How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Jade Pothos – Complete Guide

Jade Pothos plants (or devil’s ivy) are famous for various reasons. They’re attractive vining species that thrive beautifully indoors; they’re very easy to care for and have been shown to purify the air. Pothos plants are beginner-friendly and ideal for those with brown thumbs. 

There are multiple pothos varieties, and Jade pothos is one you’ll find in many indoor and outdoor gardens. The Jade Pothos is a natural mutation of the original golden pothos and features sturdy stems, particularly dark, thick, and shiny green leaves, and it is super drought resistant. While this cultivar might not have the same foliage variegation as other pothos plants, the Jade Pothos does have lush foliage.

Jade Pothos can adapt to different light conditions, tolerate minor negligence, and look great in hanging baskets and sitting on high shelves.

Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Jade’ 

Common Name: Jade Pothos

Family:  Araceae 

Plant Type:  Perennial, Vine

Hardiness Zones: 10-12 USDA

Sun Exposure:  Full sunlight, Partial Shade 

Soil Type: Moist but well-drained

Soil pH: Acid, Neutral 

Height: 20–40 ft. long

Bloom Time: Spring and Summer

Flower Color: Green

Native Area: South Pacific

What is a Jade Pothos?

Epipremnum aureum ‘Jade’ (commonly known as Jade Pothos) is native to the French Polynesian Islands and has shiny dark green heart-shaped leaves. This pothos plant is a popular indoor vine that fills up any space with its waxy look. This pothos plant is a popular indoor vine that fills up any room with its waxy look and is also an excellent plant to improve air quality.

Like all Pothos plants, Jade Pothos is known for its easy care and durability. Although this plant can tolerate low-light conditions, it happily thrives in bright, well-lighted areas. Jade Pothos are living air purifiers that remove household toxins from the air and make a beautiful and healthy addition to your place.

Quick Guide: Planting, Growing, and Caring for Jade Pothos Plants

Jade Pothos has a forgiving nature. You should be able to grow this tropical plant in most indoor areas, regardless of lighting conditions. You can let your pothos plant climb a trellis or grow along shelves. When left to grow, the plant’s vines reach 40 feet long.

Although this plant is easy to take care of, you can follow some simple tips to keep your Jade Pothos healthy and happy. Here’s a care guide to help you acclimate this plant to your home.

Light

Jade Pothos thrive better when exposed to bright indirect light. You can achieve this by placing your pothos plant near a north-facing window or south-facing window. 

This pothos plant tends to grow towards the direction they’re receiving light. So you can rotate your plant’s container once in a while to ensure it receives light evenly.

Your plant should receive bright indirect light year-round to thrive beautifully. Harsh direct light can scorch its leaves or cause leaf burn, while insufficient light will lead to discolored and small leaves.

Water

Luckily, this tropical vine does not have a high-maintenance watering schedule. The biggest reason this hardy plant goes into decline is due to overwatering. So, keep your Jade Pothos from sitting on soggy soil. If there’s any water left after irrigating your plant, make sure you drain this away. 

Jade Pothos is drought resistant and prefers the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry out completely between watering. If you need help determining when to water your plant, look out for droopy leaves or do the finger-to-soil test. 

Humidity

Like most pothos plants, Jade Pothos can acclimate to standard home humidity levels most of the time. Even though this tropical plant is a high-humidity lover, it can still thrive in low-humidity areas. 

Jade Pothos is perfect for humid rooms like bathrooms and kitchens, even if the room only gets a little light. Jade Pothos are cold-sensitive plants and should be kept away from drafty windows and heating vents. 

Temperature

Jade Pothos plants enjoy warm households between 65ºF and 80ºF. During winter, temperatures ranging from 60ºF are ideal for this plant, but anything lower than 50ºF is a problem.

Ensure that your Jade Pothos is not in a direct line of contact with heating vents or air conditioners, as it doesn’t like hot or cold air.

Soil

These indoor plants do well in most potting soil mix as long as they’re well-drained. However, this plant does not appreciate wet feet, so ensure your soil doesn’t get soggy. Adding peat moss, perlite, or even coco coir can help improve drainage if you have any issues.

Fertilizer

These tropical plants are not heavy feeders, and they can survive without any fertilizer if they’re potted in a good soil mix. But, if you want to promote the perfect growth and its characteristic deep green foliage, you can use a half-strength balanced houseplant fertilizer bi-monthly or an organic fish emulsion.

Pruning

Jade Pothos plants do not demand up when it comes to tidying up. However, if they’re getting too long, you might want to trim the plant’s vines during the active growing season. Removing unhealthy vines or yellow leaves encourages new growth and helps direct energy to the most vigorous vines.

How to Plant and Grow Jade Pothos

How to Propagate Jade Pothos: Dividing and Repotting

While Jade Pothos can’t be grown by seed, if you’d like to add new plants to your collection, make your current plant appear fuller, or gift one to your loved ones, it’s great to know that Jade Pothos (and pothos in general) are easy to propagate from stem cuttings.

1. Select a healthy stem in your plant.
2. Using clean, sharp sears or scissors, take a cutting with at least 2-3 leaves. Cut at a 40º degree angle 1 inch below the bottom leaf.
3. Take the bottom leaf off (leaving at least two leaves on each cutting)
4. Put the stem cutting in a glass of distilled water, ensuring the node is submerged but the leaves lay above the water
5. After a couple of weeks, you’ll notice tiny white roots growing; once these new roots are at least 1-2 inches long, you can transfer your cuttings to potting soil.
6. Place your new plants where they can receive bright and filtered light, and make sure the soil stays moist but not saturated (Avoid using a water softener or tap water to avoid mineral build-up)

Common Pest Problems and Plant Diseases for Jade Pothos

Jade Pothos are low-maintenance tropical houseplants, and while they don’t tend to suffer from any specific problems, it doesn’t mean you can neglect them. Improper care of this pothos plant can lead to issues (usually easily resolved). Here are some issues you should watch out for:

Root Rot

Root rot is caused by inadequate drainage or overwatering. This issue manifests different symptoms but can usually be observed with black spotting on the leaves.

Pests

Pothos plants, in general, are not prone to pests; however, if they’re not in their ideal environment, they can attract pests such as mealybugs or thrips. You can use natural pesticides like horticulture or neem oil to eliminate pests. 

Yellow leaves

Yellow leaves are the main sign of overwatering, but they can also be caused by prolonged direct sun exposure. So you can place your Jade Pothos somewhere where it doesn’t receive direct light or check your pot’s drainage holes.

Other Indoor Plant Guides from Planet Natural:

Types of Pothos: 15 Varieties to Consider Growing Today

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Marble Queen Pothos

11 Best Indoor Plants of 2023 (Easy, Low-Maintenance Plants)