Pothos is a plant that grows quickly and is hardy. It can be found in many different varieties around the world. The pothos plant has been popular for decades as a houseplant because it is easy to care for and beautiful to look at. In this article, we will explore how often you should water your pothos plant, what type of soil is best suited for it, and how to take care of your new little friend.
Please read our guide on how often to water mint and more advice.
Let’s get started…
Pothos Plant Basics
What is a pothos plant?

The pothos plant has small green leaves which grow on vines, looking very similar to ivy. The plant is native to southeastern Asia, including China, Japan, and Vietnam. Pothos are popular houseplants that have been around for generations. They are easy to care for and can be decorated in many different ways.
It belongs to the philodendron family, along with calatheas and aglaonemas. “Pothos” comes from the Greek word pothos, meaning desire. Pothoses were associated mythologically with the quest for wisdom and immortality. They became popular indoor plants because they require low care and don’t need sunlight to grow well.
What are the different types of pothos plant?
Devil’s Ivy
Devil’s Ivy is a cultivar of the pothos plant, created by selectively crossbreeding original pothos plants. Due to selective breeding, this variety is much smaller than unaltered pothos vines and has more leaves clustered together.
This variety can be used in many different ways for decoration. Hang a strand from the rafters if you’d like a little green jungle hanging from your ceiling or walls. Make them into tabletop plants with an attractive container if you want something easier to manage.
Silver Pothos
Silver pothos is a cultivar of pothos that has gray-white leaves. It is the most accessible variety to take care of since it requires less light than other varieties. The silver color also makes it a great variation to grow on its own as decoration.
Golden Pothos
Golden pothos is a variety that produces more yellow color on some of its leaves than silver and green varieties have. This makes golden pothoses beautiful decorations, especially when paired with bright illumination. Golden pothoses require slightly brighter lighting than other types, so they may not be the best choice if you want something easy to take care of without any effort.
Marble Queen Pothos
The marble queen pothos is a cultivar of the original pothos variety. However, it produces smaller leaves that grow attractively. The many small leaves have a bold texture, making this variant very beautiful.
Heartleaf Pothos
Heartleaf pothos is a cultivar of the original pothos variety. Its name comes from the heart shape of its leaves. These plants are gorgeous and have large leaves that grow densely together. Many people enjoy this variant because it requires less effort to take care of but look just as good.
What do I need to know about my pothos?
Pothos plants are vines that have small green leaves with white veins. The plants often grow up to 100 cm but can be kept smaller with pruning and trimming. Many people enjoy pothos because they require less effort, making them an excellent plant for beginners or busy people. They also proliferate in most environments.
Our article about how often to water a snake plant is a similar one that you might find helpful when caring for a beautiful new houseplant.
What do pothos flowers look like?
Pothoses are typically grown for their foliage rather than their flowers. They will occasionally produce small, white flowers on the vine that develop into berries.
How fast do pothos grow?
Pothos grow relatively fast, especially in the right conditions. One vine can double or even triple its length in a single year.
How fast do golden pothos grow?
Typically, most species have a growth rate of 1-1.5 feet per year, but it depends on how they are being kept and the conditions they are being held in (like humidity and amount of sunlight).
How to care for a pothos plant
How often do you water pothos?

You should water pothos once every 1-2 weeks. Between waterings, allow the soil to dry completely. You should water more frequently in bright, warm weather and less regularly in cooler, darker seasons.
What kind of soil does pothos need?
Pothoses prefer soil high in organic material. This means that you should add compost or peat moss when potting your vine and regularly during its life.
How much light do pothos need?
Pothoses grow best with bright but indirect sunlight. Too little or too much light will cause your plant not to grow at all. Extensive pruning may help encourage growth if the plant is not receiving enough light so that you can move it closer to a window or source of light. If this doesn’t work, try moving your plant outside during the summer. The leaves should become smaller due to less sun than they would indoors, but new leaves will form after time outdoors, and the plant should be healthy again.
What is the best temperature for pothos?
Temperatures also affect pothos growth rates. It’s best to keep your plant somewhere between 65°F and 80°F (18-29°C). If the temperature is too low, growth will slow down. However, your plant may develop brown or yellow leaves if it’s too high.
What type of pot does my pothos need?
Pothoses should be placed in pots with a drainage hole to make watering easier. The soil should drain fast enough after watering that the roots don’t sit in water for long periods. Pothoses can also be grown outside where they have space to climb on trellises or other structures. They are very popular as vines for pergolas.
Growing and Propagating Pothos
How to prune pothos?

As a rule of thumb, you should prune pothoses when they are young. You can shape the plant to your preferred size with these cuts. If you wish to make them shorter, cut all growing tips off. After trimming, there may be some brown leaves; these will grow back over time.
How do I propagate pothos?
Follow these steps:
1. Soak the leaves that you want to take cuttings from in water for 2 hours to let them soften and prevent damage to your plant
2. Take a cutting as high up on the leaf as possible, and 5-10 cm down on the other side (so as much surface area as possible is touching the water)
3. Place it stem-end up in the water so any remaining sap can be washed away by running it under warm or hot tap water
4. Wait for roots to emerge before planting into the soil or a propagating pot filled with vermiculite
Can I propagate pothos in water?
If desired, you can propagate new plants from your vine by rooting leaf cuttings in water or straight into the soil. By taking cuttings in water, you let the cutting produce roots until they’re ready for transplanting in soil. This is also useful if you’re travelling with your pothos and don’t want them to die due to lack of care.
Where to cut pothos?
Cut the vine exactly above each leaf, leaving a quarter of an inch (2/3 cm.) between cuts. If you can, try to cut pothoses at a 45° angle; this will make it easier for the plant to absorb water.
How do I prevent stem rot in pothos?
Stem rot is caused by overwatering your plant, which causes root damage. If there are any yellow leaves on your vine, they may be signs of stem rot.
To prevent stem rot from occurring in the future:
1) Allow the soil to dry completely between waterings (1-2 weeks)
2) If your plant is inside, keep it away from heat sources like heat registers and fireplaces. These get very hot even when not lit and can cause damage if kept too close.
3) Avoid letting the roots sit in stagnant water; if you notice moisture on top of your soil, pour it out immediately.
How to repot pothos?
You should repot pothos in a pot with good drainage holes. If your pot doesn’t have any, add some to the bottom using a drill or just cut up a plastic bottle and place it in the bottom. Make sure there is at least one layer of gravel at the bottom of your pot before putting soil on top. You don’t want water to pool when you water your plant, so putting gravel down will help avoid this.
What type of fertilizer do I need for golden pothos plant?
A balanced fertilizer such as 15:15:15 (nitrogen, phosphate, potash) is ideal for pothoses. You can purchase these from your local garden center or hardware store. Follow the instructions on the label.
How to make pothos grow faster?
Your pothos will grow faster if you give it plenty of sunlight, good drainage, and balanced fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. This ensures your plant gets as many nutrients as possible.
How to train pothos to climb?
If you want to make your pothos vine climb, there are two things you can do. First off, let it climb on its own. If the plant touches something nearby (like a wall or fence), it will start twining around that object and grow up it. You can also take hold of an older stem and wrap the fishing line around the bottom few nodes (the place where leaves come out), and then tie them onto whatever surface you’re trying to grow your plant on. It will start growing up the fishing line instead of just coiling back down again.
How to make pothos climb a pole?
The easiest thing to do is tie fishing line around the poles and let your plant climb on its own. You can also take hold of an older stem and wrap fishing line around the bottom few nodes (the place where leaves come out) and then tie them onto whatever surface you’re trying to grow your plant on. It will start growing up the fishing line instead of just coiling back down again.
How to make pothos leaves bigger?
There isn’t a way to make your pothos leaves bigger. You have to get lucky and receive a plant with naturally larger leaves than usual.
What’s wrong with my pothos?
What does root rot look like on a pothos?

Root rot usually starts with the plant’s roots becoming black and mushy, with pieces falling off quickly. As it progresses, the leaves will begin to droop slightly because they are not getting any water or nutrients. Finally, the leaves will turn brown and fall off.
How do I get rid of aphids on my pothos?
Many natural predators feed on aphids, including ladybugs, wasps, lacewings, parasitic wasps, hoverflies, and others if your plant is outside. You can also purchase predator insects that eat specific types of bugs.
Why are my pothos leaves curling?
Leaves curling or twisting can be a sign that your plant is getting too much direct sunlight, not enough humidity, low nutrient levels (like iron), or it’s extremely hot outside. Having them in a warm drafty place and having the temperature fluctuate frequently will also cause this issue.
Why does my pothos smell like vinegar?
If your plant smells strongly of vinegar, it may be because there is too much fertilizer in the soil, poor drainage lets water accumulate and causes root rot, or you’re adding lemon juice to your water instead of just plain water. This can happen if you have been doing this for a while already. In addition, certain fertilizers have powerful odors that might linger even after being watered out.
Why does my pothos have brown spots?
Brown spotting on pothos might be caused by overwatering or not enough sunlight, or it could just be normal due to water splashing onto the leaves while you’re watering. You can also get brown spotting if the plant gets too cold, which is common in winter when people bring their plants inside and put them near heating vents (which dry them out quickly). These leaves will typically grow back once the weather changes again.
Why is my pothos falling over?
Pothos falling over can be triggered by an environmental factor like too much sun, which scorches the leaves and causes them to wilt backwards. There are two things you can do. First, move the plant away from direct sunlight and wait for new leaves to grow (if any). The other way is to prop up your pot with rocks, books, sticks (anything that will keep it up) as needed.
Why does my pothos look burnt?
If your plant looks like it has been fried by the sun, too much fertilizer or even cold drafts, there’s not much you can do besides moving it somewhere more suitable and pruning off the burned leaves (do this quickly because they might catch on fire and burn the rest of the plant.). The good news is that if you’re watering correctly and have healthy pothos, these symptoms should go away without treatment. In addition, this.
Why are my pothos leaves dripping water?
If the leaves on your pothos are dripping water after you’ve watered them, it might be because there is too much fertilizer in the soil. Try cutting back to about half of what’s typically recommended and see if that fixes the issue.
Why is my pothos wilting?
Wilting can be triggered by a variety of reasons, from environmental factors to pests and diseases. For example, overwatering will cause the leaves to droop down because they are too heavy to stay upright. In addition, plants exposed directly to cold drafts will also wilt due to a lack of water conservation in the plant tissue.
Why is my pothos turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves can signify too much sunlight, the plant not getting enough water, over-fertilizing (especially with manganese.) or cold drafty conditions. It could also be that pests were damaging the leaf, turning yellow and falling off to prevent further damage.
Why is my pothos dying?
If your pothos starts looking like it’s dying, you might want to check to ensure it’s getting enough water because it causes them to wilt and look droopy. If there is proper water drainage in the pot, try adding more water (don’t drown it). In addition, if your plant gets direct sunlight and there’s not much airflow, the leaves will get scorched. Another common reason for pothos to die is frost damage. If you don’t bring your plants inside when they get too cold, they can get damaged or killed (typically in winter).
Hopefully, this has given you lots of helpful information about pothos plants, so you can make an informed decision before committing to bringing one home.