Everything about neon has a tangy groove to it; it’s certainly something out of the blue. This plant expresses a delicate sheen that pops! The Neon pothos is the closest you’ll get to fulfilling your obsession with Neon evergreens.
The Neon pothos sports some of the most vibrant, neon green leaves that you’ll ever see. This plant is found in the sub-tropical forests of Asia and Australia.
Apart from their stunning, bright look, these plants are low-fuss creatures. You won’t have to worry about catering to them frequently; this is one of the reasons why so many gardeners love and cherish the Neon pothos.
Have a look at this fluorescent beauty here!
Table of Contents
Meet the Neon Pothos: Basic Knowledge And Origins
The leaves of the Neon pothos are heart-shaped, and their growing habits can be compared to vines. This family of plants belongs to the island of Moorea from the Society Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
The Neon pothos is also known as Epipremnum Aureum; the name explains the epiphytic nature of Neon pothos and its longing to grow on other plants or surfaces.
The Epipremnum Aureum is also known as a wild species of Angiosperm, which means that the Neon pothos houses blossoms. However, you may only witness the blooms when the plant matures.
One should exercise caution while placing these plants because they are toxic to humans, cats, dogs, and almost any animal.
Family Type | Araceae |
Common Name | Neon pothos |
Botanical Name | Epipremnum aureum |
Plant Type | Vine, perennial |
Size | 10 feet in height indoors, 3 ft spread |
Native Area | Australia |
Sun Exposure | Partial sunlight |
Soil Consistency | Loamy, well-drained, and moist |
Toxicity | Toxic to animals and humans |
Flower Color | Green, white |
Common Pests | Mealybugs |
Varieties of Pothos
There are over a dozen species of the Pothos plants. Some of these will be briefly discussed below.
Cebu Blue Pothos
The Cebu blue pothos is also known as the Devil’s Ivy; this evergreen tropical vine comes only second to the Philodendron Pink Princess in terms of trending house plants.
With its silver and blingy leaf patterns, it has attracted horticulturalists and newbie gardeners alike. The blue in its name explains its sparkly leaves exhibiting a blue undertone; this characteristic is however subject to many variations.
The Cebu blue pothos is often confused with the Monstera plant due to their uncanny resemblance.
N-Joy Pothos
The N-Joy Pothos originates from the cultivar Marble queen pothos and shares many similar characteristics with its parent. It has green leaves that showcase creamy, white variegation.
Pearls and Jade Pothos
Pearls and Jade Pothos is very much similar to N-Joy pothos because they both share the same parent. There is considerable confusion between their distinguishing characteristics; the N-joy variety has a dominative white color on its leaves, whereas the Pearls and Jade Pothos expresses a uniform distribution of white, grey, and green colors.
How to Care for the Neon Pothos
The Neon pothos is a low-maintenance plant, even those with a shabby brown thumb can manage to pull off the success of growing this plant. However, like all living creatures, complete neglect and ignorance only cater to the death of plants.
Just follow this simple regimen listed below, and you’ll be good to go!
Sunlight
Your Neon pothos can adjust to a wide range of lighting environments. However, if you want to ensure rapid growth and flourishment of this plant, opt for bright and indirect sunlight.
Placing the Neon pothos in a shady place will deprive it of its ability to variegate; its growth will also become stunted.
Soil
A standard potting mix fueled with perlite and peat moss will fare this plant well. You should be establishing a sound drainage system for the Neon pothos; the use of sieved pots will help you to achieve the goal.
You can also grow the Neon pothos in water; however, transporting it to soil later will ignite an adverse reaction from the roots.
Since the Neon pothos has a fast growth rate, you must re-pot it to progressively larger pots.
Water
Water the Neon pothos so that it remains moist, not soggy. Your Neon pothos needs a drink when the top two inches of the soil are dry to touch.
Since the Neon pothos is a forgiving plant, it will survive even if you’ve missed out on its watering regimen a few times. However, turning a blind eye toward this lovely plant will certainly cater to its death.
Avoid over-watering the Neon pothos; it can cause the leaves to turn yellow, wilted, and dull.
Temperature and Humidity
A temperature range of 21-32°C is ideal for the Neon pothos; this means that it can be placed in various places of your living space. Temperatures below 13°C will result in poor growth and black leaves.
These are tropical plants and thus like to be smothered in humidity. However, due to its low-fuss nature, it can even survive at standard humidity levels. As long as the humidity percentage remains above 50%, your Neon pothos is good to go.
P.s: Bathrooms are an excellent space to place your Neon pothos.
Fertilizer
Application of fertilizer should be conducted every month during the spring and summer. Not only does it boost the growth of Neon pothos, but it also helps it to bring out its unique features.
You can use a balanced fertilizer or opt for an organic one instead; the latter, however, will take longer to speed up the growth of the Neon pothos.
Pruning
To keep your Neon pothos looking fresh and sleek, you should consider pruning this vining plant.
Make sure to use only pruning shears to chop off the vines a few inches above the leaves (at the node); this will ensure new and healthy vines.
Potting and Re-potting
The Neon pothos is a fast climber and will demand re-potting every 2-3 years. This vine houses strong roots; the size of the roots increases as the vines grow taller.
Before you progress towards the actual re-potting process, make sure that your Neon pothos has been watered just enough to handle the stress of location change.
Use a progressively larger pot for each jump; a Neon pothos would usually outgrow the previous pot size by approximately 5 inches.
Propagation
You can easily propagate this fluorescent beauty using stem cuttings; not only is this method easy but it also has a good success rate.
Propagation using stem cuttings:
Divide the Neon pothos vine into smaller pieces using only sterilized pruning shears; this will prevent cross-contamination and reduce the chances of infection.
The bottom leaf is to be chopped so that you can visualize the node; place this unit in a container filled with water. Each unit should have at least two leaves intact.
Make sure that the node remains beneath the water with the leaves emerging on top.
The nodes will start housing roots soon; this is when you should shift them into a container filled with soil.
Challenges & Solutions
Pests
The Neon pothos, like other plants, is susceptible to numerous pests, especially mealybugs.
Use a strong water shower to wipe these pesky bugs right off the leaves. Rubbing alcohol on both sides of the leaves can aid in killing off mites.
Spray the Neon pothos with a good-quality insecticide or neem oil to repel any remaining pests, and repeat the cycle every 7-10 days until completely pest-free.
Phytophthora Root Rot
The Phytophthora root rot is a disease that is often caused during the process of propagation, which is why the use of sterilized equipment and implementation of standard hygiene practices is essential.
Phytophthora root rot results in black or brown leaves.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for this root rot, and the affected parts will have to be discarded.
Manganese Toxicity
The leaves of the Neon pothos will become yellow and flecky due to Manganese toxicity. The veins will take on a dark hue, and the leaves will start shedding prematurely.
Stop applying Manganese-rich fertilizer to curb the issue.
Bacterial Wilt
This disease is witnessed at the rooting point of a node, which results in failure of rooting.
The stems and veins of the Neon pothos’ leaves go black, and since this bacterial disease is hard to contain, the plant often succumbs to the infection.
Ethylene-induced Damage
It occurs during autumn or winter and causes the leaves of the Neon pothos to turn yellow and brown.
Ensure ample ventilation to prevent the onset of Ethylene-induced side effects.
Southern Blight
If you witness strange threads and strings on your Neon pothos, you might have a problem. This is what the Southern Blight looks like.
This fungus unleashes enzymes that tarnish the integrity of the cell wall of the plants, causing them to break apart.
Ask Away: The FAQ Section
What should I do about drooping leaves?
Drooping leaves usually indicate that a Neon pothos is dehydrated. Supply it with some water and the leaves will become plump again.
My Neon pothos has very pale leaves. What should I do?
Pale leaves are indicative of excessive sunlight exposure. Change the position of your plant accordingly to accommodate healthy pigmentation development.
My Neon pothos has no variegation. What should I do?
This means that your Neon pothos is not getting enough sunlight. Place it near a south-facing window to ensure healthy variegation development.
How tall can a Neon pothos grow?
The Neon pothos can climb up to a height of 60 inches.