Pothos plant care comes down to four things: bright, indirect light, watering only after the top of the soil dries, a well-draining potting mix in a pot with drainage holes, and normal room temperatures. Get those right and golden pothos is one of the easiest houseplants you can grow.
Quick answer: Give your pothos bright, indirect light (it tolerates lower light but grows slower). Water when the top 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) of soil are dry, then let the extra water drain away. Keep it at about 60–85°F (16–29°C), feed lightly in spring and summer, and repot every year or two when roots fill the pot.
What pothos is (and why care guides disagree)
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is an evergreen vine from the arum family. It is also sold as devil’s ivy, and in South Asia it is widely called money plant. It climbs with brown aerial roots, and indoors the vines commonly reach 8–10 feet (2.5–3 m) or longer if you never trim them.
You will see slightly different numbers on different websites. Even university extension services do not agree on every detail: Clemson suggests letting the soil dry completely in one place and partly in another, and fertilizer schedules range from every two weeks to every other month. This guide shows where sources agree, says where they differ, and gives a practical middle path.
Pothos care at a glance
| Need | What works | Signs it is wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Bright, indirect light; tolerates low light | Long bare stems, small leaves, fading variegation |
| Water | When the top 1–2 in (2.5–5 cm) of soil is dry | Yellow leaves and wet soil (too much); drooping and dry soil (too little) |
| Soil | Airy, well-draining soilless potting mix | Soil stays soggy for days |
| Pot | Drainage holes; only slightly larger than the root ball | Water pools in the cachepot or saucer |
| Temperature | Days 70–85°F (21–29°C), nights 60–70°F (16–21°C) | Damage near cold windows or heating and AC vents |
| Humidity | Average home humidity is fine; it prefers 50–70% | Brown, crispy tips in very dry air |
| Feeding | Houseplant fertilizer in spring and summer | Pale, slow growth (too little); crusty salts and burnt edges (too much) |
Light: bright, indirect is best
All the extension sources we checked agree that pothos does best in bright, indirect light and survives for long periods in low light. “Indirect” means the plant sees a lot of sky but is not sitting in hot sun for hours. In practice that is a spot near an east window, a few feet back from a west window, or set back from a south window.
- Too little light: growth slows, stems get long between leaves and variegated types turn greener. NC State notes that low light can cause loss of variegation.
- Too much direct sun: Penn State Extension warns that direct sun can yellow the leaves, and Clemson links intense light to leaf scorch.
- Tip: turn the pot every week or so, as Penn State suggests, so the vine grows evenly instead of leaning toward the window.
For window-by-window advice and grow lights, see our pothos light guides.
Watering: check the soil, not the calendar
Overwatering is the most common way pothos gets into trouble. NC State and Clemson both say to let the potting mix dry between waterings, and Iowa State Extension advises watering only when the top inch or two feels dry. Clemson’s quick-reference table goes further and says the soil can dry completely. Waiting until the top 1–2 inches are dry is a safe middle ground for most homes.
How to water pothos properly
- Push a finger into the soil. If the top 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) are dry, it is time to water.
- Water slowly until water runs out of the drainage holes, so the whole root ball gets wet.
- Once it has finished draining, empty the saucer or cachepot. Wisconsin Extension stresses that the pot should never sit in standing water.
- Wait for the top of the soil to dry again before the next drink. In winter, when growth slows, that usually takes longer.
A pothos that droops and has bone-dry soil is thirsty and usually recovers after a thorough watering. A pothos that droops while the soil is still wet is a warning sign of root problems. More detail is in our watering guides.
Soil and pots: drainage matters most
Use an airy, well-draining mix (Clemson) that is high in organic matter (NC State). The University of Maryland Extension recommends a soilless mix of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite rather than dense products labelled “potting soil”.
- Always use drainage holes. If you love a decorative pot without holes, keep the pothos in a plastic nursery pot inside it and tip out any water that collects.
- Skip the gravel layer. Maryland Extension specifically advises against filling the bottom of a pot with gravel. Put potting mix all the way down instead.
- Do not over-pot. Iowa State lists containers that are too large among the causes of overwatering, because the extra soil stays wet.
See soil and repotting guides for mixes and step-by-step repotting.
Temperature and humidity
Clemson’s 2026 fact sheet gives a comfortable range of 70–85°F (21–29°C) in the day and 60–70°F (16–21°C) at night, which is normal room temperature for most homes. Penn State gives a similar 60–80°F (16–27°C). Keep the plant away from cold windows in winter and from heating and air-conditioning vents.
Pothos prefers 50–70% humidity, while typical homes sit around 30–60%. It copes with average humidity, but if leaf tips turn brown and crispy in winter, a humidifier or a tray of wet pebbles under the pot (both suggested by NC State) can help.
Fertilizer: light feeding in the growing season
This is where sources differ most. NC State and Clemson suggest a houseplant fertilizer about every other month in spring and summer, with none while the plant rests in winter. Penn State feeds more often. Because overfeeding causes salt build-up that can damage roots (Iowa State), the safer approach for most growers is:
- Use a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at the strength the label directs.
- Feed every 4–8 weeks from spring to late summer.
- Stop or cut back in winter.
- If you see a white crust on the soil or pot, water thoroughly to flush salts out.
Repotting, pruning and propagation
Most pothos need a new pot every year or two (Clemson). Repot when roots poke out of the drainage holes or circle the inside of the pot, and move up only one pot size, ideally in spring.
Pruning keeps the plant full. NC State recommends cutting stems back to keep a bushy habit, and Penn State says to cut just above a node (the bump where a leaf meets the stem). The pieces you remove are free new plants: Clemson notes that stem cuttings root easily in water or soil as long as each has at least one node. Our propagation guides walk through it step by step.
Common pothos problems: what to check first
| What you see | Likely cause | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Several yellow leaves at once | Overwatering, poor drainage, or low fertility | Is the soil still wet an inch down? |
| An occasional old yellow leaf | Normal ageing (NC State notes older leaves yellow and drop over time) | Nothing to fix; remove the leaf |
| Black or dark leaf edges, mushy stems | Overwatering and root rot | Slide the plant out and look at the roots |
| Brown, crispy tips | Low humidity, too much light, or underwatering | How dry is the whole root ball? |
| Long bare vines, small leaves | Too little light | Distance from the nearest bright window |
| Cottony white spots, fine webbing | Mealybugs or spider mites | Undersides of leaves and leaf joints |
Clemson describes pothos as generally pest-free indoors, but it can get spider mites and mealybugs, and NC State adds scale and thrips. For symptom-by-symptom help, browse leaf problem guides.
Is pothos safe for pets and kids?
No. The ASPCA lists golden pothos as toxic to dogs and cats because it contains insoluble calcium oxalates. Chewing it can cause intense mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Clemson also advises keeping it away from children. Hang vines out of reach, and if a pet or child chews the plant, call your vet, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center or Poison Control.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water a pothos?
There is no fixed schedule. Water when the top 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) of soil are dry. How often that happens depends on light, pot size, temperature and season; expect longer gaps in winter, when growth slows.
Can pothos live in low light?
Yes, it survives low light for long periods, but it grows slower and variegated leaves turn greener. Bright, indirect light gives the fullest, most colorful plant.
Why is my pothos getting leggy?
Long, bare stems usually mean not enough light. Move it closer to a bright window and trim the long vines just above a node to encourage fuller growth.
Is devil’s ivy care different from pothos care?
No. Devil’s ivy, golden pothos and money plant are common names for the same plant, Epipremnum aureum, so the care is identical.
Want the short version? See pothos care at a glance on our home page, or browse all pothos guides.
Sources
- Epipremnum aureum - NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
- How to Grow Pothos Indoors (HGIC 1568) - Clemson Cooperative Extension
- Pothos as a Houseplant - Penn State Extension
- Potting and Repotting Indoor Plants - University of Maryland Extension
- Why Is My Houseplant Wilting? - Iowa State University Extension
- Healthy Roots, Healthy Houseplants - University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension
- Golden Pothos - ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Written by the Trailing Leaf editorial team from the sources above. Last reviewed October 2026. General plant care information; plants vary with conditions.
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