Introduction: New to Gardening? 11 Reasons Why Pothos Is the Houseplant for You

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Written by: Lucy Ferreira

This year, after moving back to San Diego, I decided to add some greenery to my apartment. Part of the green/brown thumb battle is choosing the right plant for both your situation and home environment. I decided to start by playing it safe. I’m still a newbie when it comes to gardening and know that my lifestyle can only handle anything low maintenance. Nell has taught me well and I decided to get a Pothos as my first houseplant . Six months later, my dear Pothos is still going strong. If you’re new to the plant world then starting with this trailing houseplant will boost your confidence.

Step 1: 11 Reason Why Pothos Should Be Your First Houseplant.

# 1 Pothos are great for beginner gardeners

For a plant with a soft leaf, Pothos are actually very tough. 1 of their common names is Devil’s Ivy, because when growing in nature they can reach heights of 50′ and are hard to get control. They prefer bright indirect light but can handle low light conditions, bad air circulation and forgetful owners like me. I water mine every 10 days, giving it a good thorough drink and then letting the water completely drain out. Pothos can overcome a dry spell and have low nutritional requirements. 1 of the only things that can kill this plant is to water it too often. If your plant get pests, you can usually get rid of them by simply spraying them off with water in the kitchen, bathroom or outside with the garden hose.

Step 2:

# 2 Pothos are very easy to find

No need to go on a scavenger hunt for this plant. I got mine at the Home Depot. I’ve also seen them at Lowe’s as well as in groceries store like Vons or Trader Joes and at our farmers market. You can find them online at Amazon . I haven’t ever gotten any plants shipped but I know that people do with great success. Do you have friend with a Pothos? I bet they’d be willing to give you a stem or 2 to propagate so you can start your own plant. Below you’ll find how easy it is to do.

# 3 Pothos are cheap

No need to break the bank with this plant! I got mine at a very good size filled with trails for less than $10. I was also looking into the ZZ Plant, another super easy to care for houseplant, but it’s more than triple the price. The low cost is very appealing and everyone can succeed with this trailing beauty.

Step 3:

If you’re a fan of variegation, then Pothos Glacier is for you.

# 4 They come in a variety of foliage patterns & colors

You might think this plant is boring and uninteresting because you’ve seen them everywhere. This beauty has so many varieties, colors and foliages you won’t even believe they’re the same plant. I got the classic 1, known as the Golden Pothos . It’s leaves are bright green with a slight golden variegation. You can find Pothos in different shades of green, different leaf sizes and different variegations. I really like the Neon Pothos as well as the Marble Queen.

# 5 This plant tolerates low light & more

This plant can handle low light conditions. Just know that their leaf color will probably revert to solid green and they won’t grow too much, like they do in ideal conditions. But, they will still live. Recycled air and lack of circulation doesn’t seem to affect them too much. Pothos are commonly seen in offices, building lobbies, hotels, hospitals, airports and malls.

# 6 They purify the air

It might look as if Pothos are just hanging out looking pretty but they’re actually removing toxins from the air around us. They take in all the bad and release the good – oxygen. This makes them champions at cleaning the air.

Step 4:

This Neon Pothos would brighten up any space!

# 7 Pothos are fast growers

This is a plant that will make scratch your horticultural itch. There’s something so satisfying about seeing a plant grow, especially if you're a beginning gardener. Let's be honest here. For us new to the world of houseplants we measure how good we’re caring for our plants by seeing how much they’re growing. The Pothos trails will grow and grow without you doing much at all.

# 8 They add a tropical touch

Its abundant foliage and big glossy leaves will give any corner a lush feel. As your Pothos grows you can be playful with its trails and have them running across arches, over windows or covering the side of a shelf for a very jungle inspired look.

Step 5:

# 9 Pothos are very versatile

Usually you see these plants hanging. You can also place it on top of a tall shelf, file cabinet or on the top of a table. Their trailing stems are easy to train and you can grow over bamboo hoops or make them climb up a piece of bark. They’re also a great dish garden plant and can be used for kokedama (hanging moss balls).

# 10 They’re very easy to propagate

Indoor gardening is not only about taking care of your plants – you can also propagate them. Pothos is an easy 1 to propagate. You can snip off the stems to get more plants and also to get a fuller mother plant.

Here’s how easy it is:

  • Cut off a healthy piece of the stem, anywhere from 6 to 12″ long.
  • Strip off a few of the lower leaves as you don’t want any of them submerged.
  • Place the stems in a vase, glass or bottle. Add enough water to cover the bottom 2-3 nodes. There may already be roots appearing, like you see in the video. – Make sure to keep those node (s) covered with water & freshen the water every week.
  • After a month or so after the roots come out & you can plant the cuttings in soil. By the way, Pothos can easily be propagated in a very light soil mix too.

Step 6:

Pothos Marble Queen, like the Golden Pothos, is 1 of the old standbys. Both have been on the market for many years now.

#11 They’ll last a long time

I hope you really like your Pothos because it’ll be with you for a long time. They last forever! I’ve read that they can live up to 10 years indoors but I have friends who’ve had theirs for much longer. Because Pothos are so resilient, they can handle the stress of moving and placement changes in your home.

As a result of my favorable experience with Pothos I’m feeling much more confident about my plant care abilities. I’m now much less afraid of killing them and have even gotten a few other houseplants to keep my Pothos company.

I’d love to know about your experience with this easy and beautiful houseplant.

If you already have a Pothos, what are there reasons you like it so much? If you’re planning to get 1, which variety do you like best?

If you know anyone who’s deciding on their 1st houseplant , please share this post with them – it might just help them make a quick decision!

Happy indoor gardening,

Lucy