People have been into using plants as decorations for their homes ever since the dawn of agriculture. Not only do indoor plants help brighten up your home space, but they are also able to boost your mood and clean your surroundings literally and mentally.
Among those much-beloved plants, the Neon Pothos emerges as an exceptional choice for those who want a fresh kick to their interior design. If you want to have this plant in your home and let it do you good, scroll down to read more!
Table of contents
What Are Neon Pothos?
First of all, you should have a clear understanding of the plant first. Neon Pothos – pronounced as “poe-thaws” is a familiar plant to all those who wish to breathe a new life into their home with houseplants. The plant is resilient and easy-going, so you do not have to pay too much attention to it. Its leaves are also a bright and charming chartreuse green color.
The Araceae family, where Neon Pothos is from, originates from French Polynesia and can be found on Tahiti and Moorea islands. This should tell you about the kind of environment they prefer.
When browsing through different plant stores, you will notice that the plant has many aliases depending on the region and the variety. Here are a few nicknames to look for:
- Golden pothos, Devil’s ivy, Money plant (referring to the Pothos variety that leans more to a yellower shade)
- Ceylon creeper
- Taro vine
- Marble queen
How To Take Care Of Neon Pothos?
Neon Pothos care is not difficult, but you should still seek to prepare a good place for your plant to stay in. Here are the requirements for a healthy Neon Pothos:
Soil
When you walk out of the store with a Neon Pothos, it will likely be in a small pot. Over time, as you give the plants sustenance, the plant will grow its roots and require a larger pot, so it’s good to prepare a bigger container for the plant to stay in when the time comes.
For your indoor pot of Neon Pothos plant, a large pot with well-drained soil at 6.1-6.5 in pH is a good start. But you can also turn it into a water plant by transferring it into a water jar. There are no complicated procedures to help your plant get used to water since the roots will adapt accordingly.
Water
Moderation is a keyword on how to water Neon Pothos: Don’t make the soil soggy, but don’t make your plant feel like it lives in the desert as well. Giving yourself a schedule is the best to track your plant’s water intake. Don’t worry too much, though, since Neon Pothos can withstand a missed watering day every once in a while.
If the soil becomes too wet and doesn’t drain, the plant will become wilted. You can pick up the symptoms of wilting, such as yellow leaves, flaccid branches, to start working. One trick you can apply to prevent the plant’s root from rotting is to let the pot drain the water out from its holes into a plate underneath it and discard the water.
If your Pothos leaves curl up, that’s a sign of underwatering. Be sure to keep a regular plan to provide your plant with moisture before the leaves start falling off.
Light
Neon Pothos is known for its adaptability, as it can survive in low light environments. But if you want to see the plant grow larger rather than simply living, put it in bright indirect light throughout the year, which is why Neon Pothos makes such great indoor plants.
The best place for the plant to be in your home is near a window where it can bask in indirect sunlight or hang from the ceiling of your room.
Temperature
Neon Pothos, as we mentioned before, is native to Europe. The plant thrives in an environment with lots of humidity and temperature around 21°C-32°C. If your home is too hot for that range, do not leave the plant in direct sunlight for more than 3 hours per day.
Nevertheless, Neon Pothos can still survive in lower temperatures down to 12°C, as you can see a pattern of endurance with the article so far. Do not let your plant be in an environment below 10°C, though, or it will stop growing.
Humidity
High humidity helps Neon Pothos grow to its best potential. Rooms like kitchens or bathrooms are the most suitable for the plant to be in for that reason since these rooms tend to have more moisture hanging around the space. If you notice that your plant’s leaves have gained brown tips, the chances are that the room has too little humidity for the plant.
Aside from moving the plant around the house to see what room is best, you can opt to fill the plate below the plant with pebbles to prevent quick evaporation. You can also mist the room every once in a while to supply it with humidity.
Fertilizer
Typical soil would provide enough nutrients for Neon Pothos to live on, but preparing a common houseplant fertilizer for a good spray every 3 months is definitely beneficial. That is how simple it is to keep a Neon Pothos in your home.
If you want to be particular about the nutrients your plant receives, you can also pick up a soil testing kit from the same store you buy the plant from. The general rule of thumb when it comes to nutrients is: Inorganic fertilizers give immediate yet short-term results, and organic ones will work slowly but surely for a long time.
Once you have picked up your supplements, follow the instructions on the bottle or container to get the right amount and use them correctly. If your Neon Pathos is in a water jar, you should use liquid fertilizer.
Size & Growth
The size of a Neon Pathos is dependent on its surroundings. When the plant is out and about in ground soil, it has the potential to grow up to 6 meters and spread widely on the floor. In indoor pots, the plant may grow only to 30 centimeters.
Flowering & Fragrance
Neon Pothos’ main attraction is its beautiful bright green leaves with a tinge of neon glow. They do not have flowers or any fragrance, but the shade of their leaves still draws people in. This feature makes the plant very suitable for minimalistic spaces or any other homes that require subtle decorations like official buildings or shared living areas.
How To Propagate Neon Pothos?
This plant is easy to propagate as the places for you to cut and care for are quite obvious, and the plant is exceptionally resilient. You can snip off root nodes from the stems or branches with lots of leaves and mini-branches to grow into new plants.
After cutting, you should submerge the branch or root in purified or distilled water instead of the faucet since baby plants may not react well to fluoride or chlorine. Using this method will allow you to have the branches grow roots in about a month. After that, you can transfer it from water to potting soil.
Be sure to provide your baby Neon Pathos plants with a generous amount of fertilizer every other month to help boost their growth throughout the first phase of their life. Continue the supplements for at least 6 months, or until you see at least four branches.
How To Re-pot and Prune Neon Pothos?
Repotting
Repotting a Neon Pothos is not a complicated process. Here are the steps to go about it:
- Water the plant two days before D-day.
- Set the pants on its side and apply pressure to the pot, so the root ball is detached from the pot’s wall.
- The new pot should have enough material to cover the top of the root ball or rise up to the mouth of the wall.
- Repeat the process every few years.
Your Neon Pothos should need a pot as tall as 4-6 inches, but if you have not pruned the pot ever, you should prepare a pot of 10 inches at least. No matter how big the new pot is, please make sure that it has holes under it for water to escape from the soil.
Pruning
Pruning a Neon Pothos should be done with the cutting method. Snip the vine a few inches atop each leaf so that your plant can produce a new vine in that particular spot soon after. Look carefully and snip away any leafless vines since those will take nutrients without giving any back to the plant.
Final Thoughts
That is a full and comprehensive guide on what to know before you bring a Neon Pothos into your home. Keep in mind the environment that the plant needs to live in should be well-drained, in sunlight, with high humidity and average temperature, and you will be fine. Overall, Neon Pothos and its varieties are generally easy to look after. All you have to do is give them the basic houseplant care, and they will be a long-term decorative piece in your home for sure!
Last Updated on March 25, 2022 by admin
