The pothos plant is perfect for both interior and exterior decoration of each home or office. It has very striking shades of green, in addition to its resistance to cold making it ideal for all types of environments. If you want to know much more about this fantastic plant, we invite you to continue reading this article.
pothos plant
The pothos receives the scientific name of Epipremnum aureum, which is integrated into the group of Araceae plants. The plant is native to different regions of Oceania. It is a strain with aerial roots and, due to its shape, it is often confused with the philodendron. It should be noted that having plants inside is a good decorative option, in addition to giving life and naturalness to the environment. One of the most resistant and easily adaptable plants that can be placed indoors is Potus or Poto, in Argentina it is also known as Potus Limão.
Features
Pothos is a climbing plant native to Southeast Asia. The liana with its aerial roots grabs hold by climbing up tree branches, which can extend up to 20 meters long, in large outdoor spaces. The stem of the vine can be up to four centimeters in diameter. The leaves of the plant are bright and beautiful perennials with a sharp heart shape, they can be obtained in different shades depending on the cultivar species, shades ranging from dark green to light green or with white and yellow veins.
Another of the data to take into consideration about the pothos plant is that it has a vertiginous growth rate, in indoor environments if it is planted in soil with enough nutrients, it can reach a height of one meter. Because it's a vine, you can play around with how you want the plant to adapt. It can be colored high on a shelf and let its branches fall in a cascade of green leaves. Or if you prefer, in a pot with a stem or stake in the center where the liana of the plant climbs.
Benefits
The pothos plant has the quality of suppressing a variety of harmful elements present in the atmosphere, which harm our health and the environment. One of them is formaldehyde, known to be the cause of several types of cancer; the other of these toxins is xylene, which can cause severe headaches, vomiting, nausea, and major nervous system problems; the third poison is benzene, which can cause fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, palpitations, and even death if exposed to large amounts.
On the other hand, it can be said that this type of flora is also capable of eliminating these three gases that represent a high risk to health and the environment in general. In such a way that, it can be considered that it is a wonderful plant to have inside the house or office, but, even so, keep in mind that it can become very toxic for the animals that we have as pets, that is, dogs and cats. , so it is advisable to always keep it high.
What are the Pothos Plant Care?
Knowing the aspects that highlight the pothos plant and the benefits that having one inside the home or in the office where we work can bring us, the time has come to point out what care this plant needs. Like any other, it requires a series of techniques and steps to keep them in optimal conditions and free of all kinds of diseases and pests. They are very easy to understand and apply, you just have to read the following points carefully.
Automotive Lighting
When found outdoors, the pothos plant can be planted or kept in a semi-raised site. In internal places, it is advised that the light be indirect on it. Another fact to consider regarding the light that enters the house or office is that its leaves can obtain a light tone or it can be seen that they are decayed, it can be understood that it is receiving a lot of light and it is best to move it to a shady place, so that it takes on its tonality again.
Land
Any plant that you want to care for and that lives for many years requires a good type of soil, or as it is commonly known in the field of gardening, a substrate. This must have a series of elements that help the growth and development of the plant, such as having the best nutrients, as well as having an excellent drainage system since, if it does not have this, the pothos plant can drown, and therefore , we would lose all the time invested in its care. If you want to get a good substrate, it is best to buy a special one for her or make one fulfilling the aforementioned points.
Pothos Plant Irrigation
The best way to know when our plant needs the water supply is when it indicates it and therefore, we must observe it carefully. The technique is easy to learn, you only have to apply water when you see that the leaves are decayed. However, prevent them from becoming malnourished, that is, when their hue turns brown around the edges, or in the most extreme cases, the entire leaf has darkened. As additional information, only apply water if the soil or substrate is dry.
Fertilizer
When using a fertilizer on the pothos plant, it is necessary to take into consideration whether it is in an open or closed place. In the first case, being cultivated in a garden or orchard, the good thing is that the land does not require the application of any type of fertilizer, it is only advisable to apply some fertilizer every couple of years. On the other hand, in an interior place, such as the office, it must be applied monthly, since the soil in the container is not as nutritious as the soil outside.
Pruning
Pruning or cutting this type of tropical plant is very easy to do. Generally, gardeners prefer to keep each of the plant's branches short, as this can make the number of leaves that come out much larger. You can even consider letting them grow for a long period of time so that it can be placed in a pot suspended in the air and become a nice hanging plant.
Cultivation and Reproduction
The plant can be found at any place or location that specializes in its variety of young plants and can be transplanted into hanging pots or into the ground upon returning home. Depending on the shape, the pot must be decorated. Before transplanting the pothos, enough soil should be placed at the bottom of the container so that the roots develop perfectly. For this purpose, a floor or subfloor that can store moisture is recommended. It can be a combination of three parts peat moss, two parts sand, one part organic matter, and two parts potting soil.
After transplanting, the pot or container with the plant should be in a well-lit room in the house with natural light. Avoid exposing the plant to direct sun to avoid damaging the foliage and variety of the plant. When reproducing, pothos can be multiplied with cuttings. All you need to do is cut a six to eight inch cutting and place it in a container of water until it takes root. The new plant will be transplanted later.
Plagues and diseases
The pothos plant is a species that is rarely affected by any kind of disease or pest, among which some experts point out fungi or mites. However, these kinds of threats can only occur when it does not have the necessary care, especially light and water supply. As additional information, it can be mentioned that if you observe any type of fungus on the leaves, which usually creates stains on the leaves, the application of water with a soap with fungicidal properties is usually recommended for its removal.
Types of Pothos Plant
To finish the article and after knowing what are the general care that every pothos plant requires, it is very important to be able to indicate that there are different types of plants on the planet. Among which we can mention: La Reina del Mármol, is a variety whose leaves have a whitish tonality with green, they also require a lot of light; Neon, is a species with yellow leaves with green tones; and lastly, Perlas de Jade, has the same colors as the common plant, but with very characteristic green dots.
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