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Golden Pothos Care-Epipremnum Aureum

The golden pothos plant is a lush and versatile decor plant with a trailing vine growth pattern. It has attractive subtle golden variegations streaking through its smooth, shiny, leathery leaves.

Pothos heart shaped trailing leaves can drape from shelves, hang out of baskets, or be trimmed as table top pots or trained up a pole or trellis. It makes a lovely indoor plant.

This easy house plant is on our list of favorite houseplants for beginner plant parents. It is a ‘set it and forget it’ plant even the newest plant enthusiasts will succeed with. Give one to your bestie!

Read our printable Golden Pothos care guide below for complete instructions on how to have a thriving golden Pothos Plant. A well maintained pothos will live at least 10 years indoors.

All that time it offers you beautiful foliage, and soothing healthful positivity to your life. You’re going to love this plant.

golden pothos on a table

Watch Kayti discuss all the care needs for her Marble Queen Pothos. The care needs of all pothos are pretty much the same. Start a a pothos collection. They are so pretty!

Plants and people go together. Live greenery is therapeutic for humans and Improves our Home Environment.

What Is Golden Pothos Good For?

Plants of all types are emotionally beneficial to people. We can nurture them and gain a lot of enjoyment and personal satisfaction from the exercise of growing healthy plants. Golden Pothos also offers these great advantages to plant hobbyists.

  1. Golden Pothos are good for beginner plant parents since this vine is so easy to care for.
  2. This vigorous vine is beautiful with golden variegations on shiny smooth heart shaped leaves.
  3. And you can do a lot with it. Enjoy Golden Pothos is very versatile. Grow it as a hanging basket, train it onto a trellis, or drape this vine just about anywhere.
  4. Golden Pothos are at the top of Nasa’s list of Air Filtering plants. Pothos will continually remove some formaldehyde and other VOC’s from your air.
  5. The Pothos golden is a favorite bedroom plant since it filters air and grow well in lower light.
  6. Golden Pothos is a good match for your bathroom and kitchen since they enjoy humidity and are easy to trim to small spaces.
  7. Feng Shui enthusiasts suggest Golden Pothos for those dead energy areas of your home like the top of a high shelf to bring positivity to your home.
  8. Pothos is an excellent candidate for group plantings in large baskets or centerpiece plantings. It will twine , trail and fill in around your other plants.
  9. Golden Pothos grows well as a container plant on patios if your temperatures stay above 60 degrees F.
Golden Pothos in a pot

Do Pothos purify the air? Golden pothos is our list of plants that will filter the air. But one plant cannot filter out toxins from a whole house single handedly.Nasa did a famous study on plants air filtering abilities. Pothos came out a star in that study.

However, NASA recommends two or three filtering plants like pothos in 8 to 10-inch pots for every 100 square feet. 

This is a lot of plants. Not everyone wants that many plants in one room. Consider all air filtering plants a help for improving your indoor air quality rather than a complete solution.

Golden Pothos plants remove some Formaldehyde and other toxins from your household air.

Golden Pothos are readily available in your local garden shops. Or you can purchase one from an Etsy shop. Most of these shops are in America and run by families that love plants. Be sure to check the chop ratings and purchase from reliable businesses.

Purchase Golden Pothos from Etsy

Pothos Golden
golden pothos

How to care for Golden Pothos:

You can care for Pothos quite easily indoors. Golden Pothos are one of the simplest houseplants to care for. Here is a quick information and care guide for Golden Pothos.

Familiar Names: Golden Pothos, Pothos golden, devils ivy, Ceylon creeper, Taro vine, money plant,
Scientific NameEpipremnum Aureum
Plant FamilyAraceae
Care DifficultyEasy Care
Temperature65 to 85 degrees F.
WateringAllow the plant soil to dry down to the root zone. Soak plant thoroughly and allow soil to dry to roots before watering again. Yellow leaves usually indicate overwatering. Humidity levels should be above 40%. Misting and pebble trays help add humidity.
SoilA light friable fresh potting soil is best for Golden Pothos. 60% soil mix to 40% perlite works well.
LightingGolden Pothos prefer bright indirect light. They will tolerate low light as a solid green vine slowly. For the plant to express variegation it needs moderate to bright indirect lighting. Avoid harsh hot direct sunlight.
GrowthThis is a vigorous vine that can grow up to 12 feet long indoors, up a trellis or moss pole, as a hanging basket or trailing along a shelf. It can be trimmed back to make a table top display.

Find all the Golden Pothos plant care and pruning Tips below in our printable care guide.

Yield: Pothos care guide

Golden Pothos Care Guide

Golden Pothos in a pot

Golden Pothos is a sturdy, easy care vine. It is well known as a good beginner plant. The shiny smooth leaves are streaked with yellow for snappy color and interest.

Here are the basic supplies, materials and Instructions you will need to care for the Golden Pothos.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Difficulty easy
Estimated Cost 4.00$

Materials

Instructions


Golden Pothos Soil Mix:

Golden pothos needs a general potting soil mixed with perlite to increase soil lightness. 60% potting soil to 40% perlite works well.. 10% Orchid bark or other inorganic material like LECA can also be added to the soil for aerationaroid soil mix

Golden Pothos also grows well hydroponically and semi hydroponically in LECA. Learn how to grow plants in LECA here.plants in leca balls

Pot Size and Type:

  1. Pothos can be grown in relatively small pots for their lengthy vines. You want a pot that fits the root ball size. Do not get a huge pot or it will hold more moisture than the pothos roots can use. Roots in too moist soil for long periods of time will get root rot.
  2. Pot materials can be ceramic, plastic or terra cotta. Whatever pot you choose will need a drainage hole to allow salts to run through the pot and keep the soil well drained.
  3. Repot every second year or when roots come out the drainage holes on the pot bottom. To the next pot size up. Don't jump to a huge pot from a small one.
  4. Pots can be hanging baskets, or decorative pots for table top displays. You can also let the pothos vine trail along a shelf or grow on a trellis or pole.
  5. Grow golden pothos in vases of water hydroponically with proper hydronponic food. They will trail happily out of fish tanks too.pothos growing in water

What is the Best Lighting for Golden Pothos?

Bright indirect lighting is best for the golden pothos. Since it does have leaf variegation it requires more light than a solid green plant to provide the variagation on leaves.


Pothos will tolerate moderate and even low light (NOT no light) indefinitely. But they will revert to green leaves and grow more slowly in darker places..

Shield your pothos from south and west sunny windows. Avoid placing your pothos trailers in a window with strong direct light. Harsh strong direct light burns the golden pothos leaves.

Tips:

  1. Window sheers or blinds can offset some hot direct light.
  2. Windows that open can provide cooling breezes to offset intense high heat transfer through window glass.
  3. Increasing your room humidity and cooling mists will also help the pothos tolerate higher heat for short periods.

Read this post for more on lighting for plants.

AVOID Strong hot DIRECT light. The heart shaped leaves will burn.

Watering Golden Pothos:

Water your Devils Ivy when the soil is dry or pretty close. The root zone should be almost dry before watering this aroid. At watering, soak the soil completely and allow water to drain out of the drainage hole.

Watering is best done on a regular schedule so the plant is not over or under watered. Both can cause stress on the plant. overwatering will cause root rot and fungus Gnats.

You can mist your pothos leaves to hydrate them and add humidity. Misting also helpp clean the leaves and naturally washes off pests.

Read our complete watering guide for more

  1. Brown leaf tips on the Golden pothos indicate too low humidity. This is a tropical plant that enjoys humidity. Place them in kitchens and bathrooms or give the leaves regular mistings. Humidity levels of 40 to 70% are best for pothos.
  2. Water pothos golden on a regular schedule when the top inch or so of soil is dry.
  3. In dormant winter months reduce watering to when the top two inches of soil are dry. Learn how to keep your Plants alive in winter.

Fertilize Golden Pothos:

    1. Apply a general purpose fertilizer monthly through Spring and summer.
    2. Decrease feedings by late Fall and allow the plant to rest through the winter months.
    3. Read Our Fertilizer Guide for More.

Temperature:

  1. Golden Pothos are native to tropical climates. They prefer temps from 65 degrees F up to 90 degrees F.
  2. They enjoy a drop of temperature in evening but not lower than 60 degrees F.

How to Propagate Golden Pothos:

Golden Pothos are extremely easy to propagate though stem cuttings by either water propagation or soil.

Water Propagation:

  1. Cut a stem between leaf nodes. You will need at least one leaf nodes and one leaf for propagation.
  2. Place the cut end of the stem into a jar of water. Do not submerge the leaf.
  3. Change the water every few days to keep the water clean and aerated. This will help avoid stem rot.
  4. In about 2 to 4 weeks roots will grow from the stem.
  5. When the roots are about 2 inches long they are ready to plant in soil.

Soil Propagation:

Soil propagation is a great way to fill in a bare spot in a pot. But you do need to keep the soil moist around the cutting until is grows roots.

Method Place the stem cutting into moist soil and keep the soil moist until new growth forms.

Read our complete guide on Pothos propagation here.

Pruning and Training:

To Make Golden Pothos Bushier prune the trailers so the roots and vines are forced to create more trailers. This will give you a fuller plant with more even growth. If you let the pothos grow untrained it will be a long thin vine.

Sharp Hand pruners are preferred for pruning. They will give a clean cut that will heal quickly. Sharp scissors can be used if you have nothing else.

How to Train Golden Pothos onto a Trellis Or Pole:

Golden pothos is a vigorous grower and it loves to climb. If you want to grow it up a trellis it is happy to grow up. But you will need to get it started by tying the growing end of the vine up the trellis in the way you want it to grow. Then it will entwine itself into the gaps. You can then let it go it's own way or continue to tie it to the places you want the pothos to grow into.

The golden pothos plant will also grow well on a moss pole. We show you how to plant a moss pole and grow a vine on it in this post.

Moss poles can be misted. When the aroid roots of the pothos vine find the moist moss pole they will grow into the pole. This enchourages the leaves of the pothos to grow larger.pothos golden growing up a Moss Pole

Pruning as Trailing Vines:


If you want a hanging plant for shelf or hanging basket:

  1. Encourage new growth to grow evenly around the plant by turning the hanging basket to the light source in the room every time you water..
  2. Prune uneven or over long trailers to whatever length you prefer.
  3. These vines are great candidates for trailing off deep window ledges and upper shelves.

Pruning as Table Top Plants:

  1. It’s easy to prune and shape these friendly plants to whatever length and fullness you desire.
  2. Cut the trailers in the internodal zone (between the nodes).
  3. Prune the trailers back to encourage the heart shaped leaves to fill in your planter as you wish.

Pests:


Golden Pothos is a hardy plant. However, All plants can get pests.

  1. Marble Queen Pothos is not fussy and resists pests. However all plants can get attacked by pests.
  2. Stress by longterm overwatering, poor light, extreme temperatures and soil conditions are contributors to plant stress..
  3. Spider mites, mealy bugs, scale, thrips and whitefly are the most common houseplant pests you will see. Aphids can also inhabit indoor as well as outdoor plants. Learn how to control Aphids Here.
  4. To minimize the possibility of pests be sure to check all nursery plants before bringing them home.
  5. Quarantine all new plants until you are sure no pests live in them.


Notes

Golden pothos like indirect light and humidity. Consider this plant a good choice for your bathroom and kitchen shelves and hanging baskets.

How to Propagate a Golden Pothos:

See the video below for our complete guide on pothos plant propagation

How Poisonous are Golden Pothos?

How poisonous are Golden Pothos? Fortunately, a pothos is not normally lethal. This is considered a mild to moderately toxic plant. All of the Devil’s Ivy varieties are mildly to moderately toxic to pets and humans.

Can you touch Pothos Plant? You can touch a Pothos Plant stems and leaves as long as you do not handle the cut ends. The sap of pothos will irritate skin and can cause rashing in sensitive people. When you prune a pothos be sure to wear gloves if you are sensitive and try not to touch the cut ends of the vine.

How Are Golden Pothos Toxic to Cats and Dogs?

The Pothos plant is moderately toxic to cats and dogs. It is listed by the ASPCA as having Insoluble raphides which are poisonous to dogs and cats.

Please ensure the plant parts are not chewed by pets. The sap of pothos is irritating. Symptoms may include oral irritations, vomiting, and difficulty in swallowing. This toxicity is not usually fatal but call the vet if you see symptoms.

How Poisonous Are Pothos To Humans?

 Pothos contain Calcium oxalate which can be mildly toxic to humans. Possible side effects from the consumption of E. aureum are atopic dermatitis (eczema). Burning and/or swelling of the region inside of and surrounding the mouth. Excessive contact with the plant sap can lead to general skin irritation or contact dermatitis.

Keep Pothos plants away from children, especially young children that may chew the leaves and stems. Call your poison control center or doctor if you experience symptoms.

Golden Pothos growing on a tree

Growing Pothos Successfully Outdoors:

Outdoors, the golden pothos trails through subtropical climate zones easily. They love to climb trees and can grow 60 feet tall with huge leaves as they twine around trees.

Why is Pothos Called Devils Ivy? In Hawaii and other tropical climates pothos vines have over taken whole forests and are considered an invasive species. For this reason Pothos are called Devils Ivy in tropical area of the world. They are hard to control in tropical climates once they get a foothold.

Container Growing a Pothos Outdoors:

This group of vines will live quite happily outdoors in warm climates where the temperature stays above 60 degrees F. As we discussed in the section above you should NEVER plant a pothos in an uncontrolled area of your yard. They can get out of control.

It’s best to grow this plant in containers outdoors. Use the soil mix we recommend in our plant care guide. You may have to water it more often outdoors depending on your climate and daily weather, along with the pot size.

Do Golden Pothos Need a Lot of sun? Pothos leaves will burn if set outdoors in direct sunlight. They do best in light shade. Growing pothos in containers on a patio works best under an awning ,or near shading bushes, so the pothos can get bright indirect light.

Keep an eye on those trailers. The aroid roots are always looking for a place to root. Keep the trailers trimmed above the soil.

Want to learn more about the different varieties of Pothos? Search pothos on the site. There are so many gorgeous varieties of pothos.

We appreciate thoughtful comments and questions on our posts. How can we help?

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