Just like everything else Neon, the Neon pothos is an instant eye-catcher. You will spot it sitting pretty in most office spaces and homes.
Read the guide below to discover how to grow and care for your Neon pothos, so it grows vibrant and healthy throughout the year.
What is Neon pothos?
Neon pothos is scientifically referred to as the Epipremnum aureum ‘Neon’. It’s a common household plant that borrows its origin from French Polynesia. It’s mostly found in the Tahiti and Moorea islands.
Neon pothos (pronounced as paw-thaws) has become a favorite in most homes and offices because of how brightly it transforms spaces. It’s hard to ignore the electrifying green heart-shaped leaves.
In addition, it’s easy to grow and care for and, quite literally, hard to kill.
An even more reason why this plant is a darling to most is its purifying properties. It’s practically a living purifier. It filters out toxins often found in carpets, furniture, and paints on walls.
Appearance and characteristics
The most striking thing about the Neon pothos is the bright green heart-shaped leaves. It is this neon-like glow appearance that draws so many people to them.
The leaves can grow as big as 20 inches long when allowed and spread out over large areas. However, the plant can grow to a maximum of at least five inches long in an indoor setting.
Similarly, when outdoors, the plant can grow really tall, up to 20 feet long. But can grow up to two feet long when indoors.
Neon pothos, a member of the Araceae family, goes by many other names like Ceylon creeper, money plant, Golden pothos, Devil’s Ivy, and Marble queen.
Quick summary
- Botanical Plant name: Epipremnum aureum
- Native to: French Polynesia and the Solomon Islands
- Care: Minimal care, easy to grow.
- Size: can grow up to 20 meters
- Common problems: Root rot
- Toxicity: mildly toxic if consumed
Plant recommendation tip: looking for a statement plant, then check out the wide leaf Ficus lyrata.
How to care for Neon pothos
Neon Pothos is a hardy plant that requires very minimal care. It spreads out in every direction when given the freedom to grow and grows amazingly long and wide. In a native climate, it’s not uncommon to see a 200-meter long Neon pothos.
For an indoor setting, though, you may want to give your plant some essential grooming to make it grow healthy and look stunning as a decor piece.
Trim off the bare stems with no leaves and remove the new tips spreading out from the plant. You can propagate the new tips to grow new plants.
Sunlight
Neon pothos can thrive in minimally lit conditions.
When exposed to direct sunlight or excessive light, it starts looking pale.
It does perfectly well with indirect light like the fluorescent lights in your living room or in low-lit spaces like the bathrooms or laundry rooms.
Watering
Neon pothos are survivors. They can grow with very minimal water for months at a time. However, you shouldn’t stretch the duration of not providing them water for too long.
Ideally, you should water your Neon pothos every week or so or when you notice that the soil is dry down to at least an inch from the surface.
Ensure to water the plant until the soil is damp, then wait until the soil is parched before watering again. Drain off any excess water to prevent the effects of overwatering.
Distilled water is the best for watering Neon pothos since it’s the purest. The purer the water, the healthier your plant is. However, you can also use rainwater or filtered water.
When using distilled and filtered water, it’s best practice to mix two teaspoons of hydrogen period (35%) for every gallon of water to simulate the natural composition of the rainwater. This also helps in fighting pests and diseases.
Humidity & Temperature
Despite their hardness, Neon pothos are tropical plants requiring between 65° – 80° degrees Fahrenheit to survive.
They can tolerate slightly lower temperatures but only for short periods; however, they would not grow bountiful as they would in warm and humid conditions. Neon pothos prefers higher humidity to low humidity.
Fertilizing & Soil
Neon pothos are not exactly fussy when it comes to soil type. However, they do exceptionally well on airy soils.
They also don’t need fertilizer if the soil is nutritious. If you are not sure of your soil composition, though, you can fertilize as often as needed. Take care, not to over-fertilize. 2-3 times every three months is sufficient enough.
There are plenty of affordable fertilizers on the market ranging from compost, slow-release, liquid to granular.
Liquid fertilizer seems to be the most preferred for pothos, but any houseplant fertilizer mixed in the right proportions is all that is needed for optimum growth. A good example is the J R Peters 52024 Jacks Classic No.1.5 20-20-20 All Purpose Fertilizer.
Please stay away from fertilizers during the winter months because the plant is at its no-grow stage (dormant).
Repotting
Pothos requires a good mix of airy and well-draining soil. You can either mix at home or opt for store-bought soil mix.
When mixing at home, be sure to add perlite or similar material as well as a balanced houseplant fertilizer.
For potting, you can use a regular plant pot or a hanging basket. Both should have sufficient drainage at the bottom to avoid clogging.
When repotting a plant with a fully grown root system, repot in a container twice the original container’s size. Otherwise, your plant will not be able to get enough water and nutrients.
Plant recommendation tip: looking for an amazonian plant, then check out Calathea White Star from South America.
How and when to prune Neon pothos
Since Neon pothos can grow wildly big, it’s best to prune them every so often to control the length and achieve the desired shape.
Trimming the foliage also encourages the plant to grow healthier since there is less demand for water and nutrients.
Problems with Neon pothos
The most common disease that affects Neon Pothos is Phytophthora root rot. This is often transferred during propagation.
Other common problems include infestation by mealy bugs, Ethelyn damage, Southern blight, bacterial wilt disease, and more prevalent manganese toxicity.
How to propagate
Neon pothos is one of the easiest household plants to propagate. You propagate through the stem cuttings of an existing plant. The cutting can either be rooted in water or soil.
If you choose to use water, make sure you use purified or distilled water. Completely avoid water containing chlorine or fluoride.
It will typically take a month before you can start seeing the roots of your new plant. Once you do, pot the young plant in your regular potting soil.
While you can propagate your Neon pothos any time of the year, the best time for propagation is spring. This is the time you are confident of higher success.
Common FAQs
How much light does a Neon pothos need?
Neon pothos requires moderate lighting, although they also do exceptionally well in low lighting. The only lighting condition they can not handle is direct sunlight. The leaves get pale and damaged when exposed to direct sunlight.
What is so special about Neon pothos?
The unique thing about Neon pothos is their neon-like glowing heart-shaped leaves. The leaves make the plant such an eye-catcher.
Are Neon pothos good indoor plants?
Yes, Neon pothos makes for excellent indoor plants. They are easy to grow and require minimal care and grooming. They are affordable, and above all, their bright yellow-green leaves brighten up dull spaces and aid in air purification.
Can Neon pothos survive in low light?
Yes, Neon pothos can thrive so well in low light conditions.
Plant inspiration tip: looking for a green beautiful plant, then check out the amazing Fiddle fig.
Summary
Neon pothos is an instant eye-catcher. The stunning neon-like glow on the yellow-green leaves transforms spaces.
Besides its undeniable beauty, Neon pothos is an easy-to-grow plant, thrives in minimal climatic conditions, and can survive for long without water. The best part is that it requires minimal care, so new plant parents are welcome to try this stunningly beautiful plant.