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Plant of the Week: Variegated Philodendron
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture does not promote, support or recommend plants featured in "Plant of the Week." Please consult your local Extension office for plants suitable for your region.
Plant of the Week
Golden Pothos, Devil's Ivy
Latin: Epipremnum aureum
What makes one houseplant so popular that it is grown on window sills throughout the
world while others never attain this superstar status? I suspect the answer lies in
the simple Darwinian principle of survival of the fittest. Through the years, we gardeners
have tried them all. The fancier plants may catch our eye but the ones that stay with
us are those that will best tolerate our level of benign neglect.
The golden pothos, sometimes referred to as the variegated philodendron, is a member
of the arum family and comes to us from the Solomon Islands which are northeast of
Australia. My references fail to tell me when pothos was first introduced but it probably
was picked up during the voyages of discovery during the 18th century, possibly by
Bougainville who explored the island in 1768. The islands were discovered 200 years
earlier by Spanish explorers but they did not travel with naturalists on their expeditions
as the northern European countries did during the 18th century.
Pothos, which is said to be a native name for the plant, is a vining plant that is
typically seen in its immature form. In this juvenile state, the leaves, which alternate
up the rope-like green stem, are heart-shaped and up to five inches long. The leaves
are blotched with irregular patches of gold and serve as a kind of mood ring for the
plant. When it is healthy and happy and all is well in its world, it will reward you
with lots of golden variegation. When it is sulky or feeling mistreated it will turn
almost completely green.
To see the adult form of pothos is impressive. The leaves maintain the same general
shape as the juvenile form, but they are huge -- as much as 20 inches long. They will
often be dissected from the margin to the midrib. The adult form of growth only occurs
when the plant is allowed to climb on something and grow upright.
A short stake won’t do the trick either. It wants a tree to climb on and usually
only shows the adult leaves when the vine is well above the ground. The adult form
produces the flowers which are a typical greenish aroid flower about 6 inches long.
The golden pothos is easy to propagate by single-node cuttings, or as the growers
call them, single-eye cuttings. A piece of stem is cut into individual segments with
the cut above the leaf about 1/2 inch from the leaf . After cutting the stem into
pieces, the longer part of the stem will be below the leaf. Stick 10 or 15 of these
cuttings into a pot and then keep it watered until roots appear in about six weeks.
Each of the "eyes" will produce a vine and a nice full plant will result.
Pothos is a tropical plant but, unlike many true tropicals, it doesn’t resent a little
exposure to cold drafts, dry air or even drought. Because it grows in the forest under
story it is also adapted to very low light levels. These characteristics of toughness
make it an ideal houseplant. About the only thing that will kill pothos is to let
it sit in water. Any excess water that accumulates around the base of the pot should
be drained away after each watering. It will occasionally get mealy bugs or spider
mites, but these insect pests are usually not fatal.
By: Gerald Klingaman, retired
Extension Horticulturist - Ornamentals
Extension News - October 22, 1999
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture does not maintain lists of retail outlets where these plants can be purchased. Please check your local nursery or other retail outlets to ask about the availability of these plants for your growing area.