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As a plant parent, I have a ton of plant varieties in my home. And it makes the space come alive which prompts many people to ask me for advice on what’s the easiest plant to grow.
If I don’t point them to the philodendron, I will likely point them to the pothos. After all, this vining species is one of the most resilient plants you will ever come across.
Come rain or shine, it weaves its way across the space, leaving a trail of remarkable beauty. And even if you do not feed it with enough water or nutrients, it still finds a way to survive.
That’s why it has become a common houseplant because almost anyone can keep it alive. But if you want it to thrive, ensure you follow through with its required care routine.
So, which species can you keep in your home? I have compiled some of the most common options and what they need to thrive.
Top 16 Pothos Varieties
There are many pothos varieties to choose from so any pothos variety is a good choice because the resilience in these plants is characteristic of each species.
However, if you would like to choose a plant that matches the décor in your space, you are better off looking at the unique aspects that come with each plant.
Let’s look at some of the most common options and why they have weaved their way into gardeners’ hearts:
Point to Note
During the entirety of this guide, I will mention types of light exposure ideal for the different pothos varieties.
Please use the guide below to figure out which position in your home can work for each species so you can understand which one can thrive in your home.
- A pothos that needs low light: Towards a north-facing window if you live in the northern hemisphere: This spot has low light, and your plant can still do well. If you live in the southern hemisphere, use the southern-facing window.
- A pothos that needs bright and direct light: Towards a north-facing window if you live in the southern hemisphere: In contrast to the first point, this spot receives bright and direct light, aka full sun. In some warmer regions, this exposure might be too much for the plant and could result in sunburn. But if you live in an area with a cool climate, this position should be okay. If you live in the southern hemisphere, use the north-facing window
- A pothos that needs medium to bright and indirect light: Towards an east-facing window: This spot receives the most ideal light for the pothos, which is bright and indirect light, also known as partial shade, dappled light, or filtered light. That should be about 4-6 hours of light exposure to the morning rays and seldom causes sunburn.
It’s best to avoid west-facing windows as these expose the plant to afternoon sun which can be too harsh and can cause plant stress.
1) Golden Pothos
The term golden may have you thinking that this plant features golden leaves. But is this the case? Not at all. This pothos has green leaves with some yellow variegation which contrasts the leaves.
So, it gives off hints of a golden allure, but the entire leaf is not golden. However, the glint is quite noticeable owing to the waxy leaf surface.
The leaves are medium-sized, which makes them great for homes that need a plant that does not overwhelm the space.
And because many people are after a bit of contrast in a cute size, this plant has grown to be one of the most common pothos species.
Of course, this also makes it easier to source this plant from nurseries at a cheap price. You can as well get a cutting from a friend at no extra cost.
The golden pothos is easy to propagate and once it establishes, it grows quite fast. You will also love that it is not too particular about lighting.
While most pothos species do best in bright and indirect lighting, you can place this plant in low to bright and indirect light.
2) Jade Pothos
This plant is not to be confused with the pearls and jade pothos as they are different species. So, what makes this particular pothos a unique addition to your space?
Firstly, it has an amazing medium green hue that remains solid throughout the plant and shows in its medium-sized leaves.
And if you are after a subtle yet bold addition to your home, this would work as it does not have a busy look.
Secondly, it does well in low light. Many people do not have enough light in their homes and would rather not work with grow lights.
And if this feels like you, then this plant would be a great choice. You can leave it in low light, and it will not lose its solid green hue. Also, if you happen to move it to a spot with bright light, it will still do well, pointing to its adaptability.
Finally, it has a waxy surface that allows its green hue to stand out. And just like any other pothos plant, it is a no-fuss species that allows you to fit its care routine into your schedule without breaking out of habit.
3) Marble Queen Pothos
The golden pothos is one of the easiest pothos varieties to find. But if you do not come across it, you will likely rest your eyes on this species.
Unlike the golden pothos which features yellow variegation against green leaves, this plant has creamy white variegation. So, while it looks a lot like the golden pothos, you can tell the plants apart by looking at the color of the variegation.
Due to the high amount of variegation on the plant, it needs a lot of light for the contrast to stand out. Thus, you should place this plant in a spot that receives medium to bright indirect light.
If you leave it in low-light conditions, the plant starts losing its variegation and thus its allure. You should also note that the high rate of variegation also influences its growth rate. Why?
Well, the variegation in this plant is so much that it features on most of the leaves. That reduces the chlorophyll available, forcing the plant to rely on the little food it makes to produce energy to support the plant’s development.
Thus, it might not be the best choice for you if you want a plant that grows fast. But if you are after beauty, this plant will surely add a dramatic effect to your space.
4) Pearls and Jade Pothos
I earlier covered the jade pothos which features a solid green hue and does well in low light. And while you might think that the pearls and jade pothos results from the jade pothos, that is not the case.
This species emanates from the marble queen pothos which features creamy white variegation against green leaves. It does have some differences with the marble queen.
To start with, the variegation on this cultivar shows on the edges of the leaves which have white edges. It also spreads through the surface of the plant, contrasting with the light green shade on the leaves.
Just like the marble queen, the high variegation interrupts its growth rate and slows it. Moreover, the plant features small leaves.
As such, this is one of the slower-growing pothos species. It does best in medium to bright indirect light and will tolerate more light exposure compared to most other species.
5) Neon Pothos
It’s hard to miss this plant that stands out, much like a neon sign, signaling ‘look at me.’ Why? It has a bright greenish-yellow hue in its new leaves.
And this quickly develops to a lime-green shade that looks like what you would see in a lemon-lime philodendron. While you would think that it takes a lot of work to maintain this hue, that is hardly the case.
The plant does well in a range of lighting conditions. It even does well in low light. However, leaving it in such light for a considerable while results in the darkening of its leaves.
It is thus best to expose it to medium to bright indirect light. And if you cannot access this light, you can always add some artificial lights to impart photons to the leaves.
This plant also boasts streaking on some leaves. Dark green stripes or splashes appear on select leaves which adds to the contrast of the leaves.
If this happens, you do not need to worry that you may have done something wrong – it is just how the plant grows. And you can leave the streaks in place or prune the leaves.
6) Variegated Neon Pothos
I mentioned that streaks can occur in the neon pothos, adding a bit of highlight to the plant. And if you would like to see more of these streaks, you can opt to get the variegated neon pothos.
It features medium-sized leaves with bright green or yellow streaks across its lime green leaf surfaces. And unlike the streaks you would see on a regular neon pothos, this variegation is consistent in all the leaves.
Ensure you leave this plant in bright and indirect light; else, you will lose the variegation.
7) N’Joy Pothos
Like the marble queen pothos and the pearls and jade pothos, this plant features creamy white variegation on its leaves.
As such, many people often confuse it for the pearls and jade pothos, what with its small leaves and white decorations.
However, you can tell the two apart because of one key difference. The pearls and jade pothos features a green hue in its creamy variegation.
But that does not show in this plant because the separation between the white and green is clear. Another giveaway is the leaf edges.
In the pearls and jade pothos, the edges are white. But in this species, the edges are green, with the variegation showing in the middle of the leaf.
The variegation on this plant is also not as pronounced as that in the pearls and jade. As such, its growth rate is quite fast, and it does even better in medium to bright indirect light exposure.
8) Dragon’s Tail Pothos
With such a fitting name, this pothos is not quite a pothos. How so? It falls into the category of Epipremnum pinnatum instead of Epipremnum aureum.
And if we were to be particular about this difference, we would disqualify this species from making it to this list.
Even so, many people consider it to be a pothos because of its appearance and care needs, which are much like those of the pothos.
It features jade green leaves that start small before developing into large leaves. As the leaves near their maturity, they start developing splits as you would see in a monstera.
And if you want the fenestrations to stand out, even more, you should leave the plant in medium to bright indirect light.
9) Glacier Pothos
If you thought telling the N’Joy pothos and the pearls and jade pothos apart was tough, wait till you set your eyes on this beauty.
Like the two, it also features creamy white variegation against its green leaves which take on a small size. So, how can you tell them apart?
It features a silver hue which is not evident in the other species. Also, its leaves are much smaller than those of the other species.
Once you consider that it does not have white edges like the pearls and jade, it becomes quite easy to identify this plant. You can maintain its variegation by exposing it to medium to bright indirect light.
However, I should add that I am yet to come across this plant as it is quite rare. Most nurseries do not stock it because its popularity and uptake are low because of how hard sourcing it can be.
10) Cebu Blue Pothos
The dragon’s tail pothos is unique owing to its fenestrations and thin leaves which develop into large leaves at maturity.
And while one may argue that it is not an actual pothos, that would rob us of the chance to lay our eyes on one of its varieties – the Cebu blue pothos.
This plant, native to Cebu Island, boasts silvery blue-green leaves that start thin and small when young before taking on a medium size at maturity.
So, if you’re tired of the same old green leaves on pothos species, this can be the way to give your garden that much-needed twist.
Oh, and the fascination does not stop with the silvery blue glints in the leaves. Instead, it extends to the fenestrations on the leaves at maturity. Isn’t that a sight to behold!
11) Manjula Pothos
Often, variegated plants do best in bright light and lose the variegation when left in low light.
And this discourages people from housing such plants when the natural light available is not sufficient to support the color contrast. Does this mean there’s no option available to people whose houses have poor lighting? Not at all.
If your home has low light and you would like to grow a variegated pothos plant, your answer lies in this variety.
This newer variety is the result of a University of Florida project and features medium-sized creamy yellow leaves with green variegation.
The variegation is further enhanced by its variability such that each leaf differs from the next. Some may look like what you would see on a Marble Queen pothos.
But telling this plant apart from other pothos species is quite easy. All you do is look at its leaves which are wider at the base compared to their counterparts.
This plant can do well even in low light. But like with all other variegated plants, the contrast is more evident when the plant is in bright and indirect light.
Also, because the main color of the leaves is creamy white or yellow and the green comes from the variegation, this plant grows at a much slower rate than other pothos varieties.
Besides that, and the lighting aspects, it requires the same care routine as the plants I have covered.
12. Jessenia Pothos
This variety is fairly new but that has not dampened its uptake as people are always up for a plant that offers unique aspects. So, what does this plant have to offer?
It features medium-sized leaves with yellow-green variegation. Its leaves are much like what you would see on the Marble Queen pothos – the two even have a similar growth pattern!
This plant prefers being in bright and indirect light exposure. Anything less than this reduces its variegation, even though the plant can still survive in low light.
Coming across this plant is not easy as it is a recent discovery. But you might lucky enough to get your hands on one if you look at what local nurseries have to offer.
13) Baltic Blue Pothos
The dragon’s tail pothos is quite an astounding pothos variety – as much as it may not be an actual pothos. And people were so fascinated with it that when they came across its clone, they embraced it whole-heartedly.
The Baltic blue pothos is a variety of the dragon’s tail pothos. It has many similarities with the dragon’s tail and the Cebu blue I earlier covered.
However, it has some key differences. To start with, it features dark green leaves that remain medium-sized even at maturity.
And secondly, its leaves have a blue undertone. So, it’s quite easy to tell it apart from the other species.
It also develops fenestrations at maturity. But you need to leave it in medium to bright indirect light to achieve this effect.
14) Satin Pothos
Like the dragon’s tail pothos, the satin pothos is not an actual pothos as it does not belong to the Epipremnum genus.
However, its appearance and care routine are like what you would encounter in a pothos, thus earning it a spot on this list.
Plus, it also has a vining growth habit and would make a good choice for anyone looking for a trailing plant.
It features small green leaves with light green spots which have a shimmer effect. The spots are quite easy to notice as they occur individually, unlike the variegation you would see on other pothos like the Marble Queen.
Thus, confusing this plant with other species does not come easy. A key feature of this plant is its adaptability to different lighting conditions. You can leave it in low to bright and indirect light and it would still do well.
15) Global Green Pothos
If you can’t choose between light and dark green hues, you no longer need to make the tough choice. That’s because this pothos species gives you the best of these two worlds.
It features small leaves with a variation of the two green colors. And the variation is much more evident when the plant receives medium to bright indirect light.
In the past, getting your hands on this species was quite an uphill task as it was a rare find. Now, more people are keeping it and if you research, you can find a nursery that offers it as an option.
It might be a bit pricier than other pothos species but that’s a fair price to pay for uniqueness.
16) Silver Satin Pothos
Like the satin pothos, this is not quite a pothos because it belongs to another genus. However, with similar growth and care patterns, it is easy to see why it was accorded the status of pothos.
It is much like the satin pothos with medium-sized dark green leaves. However, instead of having light green spots to serve as variegation, this plant features silvery spots!
So, its contrast has a twist to it which makes it a highly sought-after species for people looking for something out of the ordinary.
This plant shows its contrast best when left in bright and indirect light. And while you may feel tempted to leave it in less light exposure, that would hamper its growth and can result in leggy vines.
So, place it in enough light or use artificial lighting to make up for the difference.
Final Thoughts
Pothos are quite easy to care for – give them enough water, shelter them from drafts, feed them during the active growing seasons, and provide them with sufficient light.
If you’re growing a variegated plant, always opt for bright light. But if the plant does not have variegation, you will be safe either way!
Happy Gardening!