il pothos (epipremnum aureum) belongs to the family of Araceae. In many texts it is indicated by the name of Scindapsus aureuswhile vulgarly it is often called pothos. In reality it is better to refer to the plant using the plural, since, compared to the type species, there are many different varieties of this beautiful ornamental, native to the tropical and subtropical areas of the Asian continent.
The pothos, therefore, are perfect plants for growing in the apartment, where they find an ideal environment in terms of temperature and brightness. These are very popular plants, as they are rustic and therefore easy to manage, even in the hands of the most inexperienced people. As proof of their great rusticity, in the English-speaking countries the plant is known as ivy tax-xitanor ivy tax-xitan.
In this article we see what are the different varieties of pothos and the cultural treatments necessary to grow healthy and luxuriant plants indoors.
Description of the Epipremnum aureum
"Lepipremnum aureum, that is the typical species of pothos, is an evergreen plant that looks like a small bush of lianosis stems. In nature these lianas grow using larger plants as stakes, a bit like they do monstera u the anthurium. In apartment cultivation, this peculiarity, common to all pothos, can be exploited for ornamental purposes to grow plants in a falling form (on hanging pots or on shelves of bookcases) or columnar (with the help of tutors).
Zkuk
Over the years the stems grow a lot, up to over 1.5 m in length. In nature they easily exceed 10 m and the plant behaves like a weed. Their color is variegated, with yellow marbling on the green base.
The bush, as well as the stems, also spreads a lot and can reach substantial dimensions.
Weraq
The leaves of the pothos, typically heart-shaped and of medium or small size, are inserted on the stems. When the plant is young, it has glossy dark green leaves, but variegated with large and discreet golden yellow spots. As the plants reach adulthood, however, the yellow spots on the leaves increase, until in fully mature pothos the leaves are mostly yellowish.
Shape, size and color of the leaves distinguish the various species.
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The flowers are small and white, but they are hard to see when growing in pots inside homes.
Variety of pothos
There are numerous varieties of pothos developed over time by hybridizers. Below we list the most sought after for cultivation in the apartment. Obviously our list can only be partial, it will not therefore include all the different cultivars.
Pothos Marble queen
The variety of pothos Marble queen it is the most cultivated in Italy, after the type species. It is appreciated for its elegant variegated leaves, with creamy white streaks on a green background. The stems are also marbled in white.
Pothos Golden and Neon
With variety Golden the pothos plant is identified with entirely golden yellow leaves. The stems are shorter and the leaves are smaller.
Similar to the Golden is the variety Neonwith a single greenish-yellow color and slightly darker stems, cultivar suitable for darker environments.
Pothos Jade
Il-varjetà Jade it is distinguished by the dark green color of the leaves in a single shade. Another peculiarity is that on the leaves there are ripples that give them a sensation of wavy movement.
Pothos N’joy
Variety is also very common in apartments N’joyeasily recognizable by the smaller leaves, the more intense vegetation on the stems and the cream-white variegations on the edges.
Pothos Trebie
The variety of pothos Trebie it has decidedly larger and more showy leaves, with dark green streaks, on a light green background, which give the plant a tropical appearance.
How to grow pothos in an apartment
The pothos is grown almost exclusively in the apartment, as it does not tolerate the cold. However, compared to other indoor plants, it is more resistant, managing to live even at temperatures around 10 ° C.
As for the heat, the plant has no problems with temperatures around 30 ° C. For this reason, in spring and summer the pots can be moved outside, the important thing is that the plants are protected from the sun. It is also good to avoid keeping them near strong drafts. In winter it is also recommended to remove the pothos from the radiators.
Espożizzjoni
To grow lush and brightly colored pothos plants, a good ambient light is required. But be careful to avoid direct sunlight, excessive exposure causes discoloration of the leaves and burns.
The plant is able to adapt well even in low light conditions, but development will be more stunted and the leaves will tend to have a less vivid color, even losing their streaks and becoming completely green.
Soil and repotting
Usually pothos plants come sold in very small containers, so it is usually necessary to repot immediately, using a pot 1-2 sizes larger. The key is to choose a good substrate mix. The advice we give is to use good quality soil for green plants mixed with a 5/10% of perlit estiż (which you find easily on the market). Expanded perlite is added to the soil to ensure optimal water drainage. Furthermore, having a coarser structure, it allows the root system to breathe better. Asphyxiated and compact soils, in fact, risk destroying the pothos in a short time.
After this first repotting, to be done immediately after purchase, the following ones can be done every 2 years, always using slightly larger containers. The panta doesn’t need a lot of room at the root level to grow well.
irrigazzjoni
The pothos plants are not very demanding in terms of watering, on the contrary. The water should be given to the plant only when the soil is completely dry, not only on the surface. The risk of keeping the growing medium constantly moist is that of causing dangerous root rot. Rather than overdo it, forget about watering.
Fertilizzazzjoni
In spring and summer, when the pothos plant is in full vegetative growth, it is advisable to carry out periodic fertilizations (every 15-20 days). To do them, it is recommended to use a fertilizzant likwidu organiku għal pjanti ħodor.
Humidity and cleanliness of the leaves
Pothos benefits from a humid environment, which is difficult to achieve in the home or office. However, the enthusiast can make up for the lack of humidity by periodically vaporizing water, even in winter (obviously using water at room temperature). We can also take advantage of the vaporization to clean the leaves from dust, passing a cotton cloth on the surface. Avoid foliar polishing products.
To vaporize, but also to irrigate, it is not recommended to use tap water, which is too rich in chlorine. The ideal is recovered rainwater or distilled water (the one used for the iron, so to speak and that sib hawn).
Pruning of the pothos
In an optimal environment, pothos plants can stretch their stems a lot. This factor, if the plant is grown in hanging pots, can create some problems of space and order. If you realize that the stems have stretched excessively, you can trim the tips of the plants by making a cut just above a knot. The topping of the apex stimulates the enlargement of the stems and the emission of new leaves.
With the cut piece you can multiply the plant.
Multiplication of the pothos
The multiplication of the pothos is very simple with the teknika tal-qtugħ, perhaps using pruning waste. From the cut portion (about 10 cm) 1-2 basal leaves should be eliminated, leaving only the leaves at the tip. Then you can put the cutting in water and wait for the cutting point to develop new roots. Once the new small rootlets have emerged, the cutting can be transferred to a small pot, using the substrate seen above. The cutting should be vaporized frequently with water and the soil should be kept more humid than normal.
Parassiti
Pothos are plants that are practically immune to attack by parasites. The only perhaps noteworthy is the brimba ħamra, which, with its bites, produces evident discolorations. Its appearance can occur in very dry summers. In any case, to remedy its presence, it is sufficient to carry out copious wetting of the foliage. The water, in fact, blocks the reproductive cycle of the tiny parasite, solving the problem.
Mard
As for diseases, pothos are prone to the fungal pathogen Phytophthora spp.which in horticulture is responsible for downy mildew of tomato. The infection usually starts from the root system and slowly spreads to the vegetation, affecting both the leaves and the stems. The leaves first turn yellow, then blacken and rot and the same browning can occur on the stems. Once the disease strikes, it is very difficult to remedy it. The best thing to do is to act in prevention. To do this, it is necessary to ensure adequate water drainage, limit watering and avoid exposing our plant to infected material, which could preserve the spores of the fungus (for example by repotting with already used soil or using non-disinfected scissors). With these precautions, if the purchased plant leaves the nursery healthy, you shouldn’t have any problems.
Toxicity for humans and pets
Pothos plants are rich in calcium oxalates, so they can be toxic if ingested by our pets.
So if you want to grow pothos at home and don’t take any risks, make sure that the plant becomes inaccessible to our 4-legged friends. Can create problems for man tooalthough it is rare for serious complications to occur.
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