Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Features and Characteristics

Epipremnum aureum commonly called golden pothos or devil’s ivy, is native to the Solomon Islands. It is a climbing vine that produces abundant yellow-marbled foliage. In its native habitat, it climbs tree trunks by aerial rootlets and tumbles along the ground as a ground cover, reaching up to 40’ or more in length. In St. Louis, it is usually grown much smaller, typically to 6-8’, as a houseplant, although it may be featured in commercial plantings or in greenhouses in larger form. Young plants feature bright, waxy, heart-shaped green leaves (to 4” long) that are variegated with yellow or white. On large mature vines, however, the leaves become much larger (to 30” long) with deep lobes. The plant is somewhat suggestive of philodendron. All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested. Tiny arum family flowers are followed by small berries. Flowers and berries rarely appear on indoor plants. Synonymous with Pothos areaus, Scindapsus aureus and Raphidophora aurea.

Genus name comes form the Greek epi meaning upon and premnon meaning a trunk in reference to its growing on tree trunks.

Specific epithet means golden.