15 Types of Pothos for Your Plant Collection

Pothos is a tropical vine plant that offers trailing, long stems with heart-shaped leaves. They’re a favorite of gardeners because most types of pothos are very beginner-friendly. They’re easy to grow indoors without a huge amount of maintenance. Also, they can grow in pots or they look stunning in hanging baskets because they tend to trail downward. There are several scientific and common names for the different types of pothos, and you can usually tell which is which by looking at their variegation type on the leathery, glossy leaves. 

Different types of pothos are commonly placed under the Epipremnum aureum species, and this is the only natural species available. Other types of pothos are only cultivars, and there are currently zero hybrids of this plant. You may hear different types of pothos referred to as marble queen, silver vine, devil’s ivy, or golden pothos. The common name can refer to the plant’s growth habit or the plant’s characteristics, and this can make it challenging to tell the different types of pothos. 

However, we’re going to outline several different types of pothos for you. This way, you can easily see what they are, how they differ from one another, and learn basic maintenance needs so you can give your type of pothos everything it needs to grow vibrant and large. 

1. Glacier Pothos

This type of pothos gets its name for the extremely slow growth habit it has. It’s a vining plant that offers very small heart-shaped leaves. You’ll get beautifully variegated foliage in shades of green, and it also has grey and silver speckles that also contributed to the name. It’s a great contender if you’re trying to add a touch of green to your desk or table because it has more of a bushy and compact growth habit. So, it won’t spread all over your work area. 

One nice thing about this type of pothos is that it can grow very well in a huge range of light conditions, including low light. It also does very well with average room temperature and humidity, and it can survive droughts without a problem. If you want to encourage faster growth, try to put it in a place that gets bright light with higher humidity levels. 

1 Glacier Pothos
2010-04-22 003 by 石川 Shihchuan / CC BY-SA 2.0

2. Jade Pothos

Did you know that this type of pothos is the original with a very slight variegation on the heart-shaped, dark green leaves? It’s not like the traditional jade plant with an upright growth habit as it develops trailing vines with larger leaves. Since it’s so easy to care for, this is a very popular type of pothos for beginner gardeners to have. It’s commonly called Devil’s Ivy, and you can easily prune the dense foliage to create a very attractive houseplant for your table. 

This plant will grow stems that get up to three-feet long when you grow it inside. The leafy vines can cascade over the sides of a hanging basket, or you can set up a moss pole and encourage the plant to grow up it if you want to have a vertical accent plant. It does very well in bright light, but it also does well in shaded or low-light areas. It does require higher humidity levels, so it would do nicely in the bathroom as a shower plant. The soil should drain well.

2 Jade Pothos
starr-080610-8082-Epipremnum_pinnatum by Forest and Kim Starr / CC BY 2.0

3. Manjula Pothos

This is a stunning type of pothos that offers green and cream leaves, and you can get leaves that are almost pure white with small hints of green mixed in. You can also get plants that have a marbled white and green look on the leaves. Either one creates an eye-catching plant for your home. However, it’s slightly harder to find this type of pothos in your local garden centers. It’s more rare, and it has very specific care requirements to help keep the leaves looking vibrant. 

This makes this type of pothos much pickier than other varieties you could get. You want to keep it in an area that gets a lot of sunlight, but it shouldn’t go in direct sunlight because this can burn it. If the plant gets too much sunlight, the vibrant colors can start to fade. It needs a medium humidity level with no large drafts around it, and the potting soil should drain very well between watering sessions. 

3 Manjula Pothos
starr-091021-8467-Epipremnum_pinnatum-leaves by Forest and Kim Starr / CC BY 2.0

4. Golden Pothos

This is one of the most popular types of pothos available on the current market, and many people like putting it in hanging baskets because it has bright, lime-colored leaves with yellow streaks. The leaves are also very glossy, and this plant made NASA’s list of houseplants that can significantly increase your indoor air’s quality. It’s popular as a houseplant because it does very well in low light conditions without the brilliant yellow coloring fading away. 

You can put this type of pothos in your bedroom with very little light and it’ll do wonderfully. If you put it in the light, keep it out of the direct sunlight. This can burn the leaves. You can plant it using regular potting soil, but you do want to make sure it drains very well between watering sessions. You don’t want it to ever fully dry out, but it can stand going without water for a short time without any damage. 

4 Golden Pothos
Golden Pothos by Elvis Ripley / CC BY-NC 2.0

5. Cebu Blue Pothos

The Cebe Blue cultivar is one of the most unique types of pothos available today. The elongated heart-shaped leaves set this plant apart from other varieties that have shorter leaves. Instead of the usual rounded shape, you’ll get a lanceolate shape. This plant also comes with a very pretty silvery-blue foliage that has a glossy look to it, and you’ll get a host of interesting vein patterns with this plant that add even more visual interest and texture to it. 

This type of pothos is best planted in an area that gets indirect, bright sunlight. You will have to work to keep the humidity levels higher with it, but you can do this by adding a saucer filled with rocks and water directly below the plant. You should water it enough to keep the soil slightly moist but not saturated, and the soil should drain very well. 

5 Cebu Blue Pothos
Botanicalls Pothos by Jazz DiMauro / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

6. Marble Queen Pothos

The Marble Queen type of pothos is a very common houseplant that requires very little maintenance to keep it thriving and healthy. It has very highly variegated leaves that are usually much more cream colored than they are green. It’s a trailing plant that will look stunning in a hanging basket, but it also does well in a pot if you have room for it to trail down the sides. Due to the deep variegation on the leaves with the contrasting colors, you’ll put this plant in indirect but bright sunlight. It won’t tolerate low light conditions well. 

You’ll get a very slow growth rate with this type of pothos, and this makes maintenance and routine care much easier. You’ll get a slightly bushy appearance with this plant that means it requires much less pruning and shaping to keep it looking nice. You won’t have to repot this plant as quickly as you would others, and it likes moist but well-drained soil. 

6 Marble Queen Pothos
Pothos ‘Marble Queen’ by ProBuilder Garden Center / CC BY-ND 2.0

7. Neon Pothos

This type of pothos lives up to the name with the brightly colored leaves. They’re almost a translucent bright green color that pairs well with the plant’s bushy nature. It works very well arranged in hanging baskets, on tall plant stands, or in containers. Additionally, this plant can grow extremely well when you plant it in water as long as you put it in a place where you won’t constantly disturb it and remember to keep the water clean. 

Just like most types of pothos, you’ll put it in an area that is very bright but filtered to help encourage growth and allow it to keep the vibrant colors. Also, don’t overwater this plant. You should only water it when the top inch of the soil dries out. If you water sooner, this is too much and could lead to issues with rot. The soil should be a wall-draining potting soil. 

7 Neon Pothos
Efeutute (Epipremnum pinnatum Neon) by Maja Dumat / CC BY 2.0

8. Hawaiian Pothos

If you’re looking to add a touch of drama to your design aesthetic, this is the type of pothos to add to your houseplant collection. It has huge leaves on it when you compare it to other hanging pothos plants, and you’ll get very dark green foliage on it. There are small specks of bright yellow variegation that stand out nicely against the dark green of the leaves. If you want to control your plant’s growth habit, make sure you prune it to get the shape you want and control how long the stems are. 

You can put this type of pothos in a hanging basket and let it trail down, or it’s also possible to train it to grow up a pole for a nice vertical accent. You will want to wipe the leaves down every once in a while to get rid of the dust buildup, and you should put it in an area with indirect but bright light. It also likes higher humidity levels with consistently moist soil. 

8 Hawaiian Pothos
starr-100623-7770-Epipremnum_pinnatum by Forest and Kim Starr / CC BY 2.0

9. Pearls and Jade Pothos

Better known as N’Joy, this type of pothos is a small-leaf type of plant. You’ll get white and green variegation on the leaves. The colors for the leaves are usually emerald green, but the white can also be grey or cream, depending on the plant. It does have a very slow growth habit to it once you plant it, and this makes this plant a good addition to your desk or table. It won’t grow quickly enough to get in your way, and you can easily prune and shape it to your liking. 

This type of pothos is slightly less fussier than other pothos cultivars. It does need indirect light, but it can do well in both bright and low light conditions. This also isn’t a drought-resistant version of this plant as it needs the soil to stay consistently moist. A lack of moisture will cause your plant’s leaves to wilt and eventually die if you don’t water it. The soil should drain well, and it does well with regular potting soil.

9 Pearls and Jade Pothos
Pothos by Mike Myers / CC BY-NC 2.0

10. Satin Pothos

Even though the common name of this plant is pothos, it’s not true to the Epipremnum aureum classification. However, it has a huge range of common traits with other types of pothos plants, so many people love this plant. This is a climbing plant that will do well with a trellis or other structure inside, and you’ll get very dark green foliage that has a matte finish. The leaves can have small silver flecks on this, and this led to the name of Silver Satin Pothos. 

You’ll get long, trailing vines with heart-shaped leaves when you purchase this type of pothos. It also likes bright filtered light for the majority of the day, and you’ll need to keep the humidity levels slightly higher around this plant. You should only water it when the top two-inches of soil are dry or you run the risk of overwatering it. Also, the temperature shouldn’t fall below 60°F or this plant will die. 

10 Satin Pothos
Epipremnum pinnatum by Carl Lewis / CC BY 2.0

11. Trebi Pothos

This type of pothos is directly related to the Silver Satin Pothos because they both come from the same genus Scindapsus. So, this isn’t a true pothos variety. However, it looks so similar and shares so many traits with the pothos plants that many people assume it is. It’s a vining houseplant that has larger leaves in a dark shade of green with a silver marbling on it. The leaves are matte over being glossy, and this gives it a very nice blue-silver appearance. 

This type of pothos likes higher humidity levels and temperatures, and the temperature should stay at or above 60°F. The soil should drain well when you get it on a watering schedule, but you do want to be careful to not overwater it. Only add more water when the top inch or two of the soil dries out. Put it in a place that gets bright but indirect sunlight as direct sunlight can burn it. 

11 Trebi Pothos
IMG_2872.JPG by rogoyski / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

12. Jessenia Pothos

This is a relatively new type of pothos, but it’s rapidly gaining in popularity around the world. However, this also makes this plant more rare and difficult to find than other varieties. The leaves have a very attractive emerald green coloring to them, and they also feature variegation with a lemon-yellow hue. Some of the leaves can also have a fun marbling effect on them to make them more eye-catching.

You can put this type of pothos in a hanging basket or container without an issue, but you do want to make sure both of them drain well. You should get them on a watering schedule to ensure that the soil doesn’t get saturated as this plant likes the top inch or two of soil to dry between watering sessions. It does well in traditional potting soil, and you want to put it in a place out of the direct sunlight to avoid burning. It won’t do well in lower light conditions either.

12 Jessenia Pothos
starr-110215-1033-Epipremnum_pinnatum-habit by Forest and Kim Starr / CC BY 2.0

13. Snow Queen Pothos

This type of pothos is extremely similar to Marble Queen, but this plant has much more uniform variegation on the leaves in a white color over traditional green. However, this large amount of white variegation on the leaves also slows down the growth habit, so you won’t see a growth explosion with it due to the lack of chlorophyll. It likes to be in bright but indirect sunlight with plenty of humidity and steady temperatures. 

The soil on this type of pothos should stay slightly moist but not saturated, and you do have to be careful not to overwater it. It does well in hanging baskets or in pots as it has a slightly bushier growth habit than other pothos varieties. You won’t have to prune it or shape it to keep it out of the way either. It should get plenty of bright but indirect sunlight.

14 Snow Queen Pothos
Efeutute (Epipremnum pinnatum) by Maja Dumat / CC BY 2.0

14. Harlequin Pothos

Harlequin is a type of pothos that looks eerily similar to the Manjula Pothos. However, this plant has much more white coloring on the leaves than the other type does. You’ll get a bushier growth habit with the plant that makes it suitable for containers or hanging baskets, and it works very well as a desk or table plant. There is also a very slow growth habit associated with this plant due to the majority of the leaves being white with very little green mixed in. 

It has the classic heart-shaped leaves to it as you’d get with other types of pothos, and it likes a lot of bright but indirect sunlight. If you put it directly in the sun, it can damage the leaves. Don’t water it until the top inch of soil dries out or you risk overwatering it. You should try and maintain a steady temperature around this plant, including decent humidity levels. 

15 Harlequin Pothos
Efeutute (Epipremnum pinnatum) by Maja Dumat / CC BY 2.0

15. Global Green Pothos

Global Green Pothos is another new type of pothos that is rapidly gaining attention and popularity due to the brilliant coloring. You’ll get bright lime green coloring with yellow variegation with this plant, and it gets brighter when you plant it in an area that gets full, bright, but indirect light. It can do well in other lighting conditions too, and this makes it an easy indoor plant to use. You’ll get slightly larger heart-shaped leaves on this plant, and it’s very slow growing. 

You can put it in well-drained potting soil and have it do well. Get it on a consistent watering schedule to ensure you don’t over or underwater it. The light should be bright but indirect. You should keep it in an area that has few temperature fluctuations, and the temperatures shouldn’t fall below 60°F because this can damage the plant. The humidity levels also have to be higher than normal.

15 Global Green Pothos
Pothos climbing on coconut tree by Tarun Kant / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Basic Care Considerations for all Types of Pothos

Most types of pothos are easy vine plants to take care of, and this is why people like them. They can all adapt well to a host of environments, and you can grow them in low to medium light. They can even handle bright light if it’s filtered or indirect. However, there are still a few care considerations you want to keep in mind when you have this plant to keep it healthy. You’ll need: 

Fertilizer

Get a diluted houseplant fertilizer for your types of pothos. You want to fertilize them once a month during the active growing season. Since the pothos grow slowly during winter, stop fertilizing when this time comes around. You can add a slow-release fertilizer in the spring to supply the plant with nutrients throughout the growing period. 

Light

Grow this plant in very bright but indirect lighting conditions. When the different types of pothos get a lot of light, it helps encourage faster growth. Also, it works to keep the plant’s variegation vibrant. If you get darker-colored pothos, they can survive in low or minimal lighting conditions. Always make a point to protect the plants from direct light to stop them from wilting or burning. 

Humidity and Temperature 

For the different types of pothos to do well, the ideal temperature range starts at 65°F and goes up to 85°F. So, the average temperature for your room will have to fall between this range for the plant to do well. Since this is a tropical plant, it does require medium or high humidity levels. Ideally, you’ll want to sit right around 40% humidity in your room.  You can stimulate this by adding a saucer filled with water and small pebbles right below the plant’s pot. This will raise the immediate humidity. Don’t let the pot sit submerged in water though. 

Pruning

You generally won’t have to prune this plant because they have medium or slow growth to them. However, it’s possible to trim back your vines if they get too long. This is also how you encourage bushy growth. Trim away and dead, brown, or decaying leaves as you see them to keep the plant healthy. It’s best to prune the plant in the spring before it enters the active growing period. 

16 Potting Soil
Découverte d’une fourmilière dans un pot – 2013-129 by Frédérique Voisin-Demery / CC BY 2.0

Soil

The trick to getting different types of pothos to thrive is to use a light potting mix that will hold a little moisture but still drain well. So, the best potting medium for all of the different types of pothos should have equal measures of perlite, peat moss, and potting soil. If the soil starts to get waterlogged because it doesn’t drain very well, the excess trapped moisture can lead to root rot. Eventually, this will kill your plant. 

Water

Ideally, you’ll water your plants when the top inch or two of soil dries out completely. When you grow them in pots or hanging baskets, you want to press firmly on the potting mix. If it feels dry to the touch, it’s time to water the plant. However, if the potting mix feels damp, don’t water it and allow it to dry more. Only water your types of pothos as much as you need, and use the soil dryness level as a guide. 

  • When it’s time to water this plant, get out your watering can and pour enough water evenly over your plant until it starts draining out the bottom. This is a deep watering session that can help prevent the roots from getting diseases by nourishing them. 

Bottom Line

These 15 types of pothos are relatively easy to grow indoors. They can have bushy or trailing habits to them, and they come in a huge range of colors with marbling effects. You can easily grow them throughout your home in any area that gets bright but filtered sunlight. We encourage you to grow a few and see how the different types of pothos livens up your home. 

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