How to Care for a Devil's Ivy / Golden Pothos / Epipremnum aureum

The Devil's Ivy / Golden Pothos is one of the most popular houseplants with a reputation being very low maintenance but fast-growing with long, trailing stems that can grow many metres long. You've got give it a trim at the stem every few months so that the plant stays thick and full! Everytime you trim your Devil's Ivy, you are encouraging the new and healthy growth of beautiful glossy heart-shaped leaves with variegation of yellow and white colours. Low light won't stop this wonderful plant from thriving, but if you don’t have much sun try putting them near a window throughout the day.

Light and Water Requirements for the Devil’s Ivy / Golden Pothos

Many people love to live in small apartments with minimal light, but this can make it hard for plants to thrive. The golden pothos is a plant that welcomes low-light environments but if it’s too little, then it might lose its variegated look if it doesn’t get enough light for too long! The leaves of this plant look best when grown under bright or moderate light. It is possible to maintain a Devil’s Ivy plant successfully under artificial lighting with normal fluorescent lights, making it one of the best office plants and houseplants to have.

Devil’s Ivy / Golden Pothos – the Perfect Hanging or Trailing Plant

There is a wonderful way to show off the trailing stems of your Epipremnum aureum. You can put it in hanging pots or train them to climb up on trellises and moss sticks for an incredible display of nature's beauty! These vines are climbers by birth so be sure let them hang or climb freely and also remember to mist their leaves often because they might dry out too quickly if you don't give them enough water.

This plant is a super-fast growing vine as with most climbing plants so you will need to trim it quite often. When you repot in spring, trim the vines and roots to control its growth. You can also cut back on their size by keeping them in the same container for future years. It is very easily to propagate the Devil’s Ivy – as long as each cutting has a node, you will be able to grow roots and an entire new plant from it.

Important Note about the Devil’s Ivy / Golden Pothos

For pet owners with cats and dogs, it is important to know that pothos plants are poisonous. They contain calcium oxalates which can cause burning of the mouth, tongue and lips if eaten or even just sniffed by your pets. If you suspect a plant has been ingested contact your veterinarian immediately for treatment options! Make sure to check out our pet-friendly plant options.

Devil’s Ivy / Golden Pothos Issues and Treatments

Majority of the leaves are green rather than variegated

It is normal for leaves of the pothos to lose variegation if there isn’t enough light. If you want to maintain that great variegation, keep them in a spot with bright, indirect sunlight. New leaves of this plant usually start out being fully green before eventually becoming variegated.

The Devil’s Ivy plant is getting too long but has very few leaves

Sometimes it’s normal for the leaves to be shed if the stems grow very long over a metre. If you want your Devil’s Ivy to look fuller, you should give it a trim by making cuttings and replanting them back into the pot to allow it to grow more densely and leafy.

Leaves are starting to wilt

Dry soil is a major cause of wilt for the Devil’s Ivy plant. Whenever this happens, give it a good drink and it should have no issues bouncing back.

Leaves and stems have turned yellow

The Golden Pothos is very hard to kill and usually its demise is caused by overwatering. Always make sure to let the soil become dry before watering again. You’ll know if a plant is too far gone if the stem has turned yellow and soft – a big sign of root rot, which is usually too late to amend once detected. If this happens, try to find parts of the stems that are still solid and green. These healthy parts can be saved by having them be cut and propagated into new plants.

There’s an infestation of fungus gnats

Fungus gnats are a common indoor plant pest that absolutely thrive in wet soil. When a pot is waterlogged due to overwatering or a lack of drainage holes, this creates the perfect environment for these pests. These small fly-like insects have larvae that like to eat the roots of plants. There are many methods to eradicate them, but prevention is key.

Devil’s Ivy / Golden Pothos Care Summary

Light: Can tolerate low light and bright light. Avoid direct sunlight which could harm the leave. Variegation of the leaves is at its best in bright light.  If there is not enough light, the leaves will have more green than yellow. Fluorescent lighting is okay for this plant which makes it ideal for indoors.

Water:  In between watering, let the soil dry first. Avoid damp soil by using plant pots that have drainage holes. Try to avoid overwatering which can result in rotting.

Humidity: Normal humidity indoors (approx. 40%) or above is preferable. If the air is too dry, the Devil’s Ivy plant may get brown tips on the leaves.

P.S. For more advanced plant parents, make sure to get your hands on a Manjula Pothos. The Manjula Pothos is a very beautiful variant of the Epipremnum.