Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

About Pothos

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is the heart-shaped, trailing vine that has earned its nickname "devil's ivy" by being virtually impossible to kill — a plant so resilient that it continues growing in near-darkness, survives forgotten waterings for weeks, roots in plain water within days, and has become the single most commonly grown houseplant in the world. In the Philippines, pothos is everywhere: cascading from office shelves, trailing down condo balcony railings, growing in glass jars on kitchen windowsills, and climbing trees in outdoor gardens. It is the plant that makes indoor gardening accessible to everyone.

What sets pothos apart from other beginner plants like sansevieria is its speed and visual feedback. While sansevieria sits almost motionless for months, pothos grows visibly — you can literally watch new leaves unfurl weekly during the warm season, and a single cutting placed in water sprouts roots within 7-14 days. This immediate gratification makes pothos the most rewarding first plant for new growers, and the reason it was the gateway plant for millions of Filipinos who discovered plant parenthood during the 2020-2021 plantita/plantito phenomenon.

The plant is a tropical aroid from the Araceae family — the same family as monstera, philodendron, anthurium, and alocasia. In its native habitat (the forests of Mo'orea in French Polynesia, though now naturalized throughout tropical Asia including the Philippines), pothos is a massive climbing vine with leaves reaching 60-100 cm. The small-leaved trailing form familiar indoors is actually the plant's juvenile state — when given a vertical surface to climb (a moss pole or tree trunk), pothos leaves progressively enlarge and can develop fenestrations (leaf holes) similar to monstera, revealing its dramatic adult form.

The variety explosion in the Philippine pothos market has been remarkable. Beyond the classic Golden Pothos (green with gold variegation), Filipino plant enthusiasts now grow Marble Queen, Neon, N'Joy, Manjula, Cebu Blue, Global Green, Snow Queen, Pearls and Jade, and numerous other cultivars — each with distinctive leaf patterns and coloring, but all sharing the same fundamental ease of care that makes pothos the universal houseplant.

History & Discovery

Epipremnum aureum is native to Mo'orea, a small island in French Polynesia (Society Islands), though its exact origin was long unclear because the plant has been cultivated and naturalized throughout tropical Asia for centuries. It was first described scientifically in 1880 and has been reclassified multiple times — from Pothos aureus to Scindapsus aureus to Raphidophora aurea to its current accepted name, Epipremnum aureum. The lingering use of "pothos" as a common name actually refers to a different genus entirely — but the name stuck, and correcting it is a lost cause in common usage.

The common name "devil's ivy" arose because the plant is seemingly impossible to kill — even in complete darkness, even when severely neglected, even when cut down, it persists. "Money plant" (used in parts of Asia including the Philippines) comes from a feng shui association — the round, heart-shaped leaves are said to resemble coins, and the plant is believed to attract prosperity and good fortune. This cultural association makes pothos a common gift at housewarmings and business openings in Filipino culture.

In the Philippines, pothos has been naturalized for so long that many Filipinos consider it a native plant. It grows wild in tropical forests throughout the archipelago, climbing tall trees with its aerial roots and developing massive mature leaves that look nothing like the small juvenile leaves known from indoor cultivation. The plant's presence in Philippine forests is so established that it has become part of the local ecological fabric — birds and animals use its aerial root networks, and its large climbing leaves contribute to canopy coverage in secondary-growth forests.

How to Plant Pothos in the Philippines

Pothos is available everywhere — plant shops, hardware store garden sections, online sellers, weekend plant markets, and often free from friends and neighbors who are happy to share cuttings from their existing vines. It is one of the cheapest houseplants in the Philippines, and propagation is so easy that buying more than one plant is rarely necessary.

Propagation Steps

1. Take stem cuttings: Cut a 15-20 cm section of vine just below a node — the small brown bump on the stem where leaves and aerial roots emerge. Each cutting should have at least 2-3 leaves and 2-3 nodes. Nodes are essential — they are where new roots grow. Remove the lowest leaf to expose the node that will be submerged in water or buried in soil.
2. Root in water (easiest method): Place cuttings in a clean glass jar, vase, or bottle with room-temperature water. Submerge at least 2 nodes. Place in bright indirect light. Change water every 3-5 days to prevent stagnation. Roots appear in 7-14 days — visible as white threads emerging from nodes. This is pothos's signature party trick — watching roots grow in a glass jar is endlessly satisfying for new plant parents.
3. Transplant to soil (or keep in water): Once water roots are 5-8 cm long, transplant to a pot with well-draining potting mix. Alternatively, pothos can live in water permanently — just add a few drops of liquid fertilizer monthly. Soil-grown plants produce larger, faster growth; water-grown plants are low-maintenance but stay smaller.
4. Direct soil propagation (alternative): Insert cuttings directly into moist potting mix, burying at least 2 nodes. Keep soil consistently moist (not wet) for 2-3 weeks until roots establish. This method skips the transplant-shock step but lacks the visual satisfaction of watching roots develop in water.
5. Choose a display method: Trailing: place pot on a high shelf, in a hanging basket, or in a macramé hanger and let vines cascade downward. Climbing: provide a moss pole, coco coir pole, or wooden trellis and guide the vine upward — leaves will grow progressively larger. Both methods work; climbing produces a more dramatic, mature-looking plant.
6. Water when top soil dries: Establish a regular watering routine — check soil every 5-7 days and water when the top 2-3 cm is dry. Pothos dramatically wilts when thirsty (the entire plant goes limp) but recovers within hours of watering. This clear signal system makes it easy to learn the plant's rhythm.

Best Planting Season

Pothos grows actively year-round in Philippine conditions — it can be planted, propagated, or repotted in any month. Growth is fastest during the warm, humid months (March-October) and slightly slower during the cooler amihan season, but the difference in the Philippines is minimal compared to temperate climates where pothos goes semi-dormant in winter.

Care Guide

Sunlight

Bright indirect light is ideal — produces the fastest growth and best variegation. Pothos also thrives in medium light, tolerates low light, and survives (but grows slowly) in fluorescent office lighting. It is one of the best plants for interior rooms with no direct window access. Avoid prolonged direct afternoon sun — it scorches leaves, causing brown, crispy edges. Variegated varieties (Marble Queen, N'Joy, Manjula) need more light to maintain their patterns — in low light, they revert toward solid green as the plant maximizes chlorophyll production. Solid green Golden Pothos handles the deepest shade.

Water

Moderate — water when the top 2-3 cm of soil dries. In Manila conditions: typically every 5-7 days during dry season, every 7-10 days during wet season or in air-conditioned rooms. Pothos has a dramatic wilt response — the entire vine goes limp and leaves droop when it needs water. This visual signal makes overwatering unlikely if you pay attention. The plant recovers remarkably from wilting within hours of watering, but chronic repeated wilting stresses the plant and causes yellowing. Overwatering (keeping soil constantly wet) causes root rot — the same killer as with sansevieria, though pothos is more forgiving of occasional excess moisture.

Soil

Standard indoor potting mix with added perlite for drainage. Pothos is less demanding about soil than sansevieria or rosemary — it tolerates a wider range of soil textures and moisture levels. A simple mix of 3 parts standard potting soil + 1 part perlite works well. Avoid heavy, waterlogged soil that stays wet for days. Pothos also grows happily in pure water, LECA (semi-hydro), sphagnum moss, and various soilless media — it is adaptable to almost any growing medium.

Humidity & Temperature

Pothos is a true tropical plant — it thrives in Manila's warm (25-35°C), humid (60-90%) conditions without any accommodation. This is a significant advantage over Mediterranean herbs and some temperate houseplants that struggle with Philippine humidity. Air-conditioned rooms (18-24°C, lower humidity) are also fine — pothos adapts readily. The only temperature concern is prolonged cold below 10°C, which never occurs in Philippine lowland conditions. Pothos is happier in Philippine ambient conditions than in any artificially controlled environment.

Fertilizer

Light monthly feeding during the growing season (March-October) with balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength. Pothos is not a heavy feeder — it grows well in relatively lean conditions. Overfertilizing causes salt buildup in soil (visible as white crust on the surface) and can burn roots. Water-grown pothos needs monthly liquid fertilizer added to the water — without it, growth slows after the initial nutrient reserves in the cutting are depleted. No fertilizer needed during the coolest months or for newly repotted plants.

Pruning

Prune freely — pothos responds enthusiastically to cutting. Every cut point produces new branching, making the plant bushier and fuller. Prune leggy, sparse vines to encourage denser growth. Prune vines that have grown too long for their display position. Use all cuttings for propagation — share with friends, start new pots, or add cuttings back into the same pot for a fuller look. There is no wrong way to prune pothos — the plant regrows from any cut point as long as nodes remain.

Growing Medium Options

Ornamental Uses

Pothos's trailing or climbing habit gives it extraordinary versatility in interior design — it fills vertical space, creates living curtains, adds movement to static rooms, and works in display positions (high shelves, ceiling hooks, wall mounts) that no other common houseplant can reach. The heart-shaped leaves and graceful vines bring organic, flowing energy to any space.

Interior Design Applications

• Hanging baskets and macramé: The most classic pothos display — trailing vines cascade from ceiling-hung baskets or handmade macramé plant hangers. Creates living curtain effects in windows, room dividers, and patio transitions
• High shelf trailing: Placed on top of bookshelves, kitchen cabinets, or tall furniture — vines trail down the edges, softening hard architectural lines. The most common pothos display in Filipino homes
• Climbing on moss poles: Trained upward on moss poles, coco coir poles, or wooden boards — produces progressively larger, more dramatic leaves. Creates a living vertical sculpture. The transformation from small juvenile leaves to large mature leaves is visually striking
• Water propagation display: Cuttings in clear glass jars, vases, or bottles — minimalist, modern, decorative. Popular on desks, windowsills, and bathroom counters. The visible root system is part of the aesthetic
• Living wall element: Multiple pothos planted along wall-mounted shelving, trailing and crossing to create a green wall effect. Effective in large rooms, lobbies, and restaurants
• Office desk plant: Small pothos in a pot or water jar — survives fluorescent lighting and air-conditioning. The default desk plant in Philippine corporate offices

Landscape Uses

• Ground cover: Pothos spreads vigorously as ground cover in shaded outdoor areas — under trees, along walls, in garden borders. Grows rapidly and requires almost no maintenance
• Tree climbing: Allowed to climb outdoor trees, pothos develops its dramatic mature form with massive leaves — a naturalistic, tropical look common in Philippine gardens
• Fence and wall covering: Trained along fences, walls, and trellises to create living green screens

Air Quality & Oxygen

Pothos was included in NASA's 1989 Clean Air Study and demonstrated the ability to remove formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and toluene from sealed test chambers. Its large leaf surface area relative to plant size makes it an efficient air-exchange plant. Unlike sansevieria (which uses CAM photosynthesis for nighttime oxygen release), pothos performs standard C3 photosynthesis — absorbing CO₂ and releasing oxygen during the day only.

Pothos's practical air-quality advantage lies in its growth speed. Because it produces new leaves constantly and rapidly (a single plant can double its leaf count in a growing season), it continuously increases its photosynthetic surface area. A hanging basket of pothos that started as a few small cuttings can develop meters of vine with dozens of leaves within a year — far more leaf area than slower-growing houseplants. This vigorous transpiration also contributes to indoor humidity regulation, which benefits human comfort in air-conditioned Metro Manila offices and condos where dry air can cause respiratory discomfort.

Toxicity & Safety

Humans: Pothos contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals (raphides) throughout its stems, leaves, and roots. If chewed, these microscopic needle-shaped crystals penetrate mouth tissues, causing immediate pain, burning, swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat, and excessive drooling. Skin contact with sap can cause mild irritation in sensitive individuals. The plant is not fatally toxic — the intense oral pain prevents significant ingestion. Keep out of reach of small children. Wash hands after handling if sap contact occurs.

Pets: The ASPCA lists pothos as toxic to dogs and cats. The calcium oxalate crystals cause the same oral irritation in pets: pawing at the mouth, drooling, difficulty swallowing, vomiting. The burning pain usually prevents pets from eating dangerous amounts. Pothos is one of the most commonly reported plants in pet poisoning calls — not because it is especially dangerous, but because it is so widely grown and its trailing vines attract curious cats. Hang pothos out of pet reach: ceiling hooks, high shelves, wall-mounted planters. For pet-friendly alternatives with similar trailing habit, consider spider plants or Peperomia.

Common Pests & Diseases in the Philippines

• Mealybugs: White, cottony masses at leaf axils and along stems — the most common pothos pest. Suck sap and excrete sticky honeydew. Remove with alcohol-dipped cotton swab. Neem oil spray for larger infestations. Check new growth regularly — mealybugs favor tender new leaves and stems.
• Spider mites: Tiny mites causing stippled, yellowing leaves with fine webbing — most common in hot, dry, air-conditioned conditions. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth. Spray with water. Neem oil for persistent infestations. Spider mites are less common on pothos in naturally humid Philippine conditions than in artificially dry indoor environments.
• Scale insects: Brown or tan oval bumps on stems and leaf undersides — suck sap and weaken the plant. Scrape off with a fingernail. Neem oil. Check stems along the entire vine length — scale can establish at any point.
• Root rot: Mushy, brown roots from overwatering — causes yellowing leaves, wilting despite wet soil, and a musty smell. Remove plant from pot, trim rotten roots, repot in fresh well-draining mix. Water less frequently. More common in pothos kept in pots without drainage holes or in heavy, water-retentive soil.
• Bacterial leaf spot: Brown or black water-soaked spots on leaves — spread by water splashing and high humidity. Remove infected leaves. Avoid overhead watering. Improve air circulation. Not usually fatal but cosmetically damaging.
• Fungal stem rot: Blackening stems near the soil surface — often from excessively wet soil or soil that stays moist for extended periods. Cut away affected stems above the rot and re-root in fresh medium. Ensure proper drainage and watering frequency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Plants of the World Online — Epipremnum aureum (Linden & André) G.S.Bunting. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
• Wolverton, B.C. et al. (1989). Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement. NASA Technical Report.
• ASPCA — Animal Poison Control Center: Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant Lists — Epipremnum aureum.
• Boyce, P.C. & Croat, T.B. (2018). The Überlist of Araceae: Totals for published and estimated number of species in aroid genera. Aroideana, 41.
• Huxley, A. et al. (1992). The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan.

This guide is for informational purposes. Consult local plant nurseries for variety-specific care advice.