Pothos

Scientific

Epipremnum aureum (family Araceae — same family as [[taro]], [[calla-lily]], [[anthurium]], and [[sacred-lotus]]‘s aroid relatives) is a climbing vine native to the Mo’orea and other Society Islands in French Polynesia. The species was incorrectly assumed to be Solomon Islands native until recent botanical work clarified the origin.

In its natural habitat the plant climbs to 20+ m up rainforest trees, with mature leaves becoming dramatically large and pinnately split. In the houseplant trade — where pothos is always rooted as a juvenile vine — the leaves remain small (~10 cm) and unlobed. The species has not flowered in cultivation since 1962, despite being grown on virtually every continent; all commercial pothos is vegetatively propagated, making every plant genetically identical to the original few specimens collected in the early 20th century.

The plant is mildly toxic to dogs, cats, and humans if eaten — calcium oxalate crystals cause mouth and gastrointestinal irritation. The toxicity is not severe but should be considered in households with curious pets or children.

Cultural

Pothos has become the canonical “first houseplant” — sold at virtually every grocery store, garden center, and big-box retailer in temperate climates. The species’ combination of tolerances makes it nearly impossible to kill:

• Tolerates very low light (will not thrive but will survive in deep shade)
• Tolerates infrequent watering (can survive several weeks of drought)
• Tolerates root-bound conditions
• Tolerates wide temperature ranges
• Resistant to most common houseplant pests

The “money plant” common name in much of South and Southeast Asia ties the species to Hindu and Buddhist prosperity-symbolism — many homes and offices keep a pothos for auspicious reasons. The vines are typically trained on bamboo poles or allowed to cascade down from elevated pots.

NASA’s 1989 Clean Air Study identified pothos as one of several houseplants that absorb formaldehyde, xylene, and benzene from indoor air — though the practical air-cleaning effect of houseplants is much smaller than was initially reported.

See also

Auto-generated from this entry’s typed relations: frontmatter, grouped by relation type so the editorial signal isn’t flattened.

• Shares approach with: [[taro]] · [[calla-lily]] · [[anthurium]] · [[sacred-lotus]]
• Member of: [[plants]]

Sources

• Wikipedia — Pothos

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A plant entry in the 0mn1.one [[directory]].