Epipremnum aureum
An evergreen, fast-growing climber with green and yellow variegated heart-shaped leaves, commonly grown as an indoor hanging plant and also used as ground cover or a climbing vine outdoors, hardy and easy to care for, capable of filtering formaldehyde and trailing up to about 10 feet indoors with proper support.
Common Names
Golden Pothos, Devil's Ivy, Money Plant, Silver Vine
Summary
Epipremnum aureum, commonly known as pothos or devil's ivy, is a tropical climbing or trailing vine from the Araceae family native to tropical forests across Asia, Australia, and the western Pacific. It features heart-shaped, glossy leaves that are solid green or variegated with yellow or white, and climbs surfaces with adhesive aerial roots. Outdoors vines can reach 20–40 feet, while indoors they typically reach 6–8 feet, and the plant is commonly grown in hanging baskets or on climbing supports.
Care emphasizes bright indirect light but tolerance for low light, well-draining soil, and drying of the top layer of soil between waterings; temperatures of 60–85°F and higher humidity preferred; drought-tolerant with regular misting beneficial. Propagation is easy via stem cuttings (root in water) and layering, and pruning maintains a bushier habit. Uses include indoor decoration and climbing or trailing displays, with common mention of air-purifying capabilities, removing indoor pollutants such as formaldehyde; all parts are toxic if ingested by people or pets, and potential pests include mealybugs, scale, and spider mites.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
72-120 inches
Spread
36-72 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 10-12
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Partial Sun or Partial Shade; bright, indirect light; avoid direct sunlight.
Soil Type
Well-draining soil
Soil Drainage
Well-draining soil, Moist but well-drained soil
Soil pH
6.1-6.8, slightly acidic
Bloom Color
Cream, Gold/Yellow-Green, Purple/Lavender, White
Bloom Time
No specific season; indoors it does not bloom; bloom time is unpredictable
Foliage Color
Green, Emerald-green, Jade green, Neon chartreuse, Golden (yellow) foliage, Yellow-green variegation, Green with white or yellow variegation, Marbled green and white, Yellow-marbled foliage
Fall Foliage Color
No fall color change; evergreen foliage stays green, with variegation in yellow, white, or cream.
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Fast, up to about 12-18 inches per month.
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Cuttings, Layering, Division
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Linden & André) G.S.Bunting
- Publication
- Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 50: 28 (1964)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Alismatales
- Family
- Araceae
- Genus
- Epipremnum
Synonyms
Pothos aureus Rhaphidophora aurea Scindapsus aureus Epipremnum mooreense