The Pothos is a highly effective air-purifying indoor plant. It’s part of NASA’s top 10 air-purifying plants.On this page you’ll find all information on Pothos care, from the ideal spot until repotting instructions. Follow these Pothos care guidelines and help yours live a long and healthy life.
The Pothos, also known as Scindapsus or Epipremnum, is native to forested areas in Southeast Asia. In its natural habitat, the Pothos is a climbing plant whose leaves can grow up to 90 cm in size. As an indoor plant, the Pothos is usually a hanging plant with smaller leaves. These will reach a size of about 10 cm maximum. The Scindapsus is a highly effective air-purifying plant, which specializes in clearing the air of formaldehyde and benzene (which is common in every household or office). The plant absorbs these harmful particles through its leaves, which are then converted into nutrition for the plant. It’s a win-win!
The Pothos is not the most difficult plant to care for. As long as you make sure the potting soil is always a bit moist and the plant is placed in a proper spot, it will grow quite fast. Read on for all plant care tips.
Pothos light requirements
Place the Pothos in a light spot, in filtered sunlight. The amount of light the plant receives can have an effect on its leaves. If you place the plant in a very light spot, the leaves will turn quite light. If the plant is placed further away from the window, its leaves also become a bit darker and greener. Both of these leaf transformations are fine; they pose no threat the plant’s health. You’ll only need to move the plant closer to the window when the leaf pattern starts to fade and the leaves start to turn completely green. Also make sure that the plant is not in a cold spot, and protect it from drafts.
Pothos care: water
Make sure the potting soil is always a bit moist, by regularly giving the Pothos small amounts of water. Never give a large amount of water in one go, and make sure there’s never a layer of excess water at the bottom of the pot. The plant needs more water during spring and summer, as compared to autumn and winter.
Regularly mist the plant using a plant sprayer, especially during winter. This has to do with the fact that the heating significantly lowers the humidity. To maintain a high humidity level, it’s best to spray the plant regularly.
Repotting tips
We recommend repotting the Pothos once every two years. Do this during spring, when the plant recovers fastest from repotting. Be careful not to damage the roots too much when repotting. Use a pot that is at least 20% larger than the current pot, allowing the roots plenty of room to grow.
We recommend placing a layer of hydro granules at the bottom of the pot when repotting. That way, it won’t matter if you overwater the plant, as the hydro granules provide drainage.
Pothos care: Fertilizer requirements
Once you receive the plant, it will not need any fertilizer for the next 2 months. This is because the plant can still obtain sufficient nutrition from the fresh potting soil. When the two months have passed, you will only need to apply fertilizer during spring and summer.
For the specific amount of plant food, have a look at the instructions on the packaging and never use more than recommended. This can cause damage to the roots. The plant doesn’t need any fertilizer during fall and winter.
Is the Pothos a poisonous plant?
All outdoor and indoor plants on Plantler have a decorative purpose; they’re not fit for consumption – unless it is explicitly stated that they are (i.e. a fruit tree). The Pothos is generally not known to be toxic to humans. The plant is slightly toxic to animals when ingested.
