Epipremnum aureum - Pothos

One of the most popular plants we stock is ‘Pothos’ but what is a ‘Pothos’? People are typically referencing Epipremnum aureum, Philodendron hederaceum (syn. scandens) or Scindapsus when they talk about Pothos but Pothos is a different genus. Common names for plants can become confusing as many are used for more than one plant - we’re looking at you 'Money Tree.'

Epipremnum aureum is part of the Araceae family and its native range is Society Islands (Mo'orea). When it was first identified in 1880 it was named Pothos aureus, the materials obtained were the juvenile form of the plant so the leaves were small. Then in 1908 it was reclassified to the genus Scindapsus. Fast forward another 55 years and finally an inflorescence was collected (inflos are the key to properly identifying species) and that’s when it was reclassified again as Epipremnum.

Epipremnum aureum are commonly sold in hanging pots as an easy-going trailing plant but in their natural environment they behave much differently. They are an allomorphic aroid vine which means they develop a “searching body” along the horizontal growth axis; they creep along the forest floor looking for a phorophyte (host plant). When they reach the host they develop a “foraging body” along the vertical growth axis direction, which is oriented toward light (Strong and Ray, 1975)1. Studies have shown that leaf size can be up to 30 times larger when grown under canopy light conditions compared to those growing in the same light conditions as the forest understory 2. When Epipremnum aureum makes contact with the host, the plant triggers development of aerial roots; this combination of contact and the change in growth axis is what induces morphogenesis.

Of course we have high hopes for our plants but it’s unlikely that your Epipremnum is going to reach the size of its wild relatives when growing in home conditions. That’s ok, enjoy it for what it is; a fast growing, easy to propagate and tolerant addition to your collection.

Epipremnum Care

Epipremnum aureum is part of the Araceae family and its native range is Society Islands (Moorea). Leaves are ovate to ovate-lanceolate in shape, stems have prominent irregular longitudinal whitish ridges.

Genus name comes from the Greek ‘epi’ meaning upon and ‘premno’ meaning stump, this is possibly in reference to the epiphytic nature of plants in this genus. Specific epithet comes from the Latin ‘aureo’ meaning gold.

Light: Bright indirect light, meaning the plant sees the sun for 0-4 hours per day - this could be through trees or a translucent curtain, it’s important for the plant to see the sky in order to thrive. Although Epipremnum can survive in as low as 50 foot-candles, watering would have to be very infrequent in order to prevent rot and fungal infections.

Water: If you’re giving your plant bright indirect light, potting mix ought to be evenly moist.

If your plant is positioned in a much lower light spot, allow the majority of the mix to dry out. Before watering, ensure the substrate isn’t compacted, if it is, aerate it with a few pokes of a skewer or blunt stick, pour water slowly over the top and allow the water to pass through the drainage holes.

Potting mix: A well draining mix composed of coco coir, perlite or vermiculite, orchid bark and worm castings.

Fertilising: Feed your plant every other watering during the growing season or when you observe active growth. You can dilute fertiliser to half the recommended amount but never add more.

Temperature: 15-29°C, no lower than 12°C.

Humidity: Epipremnum would prefer higher humidity but do well to adapt to average home humidity. You can increase humidity by placing the plant on a watered pebble tray or using a humidifier.

Epipremnum are toxic, keep out of reach of pets and children.

References

1. Jr, Donald & Jr, Thomas. (1975). Host Tree Location Behavior of a Tropical Vine (Monstera gigantea) by Skototropism. Science. 190. 804-806. 10.1126/science.190.4216.804. 
2. Carolina Brito, Dulce Mantuano, Karen L.G. De Toni, André Mantovani, Untangling leaf expansion triggers: A new experimental study with Epipremnum aureum (Araceae), Flora, Volume 295, 2022, 152139, ISSN 0367-2530. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2022.152139.