Goldenrod – facts and advice on care

Scientific name (Latin): Epipremnum aureum

Family: Arum family (Araceae)

Golden pothos is one of several classic green plants that have become increasingly trendy in recent years. The strikingly beautiful, heart-shaped foliage with yellow-green patterns is likely one of the reasons for this. In addition, it is both easy to care for and versatile.

You can grow it as a hanging plant in a basket or on a shelf. It can also climb using its aerial roots if it has something to attach to—such as a plant support in coconut or another porous material.

See our selection of golden pothos.

If you have four-legged friends, be aware that golden pothos is toxic to dogs and partially toxic to cats. It contains irritating plant sap (helsenorge.no) that can also cause discomfort for humans. To ensure safety, it is best to place it out of reach of curious pets and small children.

You don't need green fingers to keep a Golden Pothos alive! It is among the most hardy and adaptable green plants we have.

Where does the Golden Pothos thrive best?

Light
Golden Pothos thrives in bright places, but preferably not in direct sunlight. It is especially important to keep it away from the hot sun in spring and summer. The amount of light the leaves receive also affects the pattern on the leaves of the variety that is variegated – the more light, the more yellow in the pattern.

Temperature
Regular room temperature is all that the Golden Pothos requires, both in summer and winter.

Humidity
The plant likes high humidity, but also tolerates drier air just fine. Spray the leaves with a spray bottle occasionally. It reminds the plant of its original climate and encourages it to grow even more lushly.

How to water Golden Pothos?
Let the Golden Pothos dry out slightly between each watering. Lift the pot to check if it is light or heavy. This gives you a much better indication of whether it is time to water than just feeling the soil with your finger. Note that the plant needs more water more frequently in summer than in winter.

How to fertilize Golden Pothos?
If you want to give the Golden Pothos a little extra help to grow big and beautiful, you can give it some liquid plant fertilizer once a month from spring to fall.

Golden pothos plants typically grow easily and should be replanted when the roots start to take over the pot—usually after a few years. Lift the plant out of the pot to check. If there are a good amount of visible roots around the root ball, it's time to replant. This is best done in the spring. Switch to a pot that is 2-3 cm larger in diameter, so the plant has room to grow and new good soil.

Also read:
Repotting - how to succeed

Taking cuttings of a golden pothos plant is not difficult, and it tolerates pruning well. The plant propagates readily and can be passed down through generations if you wish.

Find a vine that looks healthy and strong. Look for small brown "knobs" sticking out where a leaf emerges from the vine—these are aerial roots that will develop into roots when planted in soil.

Decide how many cuttings you want to take to determine where on the vine you should cut. You will get one cutting per node along the vine. A node is the "intersection" where the leaf and vine meet. To create a lush plant, plant multiple cuttings in the same pot.

Cut the vine so that there is a leaf left at the top of the plant—this will encourage new shoots to grow. Divide the vine you have cut into individual cuttings. You can cut both above and below each leaf/node, discarding the stem segments between the nodes. The leaf at the very end of the plant is also a cutting.

Plant the cuttings in a pot with regular potting soil or premium soil. Each cutting becomes one vine, so plant as many cuttings as you want vines in the final plant. It may take a few weeks before you see growth, but beneath the soil, new roots are forming, creating a whole new golden pothos vine.

Tip! Wash the scissors you use with a bit of antibacterial gel before starting to prevent the spread of plant diseases.

Can I put the cuttings in water?
Some prefer to place the cuttings in water for a few weeks before planting them in soil to monitor root formation. It is also very decorative to have cuttings in vases. However, keep in mind that roots adapted to water will need time to adjust to growing in soil. Make sure to thoroughly wet the soil when transferring them and keep the soil consistently moist for the first 2-3 weeks

Brown and dry leaves indicate too little water, but it is more common to overwater—this causes the leaves to turn yellow. Golden pothos is not particularly prone to pests, but like many other green plants, it can also be affected by thrips, scale insects, mealybugs, and spider mites.

The Golden Pothos originally comes from Polynesia and grows wild today on several islands in the Pacific, such as Hawaii, Malaysia, and the Caribbean.

Under optimal conditions, a Golden Pothos can grow up to 20 meters long.

The plant has a genetic defect that causes it to bloom very rarely.

The yellow-green pattern on the leaves is due to different levels of chlorophyll content and is called variegation. Chlorophyll production increases in low light, causing the leaves to turn green. If you want a lot of pattern, plenty of indirect light is a good tip

Tips from the gardener
Miriam Gysling, gardener with extra interest in potted plants in general and cacti and Philodendron in particular.