the pothos, a climber that grows at high speed

The pothos is a climber easy to maintain and multiply, and in addition it grows very quickly. Adopt a pothos with advice from Roland Motte, our gardener.

If you don’t have a green thumb and if you like indoor plants, here is a plant that is made for you, it’s pothos. And it’s Roland Motte, the gardener of France Bleu Sud Lorraine and France Bleu Besançon, who explains how to take care of it.

What is Pothos?

It is called pothos or rhaphidophora. Its Latin name is Scindapsus aureus, scindapsus comes from the Greek and it means “like ivy”. It is true that it climbs. For us, we use it in the house as an indoor climbing vine. The pothos is part of the Araceae family like the philodendron. It has the advantage of being easy to grow and growing at high speed.

It clings along supports with aerial roots. Often it is sold with a stake to help it climb. Be careful. Its aerial roots are able to cling to the walls of the room and damage the coating. But without support, it is also a very pretty hanging plant.

How to maintain the pothos?

On the maintenance side, we are quite quiet. It has the same needs as a houseplant. Place the plant as close as possible to the light in front of the window. Water every week in summer, and every 15 days in winter. It will depend on the temperature. Simply let the soil dry out between two waterings. Add a little fertilizer in the spring and consider repotting about every three years.

The leaves are heart-shaped and very often variegated. Occasionally they may turn yellow or dry at the ends. This is often due to a lack of light or a lack of vaporization. It can also thin out at the base. This is normal because it grows so fast.

Make pothos cuttings

And as it grows very, very quickly, it will be necessary to prune it from time to time and you can take advantage of it to make cuttings. During pruning, cut off a shoot at the end with a leaf. Put the cut stem in water or directly in the ground. The stalk must not dehydrate. Plant the cutting in a pot filled with a mixture of soil for seedlings and cuttings. And then place the pot in front of the window and water regularly.

And if you have too many pothos cuttings, you can give some to your friends!!

Find Roland Motte on France Bleu Lorraine and France Bleu Besançon and on his website www.rolandmotte.fr.