Pothos ‘chinensis’, a variety of true Pothos from the Pothoideae family. Image from iNaturalist

The Epipremnum Aureum is a colourful family of vining plants, the most well known usually being the Devils Ivy. But there is a lot to know about this family of plants, how they have similarities and differences in how they behave and grow. A great starter plant if you get the conditions right, we will look at the different colour variations and how to spot them, which plants are in this family and which plants are not and how to get the most out of your Epipremnum Aureum.

Let’s start with what the Epipremnum Aureum are not, which is a ‘Pothos’. The Epipremnum Aureum and Scindapsus Pictus, two seperate varieties of plants, both from the Araceae family and under the Monsteroideae branch, are incorrectly called ‘Pothos’ in Australia. When the Epipremnum Aureum was originally classified it was mislabeled a Pothos and then rectified. However the label has stuck, and is still incorrectly used by some growers, retailers and collectors alike. The Pothos is also from the Araceae family however is under another branch, Pothoideae.

There are over 50 different varieties of Pothos, a shingling or climbing plant and looks nothing like either the Epipremnum Aureum or Scindapsus Pictus. The Epipremnum Aureum and Scindapsus Pictus are also different varieties of plant and, although similar, require different conditions to each other. So now that we know the Epipremnum Aureum is definitely not a ‘Pothos’ we can look at the varieties and their care needs.

“When the Epipremnum Aureum originally became popular it was mislabeled a Pothos and then rectified. However the label has stuck, and is still incorrectly used by growers, retailers and collectors alike. ”

The Epipremnum Aureum is from the family Araceae, making it an Aroid, and grows in Tropical and Subtropical environments where it thrives in the hot, humid air and abundance of light. When found in Northern Australia, South-eastern and East Asia, in their native environment the leaves grow extremely large. With a thick vine and fenestrated leaves, the Devils Ivy can grow leaves 2 feet in size.

The plants we have in our homes are therefore considered ‘juvenile’ and our love for them has caused multiple colour variations to be grown. There are the all green, the lime green, yellow variegated, white variegated, various leaf shapes and stem colour and the all thrive under similar conditions.

In general, they like to dry out and thrive in bright light and the don’t like the cold. Once dry, they can be left that way for a while before another water. The leaves will begin too dull when they are due for another good soak, and then, they can be left again. If an Epipremnum Aureum is overwatered, the leaves will start to turn yellow, and then brown, all over the vine and then fall off. If the plant is too dry, the leaves will turn yellow at the base of the vine, closest to the soil. They will continue sacrificing leaves from the base to ensure the newest leaves have any moisture they can find to promote new growth. Once these leaves have fallen off, they will never re-grow as the vine lengthens with each new leaf and wont grow new vines unless cut or thriving.

All have arial roots that grow on the opposite side to a leaf. These roots will absorb moisture from the air and make propagation of the plant easy. As they are use to finding a tree to attach to in the Jungle, these roots are very strong and attach firmly. For this reason it is worth keeping an eye on an Epipremnum Aureum near plaster walls as sections of wall can be removed when pulling the roots off. Epipremnum Aureum will happily climb coir or wooden totems or trail down from a basket or high placement.

If you do want your vine to branch, cutting it close to a leaf will cause a new vine to grow from that point. More often than not, another vine will also begin to grow increasing the overall size and bushiness of the plant. If leaves have been lost, this can be an easy way to increase the size of the plant and the cut vine can also be propagated easily in water and then replanted into the pot.

If the Epipremnum Aureum are in a bright spot, they will thrive, growing larger leaves in the warmer months, and growing quickly. The brighter the position, the more water the plant will use as its growth rate will be increased. This does not mean you need a very large pot however as the Epipremnum Aureum is happy to be in a tight pot. It will obviously mean that, with a larger root system and a tight pot, it will dry faster and require more regular watering.

The Epipremnum Aureum will also live in medium down to low light, however, this will greatly slow its rate of growth and leaf size. Unlike some plants that will stop producing leaves if the light is too low, the Epipremnum Aureum will grow very small leaves due to the lack of sunlight to produce energy. Even in the warmer months, it will also slow its growth in a lower light position and will require less water. For a thriving plant with large leaves therefore, a bright or morning sun position is preferred. The varieties with white variegation need more light to avoid brown spots forming on the white parts of the leaf, especially the Manjula.

Although all Epipremnum Aureum, each colour has a slightly different growth rate and leaf shape and size. The fastest growers are the Green Dragon and the Devils Ivy. With large leaves, these colour varieties can put on multiple centimetres of growth each month in warmer months. They will slow in the cooler half of the year, however, continue to grow with slightly smaller leaves due to the lower light. The Goldilocks and the Marble Queen are the same large leaf shape however are slower at producing leaves. In a bright position, they will lengthen a few centimetres in warm weather and slow right down in the cool weather. The Goldilocks will also produce a lighter more neon green coloured leaf in a bright position whereas if in medium light will appear more dark lime green. The slowest of the Epipremnum Aureum is the Snow Queen and the Manjula. The Snow Queen, sometimes called the N’Joy, is not only slower but has a smaller leaf size and a wrinkled texture to the leaves. A new variety making a stir is the Pearls and Jade. Pearls and Jade have a speckled marbling in the white variegation of the leaf and the leaves are a much larger size, more like the Marble Queen. In fact, looking much like a mix of a Snow Queen and a Marble Queen, often plants are miscalled Pearls and Jade when they are Snow Queen or Marble Queen as the Epipremnum Aureum will often show aspects of its other varieties in leaves. The Pearls and Jade is not yet available at Verdant Dwellings. Perhaps currently the most popular variety is the Manjula. This plant has a cream stem, not green, with large rounded leaves with a heart shape and textured feel. It has green edges and a splash of white down the centre vein which can be solid or speckled with green. Sometimes it will produce all white leaves. It is also the slowest growing of the Epipremnum Aureum and requires a bright position at all times.

So now you know, Epipremnum Aureum are not Scindapsus Pictus and neither are Pothos. They are easy to care for and very rewarding plants. Verdant Dwellings currently sell six varieties of Epipremnum Aureum and they can be found in-store and online. For more information on propagating and growing Epipremnum Aureum, see our videos.

Happy Growing!

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