Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a popular houseplant that practically everyone owns or has owned. In fact, it was one of the first houseplants I ever planted, and it’s still one of the most popular.
We love the traditional golden pothos, but because we’re plant nerds, we also have a variety of other pothos kinds. I receive a lot of queries about which types are which on the internet, so here’s a simple reference guide.
Golden pothos is the typical pothos kind (Epipremnum aureum). It has heart-shaped mid-green foliage with creamy gold highlights. The leaves of this species can get fairly enormous if grown up a pole and given enough of light and warmth. In fact, in frost-free places, the leaves can grow up to 12 inches broad! (It should be noted that golden pothos has invasive tendencies in locations such as South Florida.) In Zones 10 and 11, we don’t advocate planting it outside.)
Another frequent pothos variety is Marble Queen (Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen’). It has green heart-shaped leaves with a lot of creamy white splattered on them. The leaves are normally the same size as golden pothos. Depending on which branch it was propagated from, Marble Queen can be more or less variegated. We only reproduce Marble Queen from our most beautifully variegated mother plants at Exotic Angel Plants.
One of the most distinctive kinds is neon pothos (Epipremnum ‘Neon’). It has bright chartreuse or golden yellow heart-shaped leaves with no variegation. The newer, younger leaves have a brighter appearance than the older leaves. With time, the color of the foliage deepens. Neon pothos should be grown in bright light to acquire the greatest color. The hue will be duller and darker in low-light areas.
The green, heart-shaped leaves of the Jessenia pothos (Epipremnum ‘Jessenia’) are heavily marked with chartreuse. Every leaf, like Marble Queen (to whom Jessenia is extremely similar), will be unique. When they’re close together, it’s usually easy to recognize the difference between Marble Queen and Jessenia. Marble Queen’s variegation is substantially lighter than Jessenia’s limey-green variegation. Jessenia grows at a slower rate than golden pothos.
Another patented variety is Manjula pothos (Epipremnum ‘HANSOTI14’) (PP27,117). It has green leaves that are broad and heart-shaped. The leaves are variegated, with silver, white, cream, and light green colors. Each leaf is unique, with big spots of green on several of them. Others will have a lot of flecks and splashes. Because there isn’t always a clear line between the variegated and creamy parts in Manjula, the creamy areas often feature specks or speckles of various colors. The leaves of Manjula differ from those of other pothos kinds in that they have wavy edges and do not lay as flat as those of other pothos varieties.
The Pears and Jade pothos (Epipremnum ‘UFM12’) variety has green leaves that are variegated with white and silvery-gray. The variegation appears on the edges of the leaves rather than in the center. The white parts of the leaves, unlike those of other pothos types, are frequently mottled with green and silvery gray tones. Pearls and Jade pothos have smaller leaves and develop at a slower rate than some of the other kinds.
The University of Florida developed Pearls and Jade pothos, which is a patented (PP21,217) variation.
Dark green leaves with a blue cast appear on this clone of Epipremnum pinnatum as it matures. If planted in a warm, bright location, this selection, like other clones of E. pinnatum, generates fenestrations (monstera-like cuts in the leaves).
Note that Baltic Blue pothos has blue-tinged green foliage, as opposed to Cebu Blue, which has silvery blue-green leaves.
This one’s for the plant aficionados! The arrow-shaped blue-green leaves of this pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum ‘Cebu Blue’) lack variegation. The leaf has a metallic sheen that distinguishes it from other pothos varieties. Cebu Blue Pothos can grow huge, blue-green leaves with natural splits, similar to Monstera, while the immature leaves are somewhat arrow-shaped. The plant must mature over time and in warm, light circumstances in order to develop this adult-type leaf.
Global Green is a patented selection (PP33,530) that exhibits green-on-green variegation and is a relatively new variety to the United States. The leaf borders are usually dark green, with softer green hues in the center. It’s quite usual for Global Green to have some leaves with spots or streaks of white or cream, though this isn’t always the case.
The plant’s breeder and patent holder have granted Costa Farms the rights to grow Global Green pothos in North America.
Costa Farms pothos can be found online or at your local garden center. Take a look at our retail partners.
How do I know what kind of pothos I have?
Epipremnum aureum is the common name given to pothos plants. Scindapsus aureus, Rhaphidophora aurea, and Epipremnum pinnatum are the scientific names for them in some countries. To avoid confusion, we’ll refer to all pothos cultivars by their most popular name, Epipremnum aureum, in this article.
Pothos plants have a variety of popular names in addition to their scientific names. The Epipremnum aureum genus includes plants such as devil’s ivy, silver vine, marble queen, taro vine, and golden pothos. The common name may refer to a feature of the plant, such as neon pothos, which has lime green leaves. Sometimes it’s a matter of habit.
The plant is frequently referred to as a heartleaf philodendron, which is erroneous.
The Golden pothos, neon pothos, pearl and jade pothos, and marble queen pothos are the most common plants of the Epipremnum aureum genus. The leaf variegation distinguishes the many varieties of pothos. Some pothos have dark foliage, while others have brilliant lemon or lime-colored leaves, and yet others have green or white leaves.
Devil’s ivy thrives in bright, indirect light and moist potting soil with adequate drainage when cultivated in pothos plants. Maintain high humidity and temperatures between 65°F and 85°F (18°C 29°C) for optimal growth. Only water when the soil is almost dry, then cut the stems to make them look bushier. During the growing season, fertilize once a month.
What is the rarest pothos?
Because Jessenia pothos is a slow growth, you won’t have to bother about repotting it anytime soon. The foliage is heart-shaped and similar to Marble Queen Pothos, but with less noticeable variegation. It features a limey-green variegation that is lighter and noticeable.
Manjula Pothos
The leaves are green and heart-shaped, similar to other top pothos kinds, but with wavy edges. Each leaf has different shades of silver, white, cream, and light green variegation. Some leaves are extensively flecked and splashed with green, while others have big patches of white or a combination of the two.
Pearls and Jade Pothos
It’s a University of Florida-developed patented variety. The edges of the leaves have more white and silver-gray variegation than the middle. In addition, the leaves are smaller than those of other pothos kinds.
Cebu Blue Pothos
It has firm leaves, unlike other pothos. Although, under the correct lighting, it makes up for it with a unique shine of metallic sheen. Large blue-green leaves with natural splits are arrow-shaped. More blue-green houseplants can be found here.
Silver Pothos
Although Silver Satin Pothos is classified as a pothos variety, it belongs to a distinct genus. Allow it to bask in bright indirect light for the finest color and variegation. With a dazzling dark green tone and glittering silver dots and borders, the foliage is attractive and intriguing. In hanging baskets or simply pouring out of pots, it looks lovely.
Hawaiin Pothos
If you want enormous foliage, this is perhaps one of the best pothos varieties. It’s also beginner-friendly and disease-resistant. The huge gold and green leaves help to filter the air inside the house. The plant will grow very long over time, so prune it to keep the appropriate form and size. It can also be grown in shady areas outside!
Jade Pothos
It is endemic to Polynesia and can be found in many tropical areas. It adds a calm charm to flats and offices when grown in a pot. The containers can be placed on any elevated area from where the water will flow down. It stands out from other pothos because of its heart-shaped leaves and solid dark green color.
N-Joy Pothos
Though its foliage appears to be similar to Manjula pothos at first glance, it has unusual variegation and shades of greens, whites, and yellows. It’s one of the greatest pothos kinds to keep on a shelf because of its long curling stems that dangle down attractively.
Snow Queen Pothos
As the name implies, Snow Queen features gorgeous white patterning on its leaves, similar to Marble Queen Pothos. The only distinction is that the marble pothos has a pale tone while the snow queen has more noticeable white variegation.
Harlequin Pothos
Harlequin is the most difficult pothos to come by. It resembles Manjula and appears to be a cross between marble and snow queen pothos, with little greater variegation on the leaves. Pair it with jade or silver pothos if you really want to bring out its brilliance.
Is Marble Queen devil’s ivy?
The Marble Queen (Epipremnum Aureum) is a low-maintenance houseplant with glossy green and white leaves. It may be trained to grow up a support and is ideal as a hanging plant. To maintain its exquisite variegation, it prefers medium to bright light.
Is the satin pothos rare?
Scindapsus pictus is a popular houseplant that may be purchased. It is quite easy to care for, as it is identical to the regular pothos (Epipremnum aureum).
Pictus means painted, and it got that name because of the lovely silvery spots of variegation that splatter across its leaves.
There are four common kinds to choose from. Below, I’ve included photos and a brief description of each.
The most prevalent variety is ‘Argyraeus.’ The name refers to the variegation on the leaves, which is described as silvery.
Another popular variation is ‘Exotica,’ which has larger leaves with more pronounced variegation and variegated border around each leaf.
The shape of a ‘Silver Satin’ leaf is similar to that of a ‘Exotica,’ but there is less variegation on each leaf. Exotica’s leaves have a variegated edging and a splash down the middle; Silver Satin’s leaves have more random splashes and speckles throughout each leaf and no variegated edging.
- ‘Silvery Ann’ Scindapsus pictus (commonly called Silvery Ann Pothos or Silver Pothos)
The leaves of ‘Silvery Ann’ are comparable in size and form to those of ‘Argyraeus,’ but they are much more variegated. Silvery shine covers at least half of the leaves, with speckling or splashes on the remaining area.
From left to right, top to bottom, these are my Scindapsus pictus: ‘Argyraeus,’ ‘Exotica,’ ‘Silvery Ann,’ and ‘Silver Satin.’
Which pothos grows fastest?
Because the lighteror completely whitesections of variegation have less chlorophyll, variegated pothos cultivars grow slowly.
As a result, a solid deep green pothos with no variegation will probably grow faster than a variegated or even a lighter colored pothos.
Because most pothos are relatively fast growers under the correct growth conditions, it’s difficult to define a particular type that is THE quickest!
Choose the Correct Variety
Choose kinds that naturally grow huge leaves if you wish to include pothos with large leaves in your plant collection. Hawaiian and Golden pothos are the two best-known varieties, featuring enormous green foliage with cream variegation and robust stems. These kinds prefer a few hours of direct sunlight per day and bright shade the rest of the day!
Is Snow Queen a pothos?
Epipremnum aureum is a flowering plant that is native to French Polynesia and belongs to the Araceae family. Golden Pothos, Pothos, and Snow Queen are some of the common names for this plant. The Snow Queen is an evergreen vine that can reach a height of over one meter.
How do you identify a pothos glacier?
Epipremnum Aureum Glacier is a market-available little pothos cultivar with a lovely green and white contrast on its small leaves. Glacier Pothos is sometimes confused with Pearls and Jade Pothos, as well as Njoy Pothos, but you can tell the difference because it has more silvery-gray mottling/streaking and smaller leaves than the others.
Epipremnum Aureum Glacier is a tough climbing plant that is highly recommended for novices and travelers due to its ability to adapt to a wide range of settings and situations.
Pothos is a plant that can thrive in dimly lit areas or even in artificial environments (even though it requires a little bit more light than other pothos because of the variegations). Pothos are not water-sensitive, so they can stay a few days longer, though it is not advisable to leave them unattended for lengthy periods of time.
If you have cats, dogs, or babies, you should take extra precautions because pothos are hazardous plants. It is, on the other hand, a highly attractive and adaptable climbing plant that is frequently used as a hanging plant near windows, in large rooms, or on balconies.