needs, Pothos are content with the same humidity levels found in most homes although they’ll positively thrive in a moist and well-lit bathroom. A good weekly watering when the soil feels dry is generally all they need but during the driest months of winter you may have to water them a little more often.

If you’re fortunate to know someone who grows Pothos, ask them for a few cuttings and start your own plants at home. You can propagate the vine sections in water or plant them directly in soil – either way will work. If you’re a beginner to plant propagation, there are many videos available online to show you how easy this is and Pothos is a great plant to practice on.

In addition to the varieties mentioned above, look for ‘Pearls and Jade,’ ‘Jessenia,’ ‘Manjula’ and ‘Cebu Blue’ to begin or add to your Pothos collection.