The Marble Queen Pothos is a low maintenance plant belonging to the hardy pothos family (Epipremnum aureum). Pothos are famous for their tender leathery leaves, vibrant green color, and undemanding lifestyle.
The Marble Queen pothos is native to Southeast Asia, French Polynesia, and Australia but is found in households worldwide.
The plant’s botanical name, Epipremnum, is Greek and means “upon trunk” because, in its native setting, this plant clambers up tree trunks. The specific epithet, aureum, is also Greek and means “golden.”
You may hear this popular variegated member of the Araceae family of plants commonly referred to the common names:
- Marble Queen Pothos
- Golden Pothos
- Money Plant
- Devil’s Vine
- Devil’s ivy
- Taro Vine
- Ivy Arum
- Pothos
Note that even though Marble Queen is sometimes called “Golden Pothos,” as are wide pothos varieties, there is actually a separate cultivar that rightly goes by that name.
Marble Queen’s markings are fine and light. True Golden Pothos has heavier yellow markings.
Marble Queen Pothos Care Tips
Epipremnum Aureum Care
Size and Growth
Taro Vine has a creeping, climbing, spreading growth habit. In its native tropical setting, Marble Queen Pothos can climb to a height of 40′ feet.
The plant sets roots in the soil and then secures itself to trees and other climbing structures with adventitious roots.
As a ground cover in a tropical setting, Marble Queen Pothos will ramble as far as it is allowed. A container’s rapid growth can be controlled and guided with judicious pruning.
Flowering and Fragrance
In its natural settings, this tropical plant produces tiny purplish flowers that become reddish-orange berries year-round.
It rarely, if ever, blooms when kept as a houseplant or even as a landscape plant in less than-tropical settings.
Foliage
The shiny, waxy, green leaves are heart-shaped and dramatically variegated. Foliage is bright green with attractive white or yellow marbling. More sun produces more variegation.
Leaf size varies depending on the plants’ surroundings. Vigorously healthy outdoor plants may have very large leaves. Indoor plants typically have smaller variegated leaves.
Light and Temperature
Marble Queen Pothos is shade tolerant and can do well in a low-light setting; however, it will not grow well in low light conditions.
Instead, it will thrive in indirect light sources, so avoid direct sunlight.
For the plant to really prosper and display vivid coloration, you need to locate it in a setting that receives ample amounts of bright, indirect light.
If it’s not getting enough light, it won’t be able to maintain its white variegation in its leaves. Low light levels will prompt the plant to produce more chlorophyll, creating a solid green color.
If you have insufficient natural light, you can supplement with articial light or a grow light.
Devil’s Ivy is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10 to 12. It is comfortable at warm temperatures ranging from 65° to 85° degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t allow the temperature to drop below 55° degrees Fahrenheit.
Marble Queen Pothos Plant Watering and Feeding
This drought-tolerant plant does best with regular soak-and-dry watering. Water thoroughly, allowing excess water to run through the potting mix and out the pots’ drainage holes.
Wait until the top couple of inches of soil feels nearly dry before watering again.
Never allow your potted plant to sit in water, as soggy soil can lead to root rot. However, it is worth noting that this plant and all of its cousins can be grown entirely in water as long as you change the water frequently to prevent mold.
This jungle plant likes humidity levels between 40% and 60% percent. If you notice brown leaf tips, that indicates your plant is not receiving adequate humidity.
If you repot your Money Plant with fresh, high-quality potting mix every spring, you really don’t need to fertilize.
If you do wish to fertilize, use any balanced, good-quality liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength.
Provide one dose early in the springtime and another mid-summer. Don’t fertilize during the autumn and winter.
You can also feed your plant with a balanced liquid fertilizer once every six months for best results.
Soil and Transplanting
Marble Queen Pothos thrives in well-draining soil. However, it can also tolerate various soil types.
Using a light, airy, high-quality potting mix for your plant also works well. If you wish to add more drainage, toss in some perlite.
These fast-growing plants typically need repotting, pruning, and propagating on at least an annual basis. Repot in the springtime. At that time, you can increase container size or divide your plant into two or more plants.
If planted in the landscape, Taro Vine is quite tolerant of poor, rocky soil; however, it’s always a good idea to add plenty of loose, light organic matter to provide good air circulation to the roots and good drainage, a steady supply of nourishment.
If planting outdoors, leave plenty of space around and between your pothos plants to allow for rapid, enthusiastic growth.
When repotting, ensure to use fresh potting soil and thoroughly water the plant the day before.
Grooming and Maintenance
Pinch off stem tips and prune as needed to guide and shape the plant and promote bushy growth. Note that healthy cuttings can easily be rooted in water or soil.
Regular pruning will also maintain your desired shape and keep the vines from getting leggy. Ensure to cut away dead or damaged leaves throughout the year.
In a very dry setting, you may wish to mist the leaves every few days. Wipe the leaves with a soft, damp cloth occasionally to remove dust and mineral buildup.
Moreover, avoid heat vents and cold drafts.
How To Propagate Epipremnum Aureum
One way to propagate your Marble Queen Pothos is through stem cuttings.
Trimmings used to propagate Pothos should be several inches long and have at least four leaf nodes (the little bumps at the joints of the stems where leaves grow).
Aerial roots grow from the nodes. Trim off excess leaves, but keep a leaf or two at the end of the cutting.
You can simply arrange attractive cuttings in a water vase, ensuring the nodes are underwater. Keep your arrangement in a warm, sheltered area with bright, indirect sunlight.
Change the water every couple of days, and watch for root growth. When your cuttings have roots about an inch long, you can plant them into their own pots and treat them as mature plants.
Alternatively, you can grow Pothos long-term in water. Understand that after it has grown in water for quite a while, it is less likely to succeed if transplanted into soil.
It is also possible to start Pothos cuttings from the mother plant in moist potting soil; however, there’s more room for error with this method, and if the cutting doesn’t develop roots, you won’t know it until the pothos leaves droop and die.
Epipremnum Aureum Main Pest or Diseases
In the landscape, Golden Pothos has few, if any, problems. As a houseplant, it is also mostly trouble-free.
However, if the plant is overwatered, overcrowded, or subjected to a very dark setting for a long time, it will likely have problems with fungal diseases, such as botrytis, root rot, and fungal leaf spot.
Weakened plants are susceptible to infestation by typical houseplant pests such as fungus gnats, mites, scale, mealybugs, thrips, and spider mites.
You can eliminate these common pests using insecticidal soap.
Another common problem is yellow leaves on pothos, which can be caused by underwatering, too much light, and nutrient deficiencies.
Is the plant considered toxic or poisonous to people, kids, and pets?
All parts of Devil’s ivy are highly toxic because the plant contains calcium oxalate crystals, so be sure to keep it out of the reach of kids, pets, and livestock.
Is the plant considered invasive?
Because Epipremnum aureum tends to make itself at home in any conducive setting, it is considered an invasive species in many of the locations where it has naturalized.
If you live in a tropical setting and plan to use Ivy Arum in the landscape, be prepared to take strong measures to keep its growth under control.
Suggested Epipremnum Aureum Uses
Pothos vine is usually kept as a houseplant, and it lives quite happily and grows quite enthusiastically indoors in any climate.
It is an excellent choice for a hanging basket, a plant wall, or a high shelf or trained to climb a small trellis or moss pole.
In tropical settings, it can also be used as a ground cover or climbing plant in a location that receives partial sunlight or bright indirect sunlight.
In the landscape, Epipremnum aureum is tolerant of poor soil and drought. It is not attractive to deer and rabbits.
In addition, the Marble Queen Pothos is a low-maintenance plant that makes an excellent gift and a nice addition to your indoor garden.