Snow Queen Pothos plants are a beloved choice for indoor plant enthusiasts. They are hardy and low-maintenance, making their care relatively easy. These plants make a stunning addition to any empty indoor space, whether in a planter or a hanging basket and can serve as a striking statement piece.
This pothos plant comes in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Snow Queen is a stunning variety that displays variegated green and white leaves. The Snow Queen Pothos is often confused with Marble Queen Pothos, but it can be distinguished by its colors, which are more white and variegated than the Marble Queen Pothos.
The Snow Queen Pothos’ main benefits are its resilience and adaptability. This plant can tolerate low light conditions, infrequent watering, and minimal fertilizer. It’s an excellent choice for beginners because it requires little effort to grow and maintain.
You can cultivate a beautiful and thriving Snow Queen Pothos with a few helpful tips.
Let’s dive in and explore some of them!
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum’ Snow Queen’
Common Name: Snow queen pothos
Family: Araceae
Plant Type: Vine
Hardiness Zones: 10-11, USDA
Sun Exposure: Partial
Soil Type: Moist but well-draining
Soil pH: Acidic
Height: 6-10 ft. long (indoors)
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Flower Color: Green, white
Native Area: Asia
What’s a Snow Queen Pothos?
The Snow Queen Pothos origin is not exact, but the Epipremnum aureum as a general genus is native to Australia and Southeast Asia’s tropical and subtropical forests. This Pothos variety is believed to result from a hybridized plant or a mutation.
In the wild, pothos plants can be climbing trees or vining along the forest floor. When climbing along tree trunks and branches, pothos plants can also form epiphytic roots that support the tree.
This pothos variety has heart-shaped leaves that are similar to other pothos plants. Snow Queen pothos vines and climbs, so climbing a moss pole or in a hanging basket looks gorgeous.
What makes the Snow Queen Pothos unique is its variegation. Its leaves are generally very light with speckles of green variegation on them.
Snow Queen Pothos Care
The Pothos genus is one of the most common houseplants. They’re easy to take care of, beautiful and inexpensive. Indoor pothos plants are generally easy to care for, but the Snow Queen Pothos requires slightly different attention.
While it can bloom, it’s rare for it to do so indoors.
To learn more about caring for Snow Queen Pothos, keep reading.
Light
While most pothos plants do well in low light conditions, this variegated pothos should have plenty of bright indirect light to keep its unique foliage bright. The plant’s white variegation will fade and turn green without enough light. While sunlight exposure is essential, make sure to keep your Snow Queen away from harsh direct sunlight to avoid leaf burn.
Water
The best care for this tropical plant is to keep them on the dry side. Snow Queen prefers its soil to be almost completely dry in between watering. Do a soil finger test by gently pushing your finger one to two inches deep into the soil, and if it’s dry, it’s time to water.
During winter, let your plant’s soil dry out more between waterings. The plant’s leaves will soften and droop slightly when it’s time to water. Ensure you place your Snow Queen pothos in a pot with enough drainage holes to prevent overwatering.
Humidity
The optimal humidity level for any Pothos plant is 50% to 75%.
Like all pothos varieties, Snow Queen is a tropical plant that thrives in mid-humid conditions. Besides watering, you can mist your plant once every 8 to 10 days (don’t over-mist as it can lead to fungus problems).
If humidity levels in your home are an issue, you can place a small plant humidifier next to your Snow Queen Pothos.
Temperature
Snow Queen Pothos (like all of the pothos varieties) prefer daily indoor temperatures of 85ºF (degrees Fahrenheit) with a low of 65ºF at night.
This pothos variety can tolerate higher temperatures as long as it doesn’t receive harsh direct sunlight.
Soil
The Snow Queen Pothos requires moisture but with well-draining soil.
Standard potting soil compacts easily, which can suffocate your plant’s root over time, so the best way to keep your plant healthy is to create an airy well-draining potting mix.
Mix equal parts (⅓) of perlite or pumice, orchid bark mix, and indoor potting soil to create the perfect soil mix for your Snow Queen Pothos.
Fertilizer
Many plant experts suggest that pothos plants, in general, do not need any additional fertilizer to grow; that’s why they’re the perfect houseplant for those with a brown thumb or for people who don’t have a lot of free time to manage houseplants.
However, you can apply a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month during the active growing season in spring and summer for added vibrance.
Pruning
Pruning is not an essential part of keeping this plant healthy, but it can help you control the shape and size of this mature plant.
Plus – you can repurpose stem cuttings for propagation.
Pruning should be done during the active season (spring and early summer) using clean, sharp pruning shears or scissors. Remember that the new growth will grow from the cut’s closest node (s), which may help you decide where to prune.
Snow Queen Flowering
A flowering Snow Queen Pothos is rare, especially if you’re growing your plant indoors. This tropical plant needs a little manipulation so it can flower. Horticulturists achieve this “phenomenon” by spraying the plant’s leaves and stem with gibberellic acid, a specific hormone that helps the plant flower.
Blooming usually occurs during the active growing season in spring and summer.
Once this plant flowering occurs, the produced blooms will have a cream spathe appearance with purple around the spadix. Because this is a rare occurrence, many people are unfamiliar with the look of this plant’s flower.
Snow Queen Pothos Propagation
Snow Queen Pothos are very easy to propagate. Like most pothos plants, this plant’s propagation is done with stem cuttings.
Follow these simple steps to propagate your own tropical Snow Queen Pothos.
- Using a pair of clean and sharp pruning shears or scissors, take a stem cutting, making sure that every cutting has at least three to four nodes (small bumps in the stem where aerial roots grow)
- Remove any leaves from the bottom two nodes on the stem. There should be at least one leaf left at the cutting’s top.
- Submerge the cutting’s bottom in the water while leaving the leaves above the water.
- Move your cuttings where they can receive bright indirect light, and change the water once a week.
- After 15 to 20 days, tiny white roots should grow from the submerged nodes.
- Once these tiny roots are at least one inch long, move the cutting into the soil by preparing a small pat with a well-draining pot mixture.
- Plant the cutting (s) in the soil and water thoroughly, and allow the excess water to drain from the pot’s bottom drainage holes.
- Place the newly planted cuttings in a bright area that receives indirect light.
- Keep the plant’s soil evenly moist for the first 10 to 15 days to allow the new roots to acclimate, and then resume a regular watering schedule.
Snow Queen Pothos Common Problems
The Snow Queen Pothos is a low-maintenance plant that is usually problem-free. However, this tropical plant is no different from other houseplants regarding pests and other problems.
Watch for any of these common problems and how to troubleshoot them:
Common pests
Snow Queen Pothos plants are prone to thrips and mealy bugs. To solve this problem, you can wipe the plant’s leaves with diluted neem oil or spray them with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap and water mix.
Diseases
Even though the Snow Queen Pothos is generally problem-free, it doesn’t mean they are immune to certain diseases. Since this plant is drought-tolerant, excess moisturization is usually a significant issue that can lead to root rot and fungal infections.
If such conditions are not treated, they could lead to your plant’s death.
To prevent diseases, you can use a sterilized soil mix that kills possible existing pathogens in the soil.
When pruning, you can also use disinfected tools, especially scissors and shears. And most importantly, make sure your plant is not sitting in soggy soil.
Root rot
Overwatering this plant will make its roots prone to fungal pathogens.
The best way to prevent this is by planting your Snow Queen in well-drained soil and having a proper watering schedule.
It’s hard to revert root rot, but you might reverse it by letting your soil dry out completely and repotting your plant into a proper soil mix.
Yellow leaves
Yellow leaves might be a result of different things.
Old leaves turn yellow and fall off; however, if you notice numerous leaves, especially new leaves turning yellow, it might be a lack of sunlight, underwatering, or root rot.
Evaluate your plant’s living conditions to determine what’s causing this problem.
Browning Leaves
Brown and crispy leaves are usually a sign of a lack of moisture.
This might be caused by underwatering or the absence of air humidity.
Sadly, you can’t reverse browning, but you can adjust the moisture provided to your Snow Queen Pothos to prevent further damage.
Curling leaves
Curling leaves are caused by underwatering.
The good news is that this problem can be solved quickly.
Water your plant thoroughly, and your plants should perk back up.
Losing variegation
This problem is usually a result of a need for more light.
Ensure your Snow Queen Pothos receives enough bright indirect sunlight daily to keep its beautiful white variegation healthy.
Dust
Houseplants lack air movement and natural wind, so they accumulate dust.
It’s essential to wipe your plants regularly so they can photosynthesize properly. Proper photosynthesis is crucial to this Pothos plant because it lacks chlorophyll pigmentation in the white portions of the leaves.
To remove dust properly, use a diluted neem oil solution or water on a soft towel and wipe down each leaf every 2 to 4 months.
Snow Queen Pothos Toxicity
Like all pothos plants, Snow Queen Pothos is toxic for both humans and pets, so make sure you get your Snow Queen pothos (or any pothos) out of reach from your four-legged friends and your little ones. Consuming this variegated plant can lead to serious health troubles, especially for pets.
Both adults and children are susceptible to pothos’ toxicity. Pothos plants contain large amounts of calcium oxalates, small compounds that resemble tiny sharp crystals and could be an irritant.
For Humans
If you have sensitive skin, Snow Queen pothos can cause dermal problems.
Its consumption can lead to an allergic reaction, gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, vomiting, and swelling around the mouth, tongue, and throat.
For Pets
While it has the same toxicity principle, pets are more susceptible to Snow Queen Pothos toxicity.
This plant’s calcium oxalates can cause irritation and burning sensation around the mouth, drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and lack of appetite
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
How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Jade Pothos – Complete Guide
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