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Pothos spp.
pothos
Tropical Asia, Madagascar, and the western Pacific
Overview
Pothos spp. is a genus of evergreen climbing aroids in the arum family (Araceae), native to the tropics of Asia, Madagascar, and the western Pacific. It is the source of the botanical name often misapplied to the common houseplant, which actually belongs to Epipremnum spp.. True Pothos spp. species are root climbers and scramblers of warm, humid forest, clinging to trunks and rocks by short adventitious roots and reaching several metres into the canopy. Many species have a curious leaf form in which the stalk is flattened and leaf-like, so the blade appears jointed onto a winged petiole. The leaves are leathery and deep green, varying greatly in size between species. The inflorescence is a small spadix wrapped in a short boat-shaped spathe, followed by clusters of small red to orange berries. Flowering is irregular and the small flowers are inconspicuous. The genus needs warmth, humidity, and shade, and a clear limitation is its intolerance of cold: most species are damaged below about 50 F (10 C) and are grown outdoors only in the wet tropics.
Native Range
Pothos spp. is native to tropical Asia from India and southern China through Southeast Asia to New Guinea and northern Australia, with outliers in Madagascar and the western Pacific islands. Plants grow in warm, humid lowland and montane rainforest, climbing trees and rocks in shade.Suggested Uses
Grown as a climbing foliage plant on moss poles and slabs in tropical and subtropical gardens, conservatories, and greenhouses. In the humid tropics some species are trained up trees and shade-house posts. Plants are kept mainly for their evergreen, leathery foliage and winged leaf stalks rather than for flowers.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height3' - 20'
Width/Spread1' - 3'
Bloom Information
Flowering is irregular and tied to warmth and rainfall rather than to a fixed season, occurring at various times through the year in the tropics. The inflorescence is a small spadix within a short spathe and is easily overlooked. Pollinated flowers give way to clusters of small red to orange berries.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
pale green to yellowishFoliage Description
deep greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 1-4 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Pothos spp. grows in warm, humid shade to part shade in moist, free-draining, humus-rich soil at a slightly acidic pH of about 5.5 to 6.5. As tropical plants they need steady warmth, with most species harmed below about 50 F (10 C), so outside the wet tropics they are kept as conservatory or greenhouse climbers. A support such as a moss pole or tree fern slab lets the clinging roots take hold. Even moisture and high humidity suit the foliage, while dry air and cold draughts cause leaf browning. Plants are propagated readily from stem cuttings with a node and aerial root. Feeding is light and regular during the warm growing season.Pruning
Pruning is light and done in the warm season. Overlong stems are shortened above a node to keep plants within their support, and the cut pieces root readily as new plants. Dead or browned leaves are removed as they appear.Container Growing
Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons