Common Pothos (Solomon Islands Pothos) care

Light

The Goldilocks zone. Not the south-facing windowsill (too hot, too direct), not the back of the room (too dim, growth stalls). Adapts to a range of indoor lighting from low to bright indirect. In medium to bright indirect light (500-2,000 lux) it produces the largest leaves and most vigorous growth. Very low light leads to small, widely spaced leaves on spindly stems. If you can't decide, a free phone lux-meter app aimed at the leaf at noon should read between 800 and 1,500 lux.

Watering

Watering common pothos: when the top 3-4 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-12 days. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Allow the topsoil to partially dry between waterings. Like related aroids, Pothos scandens tolerates brief drought better than prolonged wet conditions. Water thoroughly, drain fully, and avoid leaving standing water in the saucer. Reduce in winter.

Soil and pot

Common Pothos grows best in well-draining aroid potting mix. A blend of 60% peat-free compost and 40% perlite or orchid bark provides adequate drainage and aeration. The mix should hold some moisture but never remain soggy around the roots. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Common Pothos sits happiest at around 50-70% humidity and 18-28°C (65-82°F). Prefers moderate to high humidity; tolerates typical household levels of 40-50% but may show brown leaf tips below this. A pebble tray or occasional grouping with other plants is sufficient in most homes. If you keep the room above 18 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed common pothos sparingly. Feed monthly from spring through early autumn with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength. A balanced NPK formula supports both leaf and stem development. Withhold feeding in winter. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on common pothos in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Yellowing leaves — Most often from overwatering. Allow soil to dry more between waterings; check drainage holes are unblocked.
• Leggy, sparse growth — Indicates low light or lack of vertical support. Move to a brighter spot and provide a moss pole or trellis to encourage larger, more closely spaced leaves.
• Brown leaf tips — Usually low humidity or irregular watering. Keep humidity above 45% and maintain a consistent watering routine.
• Root rot — From consistently wet soil. Repot into fresh, well-draining mix, trim rotted roots, and adjust watering frequency.
• Mealybugs and scale — Common in warm, indoor conditions. Remove with an alcohol-dipped swab and follow up with insecticidal soap spray every 7-10 days until clear.

Companion plants

Common Pothos pairs well with Epipremnum aureum, Scindapsus pictus, and Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Take stem cuttings with 1-2 nodes in spring or summer and root in water or moist sphagnum moss at 22-26°C. Roots emerge readily within 2-4 weeks; pot up once roots reach 2-3 cm long. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Common Pothos is toxic to pets. Pothos scandens belongs to the Araceae family and contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals throughout. The ASPCA lists members of the related Epipremnum genus (commonly sold as pothos) as toxic to dogs and cats; the same hazard applies to true Pothos species, causing oral irritation, drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing if ingested. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Common Pothos deep-dive guides

Every aspect of common pothos care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common common pothos problems & fixes
• Common Pothos watering schedule
• Common Pothos light requirements
• Best soil mix for common pothos
• Common Pothos fertilizing guide
• When to repot common pothos
• How to propagate common pothos
• How to prune common pothos
• What's eating my common pothos?
• Common Pothos growth rate & size
• Common Pothos cold hardiness
• Common Pothos temperature & humidity
• Is common pothos toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is common pothos toxic to cats?
• Is common pothos toxic to dogs?

Featured in these plant shortlists

Common Pothos qualifies for 10 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best low-light houseplants — Houseplants that need no direct sun and cope with a north-facing room or a spot well back from a window.
• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best trailing & climbing houseplants — Vining and trailing houseplants for shelves, hanging pots, and moss poles — selected by growth habit.
• Best houseplants for beginners — Forgiving of irregular light and watering — the houseplants least likely to die in a new plant parent’s first season.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best bathroom plants — Humidity-loving houseplants that also cope with lower light — suited to the steamy, often-dim conditions of a typical bathroom.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• Best houseplants to propagate in water — Houseplants that root from a cutting in a glass of water — the easiest, cheapest way to turn one plant into many.
• Best fast-growing houseplants — Houseplants documented as fast or vigorous growers — quick to fill a pot, cover a pole or trail down a shelf.
• Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Common Pothos is also known as Solomon Islands Pothos, Wild Pothos, and True Pothos.

• Types of pothos — varieties identified, with care and pet-safety
• Yellow-cup Pitcairnia care — light, water and common problems
• Variable Dancing Ginger care — light, water and common problems
• Cheerful Dancing Ginger care — light, water and common problems
• All 11687 plant care guides in the Growli library