The Cebu Blue pothos, is a highly sought-after indoor plant by beginners and seasoned gardeners, is one of the easiest plants to care for because it adjusts well to different conditions.
The vine has shiny silvery-blue leaves that are shaped like an arrow. Under conducive lighting, the leaves glow beautifully—no wonder this plant stands out in every space.
If you consider adding this ornamental houseplant to your space, keep reading to learn how to grow, care for, and propagate it.
What is a Cebu Blue pothos?
Cebu pothos is a member of the Araceae family and is classified as a vine or climber. It features silver-bluish leaves that are an absolute feast to the eyes.
Cebu pothos, also known as Epipremnum pinnatum, is a tropical railing vine native to the Cebu Islands in the Philippines.
Quick Summary
Botanical Plant Name: Epipremnum pinnatum
Native: Cebu Islands, Philipines
Care: Not known for constant care. A good choice for beginner gardeners
Size: Indoors plants grow to a height of up to 10 feet when climbing and 5 feet when trailing, with leaves no longer than 4 inches
Common problems: Spider mites, root rot
Toxicity: Toxic to pets and humans if ingested due to a high concentration of calcium oxalates in its leaves and stems.
Plant inspiration tips: looking for a plant that is trendy, then check out our guide on the beautiful Calathea plants.
How to care for Cebu Blue pothos
This charming evergreen plant with bluish tints is really easy to grow and care for. Here’s everything you need to know to get started:
Sunlight
This vine thrives in locations with medium to high indirect light. It is important not to expose your plant to direct sunlight as it may burn the foliage.
Watering
Cebu Blue Pothos is not a heavy drinker. However, if you want to bring out the true elegance of this plant, sprinkle it with some water every couple of days. And it does not need any special technique; simply water it like you would any other indoor plant.
Two key things to watch out for when watering your tropical vine- drenched soil and yellow leaves.
Drenched soil means that you are watering your plant a little too much and need to stop. Allow the soil to dry first before doing another round of watering. Atleast an inch or two of the soil should be dry to the touch.
On the other hand, yellow leaves are an indication that the plant is not getting as much water as it needs.
Humidity & Temperature
Cebu Blue pothos can tolerate temperatures between 10-32°C or 50-90°F so the normal home indoor temperatures are fine for this trailing plant.
Humidity requirements for this plant are pretty normal as well, 60-90%. But if you live in an area that is very dry and lacks humidity, you may want to try a plant humidifier or pebble tray. You may also try grouping your houseplants to boost the humidity.
Cleaning
Regular cleaning of your Cebu Blue pothos leaves is important in giving your plant that shiny attractive look.
Gently wipe the leaves with a soft, damp cloth as often as possible.
Fertilizing & Soil
Although Cebu Blue pothos generally can do without much fertilizer, applying a little liquid fertilizer may see your plant achieve faster and fuller growth, especially during the growing season.
Likewise, a light potting mix with good drainage is a sure bet for a healthy Cebu Blue pothos.
Repotting
Repot your plant every 12-18 months or when the roots have outgrown the pot. This is important to give your plant a fresh lease of life with new soil full of nutrients.
An ideal container size to repot your plant should be about 2” larger than the previous one. A too-large container will give room for excess water to stand in the soil. This could cause root rot.
Plant inspiration tip: does your home need more life, then check out the lively Calathea Medallion.
How and when to prune
Given the right conditions, Cebu Blue pothos can grow quite large. Pruning, therefore, becomes the only logical solution to maintain a suitable plant size for your indoor space.
The ideal time to prune your plant is during spring into early fall. The reason being this is the growing season for the plant hence, your plant will recover quickly and establish new growth.
Here is how you can carry out a successful pruning process:
- Carefully examine the plant and identify any discolored, damaged, or dying leaves and stems. These parts should be the first to be pruned before going for any healthy parts.
- Use a clean, sharp knife or pair of scissors and cut the stem below a leaf node. This will help maintain plant health.
- Leave the node on the plant to encourage new growth.
- In addition to cutting any unhealthy stem or foliage, cut off about an inch of the healthy stem as well. This is important to reduce the chances of disease spreading.
After pruning, it is always best to water your plant in order to relieve the stress that it has undergone during the whole pruning process.
Problems with Cebu Blue pothos
Although Cebu Blue pothos is an easy-to-grow plant, it too faces a number of problems just like her pothos cousins such as:
Pests
Pests such as Spider mites, Aphids, and Mealybugs may attack and cause your leaves to curl, look withered, and generally dehydrated.
Pest attacks can be solved by regularly wiping your leaves with a damp cloth soaked in soapy water and spraying the leaves with a pesticide.
Brown leaves
Another common problem with Cebu Blue pothos is the browning of leaves. This indicates that your plant has excess sunlight exposure. It may also mean that you are overwatering your plant.
To avoid leaf browning, do not expose your plant to too much direct light. Also, try to only water your plant when the soil is dry and ensure your container has good drainage.
Yellow leaves
The other problem you are likely to encounter regularly with Cebu Blue pothos is the leaves turning yellow. This affects photosynthesis which is an integral process for the healthy growth of your plant.
Too little watering and low light are the probable causes.
To resolve this, water your plant at regular intervals or when the soil is dry to the touch. As well, expose your vine to indirect sunlight.
Plant recommendation tip: looking for a stripy plant, then check out the Pinstripe Calathea Ornata from South America.
How to propagate
Propagation of Cebu Blue pothos can be done in two ways; water propagation or soil propagation.
Water propagation
- Select a healthy stem that has atleast two nodes and cut it.
- Remove any bottom leaves to make it possible to stick the stem in a small container of water.
- Ensure to use purified water that has less chlorine and fluorine.
- Change the water after every 5-6 days.
- In about a month, new roots should appear.
- The roots should be 2-4 inches before transferring to the soil.
- Keep the soil moist for the first month to allow the new plant to adjust quickly to its new environment.
- After a month, give the plant the usual care, allowing the soil to dry out between watering.
Soil propagation
- For soil propagation, a stem with one node and leaf can work. However, you can also use stems with more nodes.
- Cut a healthy stem, about 1 inch below and above the node.
- Stick the stem in a container with a good mixture of fertile soil.
- When planting, ensure that the part of the stem which was closest to the parent plant goes into the soil. The node should also be in the soil. This is where the roots will develop from.
- The other cut end, which was furthest from the parent plant and where new growth will happen, should be sticking out of the soil.
- Water the plant whenever the soil runs dry until the vine adapts to its new home.
FAQs about Cebu Blue pothos
How much light does a Cebu Blue pothos need?
Cebu Blue pothos thrives in moderate to bright indirect light.
What is so special about Cebu Blue pothos
The dark green leaves with bluish tints that glow in the light are definitely the most special thing about Cebu Blue pothos. Perhaps also that many people believe that this vine bears good luck.
Are Cebu Blue pothos good indoor plants?
Yes. Cebu Blue pothos are good indoor plants. This tropical evergreen vine doesn’t demand too much of your time and does not require a lot of space to grow.
Can a Cebu Blue pothos survive in low light?
Cebu Blue pothos can tolerate low light. However, medium to bright indirect light is the ideal condition for it to thrive.
Summary
With the right care, Cebu Blue pothos is the perfect trailing indoor plant because of its unique foliage. It is an ideal choice for gardeners who don’t want any fussy and demanding plant.
Cebu Blue pothos is one of the easiest indoor plants to grow, and they can thrive even on low light and minimal attention. They are great air purifiers that help eliminate odors and toxins keeping your space healthy and smelling fresh.