Green Gold Pothos Devil's Ivy

Green Gold Pothos, or devil's ivy (Epipremnum aureum 'Green Gold'), is the indoor plant most people succeed with first. It trails or climbs to about 2m indoors and spreads roughly 1m, with heart shaped leaves marbled in deep green and butter yellow. It grows fast, forgives a missed watering, and puts up with the low light that defeats almost everything else.

Why you'll love it

• It is genuinely hard to kill. Missed waterings, dry indoor air and imperfect light are all survivable. The one thing it will not forgive is sitting in water.
• Variegation that holds. The green and gold marbling stays strong in bright indirect light, giving you two tone foliage without needing a flower.
• Trail it or climb it. Left in a hanging basket it cascades. Given a totem or moss pole it climbs, and the leaves get noticeably larger as it does.
• Easy to multiply. Any cutting with a node roots in water within a couple of weeks, so one plant becomes several at no cost.

Where it works best

Indoors, anywhere in the country. Shelves, hanging baskets, bathrooms and offices all suit it. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which counts for a plant this frost tender.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. On a sheltered balcony in a warm climate it grows far harder than indoors. Keep it out of direct midday sun, which bleaches the variegation.

Groundcover in warm gardens. In tropical and subtropical gardens it works as shaded groundcover or trained up a post, planted 50cm apart. It spreads vigorously outdoors, so keep it away from bushland.

Growing green gold pothos in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light gives the best growth and the strongest variegation. It tolerates low light, though the leaves come through greener. Outdoors it suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens in shade or part shade, and it is frost tender.

Soil. A quality free draining potting mix with added perlite or bark, in a pot with a drainage hole. With a decorative outer pot, take the plant out to water it and let it drain fully.

Water and feed. Let the top third of the mix dry out, then water thoroughly and tip out the saucer. Indoors that is usually weekly in summer and every two to three weeks in winter. Feed a half strength liquid fertiliser monthly in the warm months.

Pruning. Cut any vine back to just above a leaf node whenever it gets longer than you want. That keeps the plant full near the top instead of bare, and every offcut is a free cutting.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow this pothos in five formats. The 125mm and 140mm pots come in packs of ten and the 200mm in packs of six, which suit anyone planting a group. For a single plant, the 250mm hanging basket arrives already trailing, while the 300mm totem pole is an established climber carrying larger mature leaves.

Pothos travels well. Thick waxy leaves hold their own moisture, so it usually arrives in good order, with the occasional creased leaf that can be trimmed off. Expect new growth within three to four weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, under our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Understanding variegated foliage and how to keep it
• Browse plants for low light rooms
• Compare the full indoor plant range

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. The leaves and stems contain calcium oxalate crystals, which cause mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting if chewed. Hang it or keep it high if you have a pet that grazes on plants.

Why is my plant losing its yellow markings?

Not enough light. In dim conditions the plant produces more chlorophyll and the leaves come through mostly green. Move it closer to a window, out of direct sun, and the marbling returns.

How often should I water it?

When the top third of the mix is dry, roughly weekly in summer and every two to three weeks in winter. Yellow lower leaves and soft stems mean overwatering, so check the drainage.