Epipremnum aureum (ep-ih-PREM-num AW-re-um) is also known by the common name as Pothos. The Pothos plant, whose botanical name means “Golden Flower on the Tree Stump” is a hardy, popular houseplant with numerous Pothos varieties.
This member of the Araceae family is also known as the Devil’s Ivy can be found in one form or another in:
- Solomon Islands
- India
- China
- Australia
- New Guinea
- Southeast Asia
… as well as the Pacific and Indian Islands.
This easy-care plant is a great choice for beginners, and you can create an interesting and eclectic collection of plants within this family of plants.
Pothos plants are tree-climbing vines and seldom flower even under ideal greenhouse conditions. This non-flowering has resulted in no known hybridized pothos varieties.
In this article, we look at 10 of the most popular types of Pothos varieties.
Golden Pothos
The ‘Golden Pothos’ is the most common and popular type of Pothos plant. It is available at nurseries, your garden center, and anywhere houseplants are sold.
Golden Pothos has pretty, green, heart-shaped leaves marked with attractive splashes of gold. This plant will grow in low light or indirect lighting. With plenty of warmth and sunshine, the leaves can grow to be a foot wide.
This vigorous climber makes an attractive hanging basket, set upon a pedestal, climbing a totem moss pole, trellis or other framework or trained to trail along the top of a bookshelf.
Frequent pruning encourages a dense, bushy growth habit.
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Golden Pothos’
Jade Pothos
The Jade Pothos is an all dark green Pothos variety. It is available at anywhere houseplants are sold.
With plenty of warmth and light, this green pothos variety, with heart-shaped leaves handles both low light or bright indirect lighting as well. Details on Lighting for Pothos plants.
They make excellent hanging baskets or is right at home sitting in a decorative planter on a tabletop.
Regular pruning encourages a bushy and dense growth habit.
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Jade’
Marble Queen
Marble Queen pothos is similar to Golden Pothos. Marble Queen Pothos has more variegation and requires bright light to thrive.
Marble Queen’s heart-shaped leaves are streaked with splashes of creamy white.
The leaves have a lower percentage of green coloration, producing less chlorophyll than other variegated plants. This makes the plant not as vigorous a climber compared to the Golden Pothos.
To speed up its growth rate, be sure to give it ample bright indirect light. You may want to boost its lighting with a grow light.
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen’
Jessenia Pothos
The Jessenia Pothos plant looks similar to Marble Queen. These two types of Pothos can be told apart by both their coloration and the degree of variegation.
Jessenia Pothos is a much brighter plant. Its leaves are speckled with splashes of bright lime green and yellow.
As with all heavily variegated plants, Jessenia Pothos needs lots of bright light to thrive and to produce the most attractive coloration.
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Jessenia’
Neon Pothos
Neon Pothos plant earned its name because of its brightly colored leaves. The stunning leaves range in color from very pale lime green to a bright shade of gold.
Younger leaves of Neon Pothos are usually light and bright. The color deepens as the individual leaves mature.
While Pothos plants can live quite well in a low light setting. Bright lighting is recommended for Pothos Neon to produce the best leaf color.
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Neon’
Related: Do you follow these tips on How To Make Devil’s Ivy bushier?
Manjula Pothos
Manjula Pothos is a Marble Queen pothos cultivar and a patented variety from the University of Florida.
This attractive plant has very wide, brightly variegated, heart-shaped leaves with wavy margins.
How Manjula Pothos differs from the parent plant ‘Marble Queen’ as submitted to the US Patent Office: [source]
- The leaves are much smaller than the leaves of the parent plant.
- Leaves are different in shape compared to leaves of the parent plant.
- Leaves are not smooth compared with the leaves of the parent plant.
Individual leaves vary in markings and coloration. Some leaves may be mostly medium green, others may have multiple splashes and flecks in shades of pale green, white, cream and even silver.
Some leaves may be mostly cream colored with markings in the other colors.
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Manjula’
Pearls and Jade Pothos
Pearls & Jade Pothos is was produced and patented by the University of Florida. This interesting, slow-growing variety has small green leaves with white tips and mottled silver/gray variegation along the margins of the leaves.
The centers of the leaves of Pothos Pearls and Jade tend to be solid green. The US Plant Patent 21,217
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Pearls and Jade’
Cebu Blue Pothos
Cebu Blue Pothos is very unusual. Instead of the typical heart-shaped leaf, this plant has large arrow-shaped foliage. As the leaves mature they split making it look like a palm.
The leaves’ coloration is also unique among Pothos. It is a deep shade of blue-green that tends to develop a metallic sheen.
Cebu Blue is a bit more delicate than the other varieties of Pothos.
This slow-growing plant needs a sheltered setting, plenty of warmth and bright indirect lighting to thrive and produce its most beautiful foliage.
Botanical Name: Epipremnum pinnatum ‘Cebu Blue’
NJoy Pothos
Pothos NJoy is a patented pothos variety (2007) featuring green leaves with abundant, distinct white variegation.
Because of all the white on the leaves Pothos N-Joy, this cultivar of ‘Mable Queen’ is a slow-growing variety. Provide ample bright light to encourage growth and increase variegation.
NJoy Pothos differs from the parent Marble Queen pothos as submitted to the US Patent Office:
- Small, broad, usually ovate leaves. Some tendency to produce even broader, deltate leaves.
- Compact growth with very short internodes.
- Bright, distinct variegation pattern.
- A characteristic patch of green color, of varying shape and size on either side of the midrib.
- Green variegation on cream to white background with many shades of green on a single leaf.
- Stems relatively strong, darker green in overall appearance.
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘NJoy’
Snow Queen Pothos
The large heart-shaped leaves of Snow Queen Pothos are around 70% to 75% percent cream-colored variegation, with the remainder being light green.
Satin Pothos
The Satin Pothos (Scindapsus pictus)has leaves that are quite unusual. They are small, heart-shaped and very deep green with markings in shades of silver.
For the best growth and brightest coloration, place Satin Pothos on a pedestal or in a hanging basket with ample bright, indirect lighting. Another variety is the Scindapsus Silver Lady.
Botanical Name: Scindapsus pictus
Other Pothos varieties growing in popularity:
- Silver Pothos
- Glacier Pothos
- Snow Queen Pothos
Pothos Care Is Easy!
If you are new to houseplants, you can’t go wrong with Pothos. It is very easy to care for, and grows vigorous in most home settings. In fact, most kinds of Pothos are winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10-11.
Pothos can become invasive in these settings, so take care if keeping it outdoors in a tropical area.
All types of Pothos appreciate a bright, airy setting, but most can also do well in a low light setting. Its easy-going flexibility makes Pothos a happy addition to the home or office setting.
It is easy to propagate Pothos from cuttings popped into a vase or jar of water. It can live happily as a cutting in water for quite a long time if you change the water every day or two.
But, when you plant your Pothos into a light, airy potting mix.
Do not overwater as soggy soil causes root rot in all sorts of houseplants. Like most houseplants, Pothos will do well with a soak-and-dry watering schedule.
Water the Pothos plant thoroughly and allow the soil to become quite dry before watering again. Never allow your potted Pothos to stand in water as wet soil causes root rot.
Pothos is a very versatile houseplant, and you can keep it in all sorts of interesting and creative containers. It is happy cascading from a hanging basket or tall shelf.
Pothos Questions
How Many Pothos Varieties Are There?
There are 47 Epipremnum listings in the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families at Kew.
Are Pothos and Philodendron The Same Thing?
Both Pothos and Philodendron come from the family Araceace but are different genus.
“Philodendrons” are groups of tropical plants with variously shaped and colored leaves.
Pothos (Epipremnum) are really quite different plants. The pothos is also a tropical vining plant. The difference is that it has crisp, shiny leaves with gold, white, or yellow markings.” [source]
Why Is Pothos Called Devils Ivy?
Pothos earned the name ‘Devil’s Ivy’ because killing the plant is almost impossible. The pothos also stays green even when grown in dark locations.