How to Make a Pothos Grow Bigger

Pothos plants thrive in a bright home.

Pothos or devil's ivy (Epipremnum aureum) is vining species with heart-shaped leaves that hails originally from the Solomon Islands. Most pothos plants grown in containers or in gardens are the juvenile form of the plant with small leaves up to 6 inches long. In ideal conditions it can produce leaves up to 2 feet across and climb up trees. Pothos plants thrive in warm, humid conditions and need a support structure to climb if they are to grow large.

Things You'll Need

• Liquid houseplant fertilizer
• Potting compost
• Moss pole

Instructions

1. Place your pothos on a south- or west-facing windowsill that receives bright, indirect sunshine. While it will grow in low light, pothos vines produce larger, more colorful leaves if they get plenty of light. Keep the temperature between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit for optimum growth.

2. Water when the surface of the soil is dry to the touch. Provide enough water to moisten the soil thoroughly but never leave pothos standing in water as this can cause root rot.

3. Fertilize every month during the warmer months of the year with a liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted by 50 percent. Fertilize every six weeks during the winter when growth is slower.

4. Repot your pothos into a larger container when its roots emerge through the drainage hole in its container. Use a free-draining compost based on peat. Provide your pothos with a moss pole or other structure to climb. Pothos plants only produce large leaves if they are able to climb upwards. Given a support structure, pothos vines can grow by 12 feet in a year, according to the International Aroid Society.

Tips & Warnings

• Grow pothos outdoors in frost-free areas. Plant them in rich, free-draining soil close to a tree and allow them to climb up the trunk.

• Pothos vines are vulnerable to infestations of white mealy bugs. These fluffy insects look little bits of cotton wool on the leaves and stems. Treat them by dabbing with a paintbrush dipped in rubbing alcohol.

References

• University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension; Pothos; Amy Gibbs, et al.; November 2010
• Fort Valley State University: Pothos or Devils Ivy in the Home
• University of Florida IFAS Extension; Epipremnum aureum Golden Pothos; Edward F. Gilman; June 2011
• University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture; Golden Pothos - Devil's Ivy; Gerald Klingaman; October 1999
• International Aroid Society; Epiprenum Aureum; G.S. Bunting
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Potho Production Guide