In Praise of Pothos

How can you not love a plant that survives when the soil is super wet or when it’s dry as a bone?  That flirtatiously twines around and down.  That comes in variegations of Green with White or Green with Silver or Green with Yellow  Yep, ya just gotta love that old standby- Pothos.  As hanging basket, tabletop accent, under plantings or as multiples in a TOPsider atop partitions or credenza, pothos is the perfect office plant.  It’s a fast grower and since it usually is available in smaller sizes (6”, 8”, and 10”), it can be started from cuttings and ready for market in just weeks instead of months or years.

 The Perfect Office Plant

Pothos love fluorescent light under which it produces short internodal spaces.  When kept pinched back pothos gives a lush, full appearance.  Pruning is a snap and the plant can tough out extensions of watering intervals especially when using capmat in a TOPsider (2 weeks between waterings).   And, since office settings rely on flourescent lighting, pothos thrive.  Just think, instead of having to coax each precious leaflet, ’scapers often have to get out the old scissors and give them a haircut.  This procedure is most often followed (to the delight of office employees) with the "Giving Out of the Pothos Vines".  Just think.  Out "there" millions and millions of pothos cuttings are happily living in a glass on kitchen windowsills.  All from the Office Pothos.  So, not only are they a plant, but they are Ambassadors of Horticulture.

But Wait, There’s More

Pothos are sort of like the "duct tape" or WD-40 of the Plant World.  They can be used for a number of things, you just have to put on your creativity thinking cap.  Pothos-in TOPsiders,  the perfect plant in the perfect planter. Pothos-vines that cascade down over planters edge acting as a visual green waterfall.   Pothos mixed with blooming, pothos alone with the various variegations keyed to decorative container color.  What other plant does so much?  Fills so many design niches?  Only Pothos-the Queen of the Rainforest and the Interiorscaper’s Best Friend.

Share Your Story

We’d love to know how you’ve used Pothos.  Feel free to post a blog.

Now go out there and get‘em Tiger.