10 Pothos Varieties – Common Types of Pothos Plants
If you enjoy foliage plants and the pothos plant, you’ll be happy to find out that there are a few interesting varieties that are worth checking out.
Unlike philodendrons which boast a whopping 450+ varieties, pothos are much less varied. Still, there are plenty of choices available should you want a more varied collection.
Their classification as different pothos types stems from the fact that leaf coloration, size and shape are different from the common pothos plant.
In what follows, I’m going to cover 10 pothos varieties that you should add to your collection.
Jade Pothos
The most common and widespread pothos variety, the Jade pothos features dark-green, heart-shaped leaves on long stems that can grow as long as 30 feet.
It’s a fast-growing variety with an average growth rate of 12 inches per month during the growing season.
While other pothos varieties can be somewhat difficult to come by, the Jade pothos can be easily sourced. It’s also easy to propagate and besides its watering regimen, it’s not fussy about soil or light requirements.
The Jade pothos adapts well to indoor light conditions and even indoor humidity levels, although it prefers higher humidity.
Golden Pothos
Another common pothos variety is the Golden Pothos, which features emerald green leaves splashed with streaks of creamy gold. It’s a beautiful pothos variety that will win you over instantly.
It features heart-shaped leaves that grow a bit wider than the leaves of the Jade pothos. You can help the leaves grow larger by allowing the plant to climb on a moss pole and keeping it in a bright location.
Unlike the Jade pothos, the Golden Pothos needs more light to maintain its variegated leaves. Unless it gets plenty of bright, indirect light, its leaves will revert back to the normal green colors and lose their creamy gold streaks.
Neon Pothos
The Neon pothos features heart-shaped leaves that are beautifully colored in golden-chartreuse but features no variegations. The leaves are uniformly colored.
Unlike your common pothos, this variety also needs more light. Otherwise, its leaves will become darker and duller.
When the leaves are just starting out, they’re a lighter color than the rest of the leaves. As they mature, they take on a slightly darker shade, but still bright compared to common pothos varieties.
The Neon pothos is easily propagated through stem cuttings. Make sure not to overwater the plant as its roots don’t like sitting in soggy soil for long periods.
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Hawaiian Pothos
With large, golden-green leaves, the Hawaiian pothos variety produces large leaves that can reach 3 feet in length when the plant is grown in its natural habitat.
Also, an interesting feature of the leaves is the slits that are usually on one side of the leaf, but sometimes they can go half way through the other side as well.
Indoors, the leaves grow much smaller, but you can help them grow larger by allowing the plant to climb on a support pole and offering it plenty of bright, indirect light.
Be careful not to overwater this pothos variety either. Despite its love for high humidity, it doesn’t enjoy having soggy soil at its roots.
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Cebu Blue Pothos
The Cebu Blue pothos variety breaks from the classic heart-shaped leaf pattern and features elongated arrow-shaped leaves.
The color of the leaves is also worth noting — the plant features blue-green leaves with a metallic sheen that gives the plant an eerily appearance.
But that’s not all! The leaves are textured rather than glossy or smooth and both the primary and secondary veins are visible.
When the plant reaches maturity, slits can appear in its leaves that are similar to that of the Monstera plant. This only happens if the leaves grow large and if the plant is provided enough bright light and optimal conditions.
Marble Queen Pothos
One of my favorite pothos varieties is definitely the Marble Queen variety. It has splendidly variegated leaves, but unlike the variegations that I’ve mentioned so far, this one is white and not yellow.
The white variegation appears as the streaks you’ll notice on marbled meat, for example. Combined with the green backdrop of the leaves, it makes for an interesting pattern.
However, just like any other variegation this too can revert back to green if the plant is not kept in a location with plenty of bright, indirect light.
Don’t expose the plant to strong, direct light to avoid scorching and bleaching of the leaves.
Manjula Pothos
Another variegated pothos, the Manjula features entire leaves painted white with only a few specks of green. Other leaves are marbled with white.
Another peculiarity of this pothos type is the larger leaves that are wide and have wavy edges, something that’s unique to the Manjula pothos.
Avoid overwatering this plant or exposing it to direct sunlight for too long. The variegations can be sustained only if the plant receives ample amounts of indirect light.
Satin Pothos
Reminiscent of the Turtle String plant, the Satin pothos features a similar pattern on its leaves, one that reminds of the shells of turtles.
The leaves are oval-shaped and have a bright green or white underside. It’s another bright light-loving pothos that thrives in a warm and humid environment.
They’re suitable for growing in terrariums and cascade beautifully out of a hanging basket. Its long vines are densely packed with leaves that feature a satin sheen rather than a glossy one.
The plant usually trails to 3 feet or more and benefits from regular pruning, which will keep it growing thicker and allows the plant to grow larger leaves.
The Satin pothos doesn’t tolerate cold drafts or sudden temperature changes. It’s best to keep this plant in a location where temperatures don’t drop below 60 °F.
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Jessenia Pothos
The Jessenia pothos borrows the variegation pattern of the Marble queen photos, but unlike that variety, the Jessenia has lime-green variegation.
The variegation is more pronounced when the plant is grown in bright light and fades if the plant is kept in low light conditions.
The leaves are oval-shaped and densely packed on the trailing stems of the Jessenia. Instead of smooth, glossy leaves, the Jessenia has slightly more textured leaves with visible veins.
Although pothos plants are generally known as fast growers, the Jessenia doesn’t grow as fast as the average pothos plant.
To prevent the plant from further slowing down its growth pattern, make sure to provide bright light, optimal temperature and humidity.
Also, don’t expose it to temperature extremes or direct sunlight. Overwatering that leads to root rot can also hinder the growth of the plant and eventually cause its death.
Snow Queen Pothos
Last, on my list of pothos types, the Snow Queen pothos is certainly a memorable variety that lives up to its name of Snow Queen.
With smaller and textured leaves, the Snow Queen features white variegations that appear in patches or wider streaks.
The plant is also known as the Pearls and Jade Pothos. To ensure that the variegations don’t revert back to a medium green, ensure exposure to bright, indirect light.
When pruned back regularly, the Pearls and Jade pothos grows thick, dark green stems and the plant becomes fuller with larger leaves.
Wrap-Up
Say what you will about how the pothos lack the variety of philodendrons. The few pothos types that do exist are extremely varied in their leaf patterns, colors and leaf shapes.
Some of the most beautiful specimens are those with interesting variegations or leaf shapes. But these have the reputation of losing their beautiful variegation if not provided with enough bright light.
Other than that, variegated pothos types will behave just as any common pothos variety, requiring well-draining soil, average room temperature and high humidity.
None of the pothos varieties I mentioned above will tolerate overwatering, so make sure to understand how to water pothos plants correctly.