The jade pothos, more commonly known as devil's ivy or simply pothos, is the ideal plant for every beginner plant parent. This hanging plant gives owners ease of care and offers many options for placement and climbing. Fast growing, pothos is a great accent to any wall, shelf, bookcase, and more. Not easy to kill but not impossible, let's go over the ways you can help your pothos thrive in your space.

Why choose a Pothos?

There are many aesthetic reasons to choose a pothos plant. Their climbing vines can spread and drape to your liking, sprouting vibrant green hues all over a room; plus it's a creative way to fill any negative space.

As for ease of care, pothos are not very picky and are able to grow in just about any kind of environment whether it offers bright indirect light or low light. Pothos can also withstand passive care and are not too sensitive to underwatering. These plants also do well in many types of soil.

Varieties of pothos are known for their propagation values as well. Because they do so well growing in water it’s very easy to take a trimming to grow and propagate for friends.

Care tips

• Watering. Water whenever the top 2cm of soil has dried out. Don't stress if you forget to water every now and then.

• Light & placement. Bright, indirect light, however, pothos can tolerate low-light conditions well.

• Humidity. Pothos prefer some humidity, but normal room humidity works fine.

• Good to know. Give it a feed with liquid fertilizer once a month in spring and summer. Pothos is mildly toxic if ingested by children or pets.

Common care mistakes

Pothos care can be a breeze but like all plants, they will communicate when they need more or less attention. Black spots or the yellowing of leaves may indicate overwatering while drooping leaves or brown leaves are signs of underwatering. Luckily both have simple solutions and care regimens can be easily adjusted.

Solutions

If your pothos starts to show signs of overwatering or root rot, keep in mind that the plant prefers to be dried out between watering cycles. So before you go in with more water, always check the soil's dampness with your finger. It’s alright to let the soil dry out every now and then. On the other side of the coin, this drying-out period can’t last forever. Make sure to continue to check soil dampness if you’re in a drying period so you can tell when it’s time to water again or be at risk of underwatering your green friend.

Care tips for prevention

It’s important to make sure to keep your pothos out of bright direct light. These plants grow best in bright indirect light and low light settings. Pothos can grow quickly and efficiently but remember just as much as they grow outside the pot, they’re also growing within through their roots. Keep an eye out for drooping or over-absorption of water. These are signs the plant needs a bigger pot to grow out in. You can always check the status of the roots and decide whether or not a repot is in order.

Pothos and you

Pothos are plants that are easy to be proud of. They will always impress with their sprawling growth and strength. Their heart-shaped leaves and general attractiveness can make a great addition to any space.