This houseplant is one of the ‘easiest to care for’ and you can use it indoors and outdoors (Image: Getty)
Pothos is one of the easiest houseplants to grow, so it’s an excellent choice if you’re not used to caring for plants, or if you’re looking for something which requires minimal effort and maintenance.
The plant, officially called epipremnum aureum, gives you beautiful draping vines with heart-shaped green leaves, some of which may vary with white or yellow patterns. Although it originates in the tropical forests of south-east Asia and Australia, it does not need tropical conditions to thrive.
Another very useful feature of the pothos plant is that it can be grown indoors or outdoors, though it will do better outdoors in warmer conditions. And the plant lives, on average, between five and 10 years but with even minimal (but consistent) care they can live much longer, even up to 20 years.
But there are two important things to be aware of: firstly, it is a fast-growing plants which can often add 12-18 inches of growth in just a month and reach four metres long or more if not pruned. And secondly, pothos plants are toxic to pets.
The pothos (epipremnum aureum) has many uses including being both a houseplant and outdoor plant (Image: Getty)
How to grow pothos indoors
The RHS says pothos is “an easy-to-grow houseplant that thrives in a wide range of conditions, so is ideal for beginners. Lush and leafy, with long trailing or climbing stems, it’s great for greening up any living space”. It thrives in conditions you can find in most homes: bright, indirect warmth out of both full sun and dark shade.
It can be kept in its original pot for a year or two, though if roots become crowded or begin to come through the pot holes you should move it to a larger pot (but not too large as the compost will remain too wet for too long, potentially causing the roots to rot). The soil needs to be moisture-retentive but well-drained and you should repot it every two or three years into a slightly larger pot.
For the best results, keep the plant between 18-30C, says the RHS, and avoid cold draughts and direct heat sources like radiators. Only water it when the soil is dry (or approaching dryness). The best way to test this is with your finger. You can also feed it once a month between April and October with a houseplant fertiliser.
How to grow pothos outoors
As well as being a great indoor plant, pothos also works well outdoors, again with minimal care. It can grow to eight metres in height and spreads outwards too. Outdoors, it needs fertile but but well-drained soil and a warm, sheltered and frost-free location. When starting it off, you should ideally grow it under glass in full or bright filtered light.
Website Real Simple says “if you live in zones 10 or warmer, you can grow pothos as a successful, thriving perennial outside”. Zones are based on minimum winter temperatures and most of the UK is slightly colder than zone 10 so you may wish to either grow it outdoors annually in spring or have it as a potted plant that you bring indoors during colder weather.