Epipremnum aureum ‘Golden’

Botanical Name —  Epipremnum aureum ‘Golden’

Common Name — Golden Pothos and Devils Ivy

Plant Family —  Araceae

Background

Pothos are native to Southeast Asia to the western Pacific.  They are one of the most popular houseplants in North America.  As houseplants they are widely used in hanging baskets or trained on moss poles. Pothos are easy going and can take neglect, low light and poor watering practices.  In their tropical environment, they grow up trees and as groundcover.  Pothos are very efficient at removing indoor pollutants such as benzene, xylene and formaldehyde.  The Golden pothos is known for its medium green streaked with golden-yellow variegated heart shaped leaves.

Growth Requirements

Sun

• Prefers 2 to 3 hours of bright indirect light. Avoid the leaves from receiving too much direct light since that can burn the leaves and or turn them a light shade of green. Can be placed on a East or North facing window sill.  If you have South or West facing windows, place a couple of feet away from the window and or provide shade with a sheer curtain. 
• Golden pothos may lose some variegation if the light is too low.  The variegation will be brighter if the plant has increased bright light.

Temperature/ Humidity 

• Pothos like room temperatures around 65 to 75 F.  They should always be kept above 50 F.  
• Though pothos like high humidity, they can tolerate and thrive where there is low humidity.

Water

• Allow the soil to completely dry to 2 inches down between waterings.  Water thoroughly when dry and let the excess drain out the bottom of the planter.  
• If your pothos receives too little water the leaves will begin to wilt and older leaves can often turn a bright yellow.

Soil/Roots

• Use a well aerated, quick draining potting mix.

• Pothos do not have a deep root system so be careful on too much water in the soil.

Flowering

• Pothos rarely flower in cultivation since it is only in the juvenile phase as a houseplant.  Flowering only occurs in its mature phase.  Mature plants in the wild will produce a number of erect flower stalks together, each with a cream colored spathe with a purple surrounding spadix. 

Fertilization

• In Spring and summer, fertilize once a month with an organic houseplant fertilizer.

Propagation

• Pothos are easily propagated by tip stem cuttings.  Simply place a cut stem that has two nodes on it in a glass of water and wait for it to root. Then plant in a small container once it has roots.

Health

Diseases

• The most common insect pests for pothos in homes are scale and mealybugs. Spider mites can occasionally be a problem as well.
• Sudden change in temperatures from high to low can cause scattered brown patches, usually located in the center of the leaf.
• Overwatering can cause root rot.
• The leaf tips or margins can blacken due to overwatering, or too little water and or excess fertilizer.  The leaves will eventually turn yellow.

Maintenance (pruning, legginess, repotting)

• Repot your pothos once the plant has become root bound.  Choose a planter that is one or two sizes larger than your current planter.  Make sure to add fresh soil when repotting.
• Plants can be selectively pruned to keep the vines from getting too long and to also encourage new growth or a fuller look.  You can cut back to 2 inches from if necessary.

Toxicity

• Pothos is toxic if ingested in large quantities because it contains calcium oxalate. This will cause burning in the mouth and the sap may also be irritating to the skin. Make sure to keep away from your pets.