10 Easiest Types Of Pothos Plants You Can Propagate And Grow At Home

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If you're a beginner indoor gardener or container plant parent looking for a simple starting point, a pothos (Epipremnum spp.) is the perfect pick. Widely regarded as one of the easiest houseplants to care for, pothos grow quickly and are tolerant of most home environments. Once they've grown large, they make for some stunning living décor. There are 15 species of pothos around the world and lots of cultivars, each varying in size, leaf color, and leaf shape. Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) and dragon-tail plant (Epipremnum pinnatum) are two of the most widely grown species. Some other popular — and easy to propagate — pothos cultivars include 'Albo-Variegata,' 'Jade,' 'Marble Queen,' 'Sunburst,' 'Neon,' and 'Jessenia.'

Propagation is the process of creating a new plant from the root, leaves, or stem of another plant. Whether you get cuttings from a friend or purchase a small plant yourself, propagating your pothos plant from a stem cutting is straightforward. Remove the bottom leaves from your stem cutting and place it into a jar full of water. Wait for the roots to grow. Then you can either grow a pothos plant without soil or plant it in a flower pot filled with your preferred indoor growing medium. Pothos typically prefer bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. Wait for the top two inches of soil to dry out (if your pothos is growing in soil) before watering. Note that pothos are mildly harmful to humans and animals.

One of the most commonly grown pothos is the golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum). This plant, also sometimes known as devil's ivy, produces stunning green and yellow marbled leaves that are waxy and vibrant. When you grow the heart-shaped golden pothos indoors, it tends to stay shorter in size. Outdoors, it can grow up to 100 feet long. Ensure that your cuttings are about 5 to 6 inches long before starting the propagation process.

If you've ever seen a houseplant with marbled leaves, it was probably a 'Marble Queen' pothos (Epipremnum aureum 'Marble Queen'). Similar to the golden pothos, the 'Marble Queen' cultivar features green and cream heart-shaped leaves and is an easy plant to propagate and, later, care for. It's a good option for a hanging indoor plant thanks to its draping vines. Make sure your 'Marble Queen' receives bright, indirect light and is planted in well-draining soil. Like all pothos, 'Marble Queen' should be kept away from your pets as its sap can cause skin, mouth, and eye irritation.

If you're looking for a climbing, trailing indoor houseplant to test your propagation skills on, then the 'Albo-Variegata' pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum 'Albo-Variegata') is a rewarding choice. Like most pothos, it's extremely hard to kill. 'Albo-Variegata' boasts green leaves that are on the longer side, and it can be trained to grow vertically up any kind of support. Grow it up a pole and it will form fenestrations, or holes in the plant's leaves. These perforations, which resemble the holes in Monstera plant leaves, are normal and healthy. 'Albo-Variegata' requires medium to high natural or artificial light indoors.

Similar to 'Albo-Variegata,' the 'Jade' pothos (Epipremnum aureum 'Jade') is the perfect indoor plant for homeowners who want a sprawling vine for their space. The stems of this plant can reach 40 feet long, and their bright green, glossy leaves are a stunning addition to any room. Like most pothos, 'Jade' is an excellent option for beginner plant parents. It roots abundantly, making it easy to propagate; it thrives under natural or artificial light; and it only needs watering when the top inch or so of the soil feels dry.

Sunburst pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum 'Sunburst') has a similar appearance to a golden pothos when it's young. However, as your propagated cutting grows larger, it will climb whatever frame or pole you give it and start to produce fenestrations — or holes — in its leaves. When caring for a 'Sunburst' pothos, ensure that it receives about a cup of water every nine days and significant daylight, although not direct sunlight. Most likely, you will need to repot a propagated 'Sunburst' about a year after you first took the cutting. It roughly doubles in size annually.

The 'Neon' pothos (Epipremnum aureum 'Neon') is, as you might expect, known for its vibrant lime-green foliage. It's a chameleon of the plant world: Its foliage changes from golden to dark green depending on how much light it receives or its age. This plant grows fast and can climb easily, making it an excellent option for home propagation. Mix 'Neon' with other pothos species and cultivars to create a stunning, colorful trailing vine display in your space. Make sure to keep 'Neon' out of direct sunlight and water it every one to two weeks.

'Jessenia' pothos (Epipremnum aureum 'Jessenia') is another option for an easy indoor pothos. Similar to golden and 'Marble Queen' pothos, 'Jessenia' shows off its pretty marbled leaves best when grown in a hanging planter following propagation. It also grows up poles or in pots. This large plant has medium-green leaves with accents of light green. The contrast between the two colors gets more intense the more sun you expose the plant to. 'Jessenia' is an uncommon cultivar, so it may be difficult to find in nurseries — all the more reason to propagate it when you find one.

'Global Green' pothos (Epipremnum aureum 'Global Green') is a newer golden pothos cultivar developed in Japan. It's hardly surprising that its patterned green leaves bear a striking resemblance to those of its parent plant. A successfully propagated 'Global Green' cutting will climb a moss pole, trail its tendrils from a basket planter, or live happily in a pot on your kitchen counter. Water this vibrant, hardy variegated cultivar every one to two weeks. If you want the leaves to grow larger and brighter, put it in a room with bright light.

Unlike other pothos plants, which have some amount of yellow in their leaves, the 'Baltic Blue' pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum 'Baltic Blue') has leaves with shades of green-blue. When successfully propagated from cuttings, 'Baltic Blue' also tends to form fenestrations far quicker than its more buttery-leaved counterparts. Similar to other pothos species and cultivars, it's related to houseplants you might know and love, like monstera and philodendron. In classic pothos form, 'Baltic Blue' can reach over 6 feet long; use it as a decorative indoor vine.

You'd be forgiven for mistaking the dragon-tail plant (Epipremnum pinnatum) for its relative, the 'Albo-Variegata' pothos. The latter is, after all, a cultivar of the former. In nature, the dragon-tail plant becomes completely epiphytic, living high up in the air on tree branches. Its ability to grow sans soil makes it a good candidate for propagation from cuttings. As an indoor houseplant, it will grow 8 to 10 feet long, given the right conditions, and boasts shiny oval leaves. Provide it with bright, indirect light, moist soil, and a pole.