Golden Pothos

Golden Pothos | Epipremnum Aureus

Pothos sounds rather more like a character by Dumas than a long leafy vine. And perhaps in direct opposition to its actual mythological greek counterpart, this easy growing houseplant doesn’t symbolise yearning or longing but can and often does, grow really really long.

This ever growing characteristic of Pothos explains one of it’s more dubious names. Also known as the Devils Ivy, Golden Pothos belongs to the Araceae family and have been naturalised in many parts of the world due to it’s resilience. Their enthusiasm for growing means Epipremnum Aureus make truly fantastic houseplants. They just have a knack for staying alive. I have one in a bathroom with zero windows. It happily lives on. Perhaps it doesn’t grow as quickly as it’s window-sill-bound buddies, but it lives, and it looks pretty happy too.

Common names: golden pothos, hunter’s robe, ivy arum, money plant, silver vine, Solomon Islands ivy, taro vine and devil’s vine.

Identification: An evergreen vine with smooth and shiny heart shaped leaves that are bottle greens and spectacled in mustardy yellows and white hues. The sturdy stems can climb by attaching their aerial roots to surfaces. This trailing quality mean they work very well as hanging plants too.

Caring for your Golden Pothos

Soil: Pothos grow well in any good draining potting soil.

Location: They can survive in varied lighting conditions, from low light to bright light, but preferably not in direct sun. Plant’s that live in low light conditions won’t grow as quickly and abundantly as others but they’ll stay green and pretty.

Water: Golden Pothos can thrive with sporadic watering. Once a week to two weeks in moderate temperature and during winter months even less. As you get to know your plants you’ll learn how frequent or infrequent to water them. Always test the soil with your finger, and only water once the soil is dry. I usually give mine a good shower of water in the bath every 10 days or so, but I recently came across this neat drip-free trick for watering hanging plants. Drop a couple of ice cubes into your pot and let the water slowly melt away into the soil.

Propagation: Pothos are extremely easy to propagate. Simply cut a stem just above a leaf node (where a leaf attaches to the stem). Remove a couple of leaves closest to your cutting, and place the stem in water. You should see roots shooting out in a couple of days. You can also just remove the leaves and stick them directly into wet soil. eHow has a great video explaining exactly how to do this here.

Text & Photography ©  Barbara Cilliers

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