12 Types Of Pothos House Plants

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a popular species of tropical vine plants, distinguished by their glossy, heart shaped leaves and long, trailing stems. They are typically one of the first houseplants that novice plant parents own, and for good reason. These indoor plants are incredibly easy to grow, require minimal care, and are very versatile. For example, you can grow pothos up a moss pole, in a hanging pot and the leaves will drape downwards, or horizontally across windowsills, mantles, and tables.

Pothos plants have numerous scientific and common names, so classifying specific varieties is usually done by examining the type of variegation on their leathery leaves. The term ‘pothos’ is often used loosely, but it generally is used to describe the plants in the Epipremnum genus, and specifically the aureum species. Although there is only one species of pothos, horticulturists have produced several stunning varieties and cultivars, but no Pothos hybrids.

All Pothos varieties share some traits, but each are unique in their own way. That said, let’s take a look at some of the top varieties of Pothos, along with tips and tricks for caring for your Pothos plant – regardless of the type.

While they may be lacking blooms, this tropical vine comes in an assortment of foliage colors and patterns to satisfy a wide variety of decors and personal tastes. The most common varieties of Pothos include the Golden pothos, marble queen pothos, neon pothos, and pearl and jade pothos. What distinguishes each type from the next is the leaf variegation. While some plants have dark leaves, others have green and white leaves or bright lemon lime-colored leaves.

With that said, let’s take a deeper look at some of the various types of Pothos to consider adding to your houseplant collection.

Also called Devil’s Ivy, Golden pothos is arguably the most common type of this popular vining houseplant. In fact, the phrase “golden pothos” is often used as a universal name for the entire species. Though this plant is called golden, the majority of it is a bright green. More specifically, Golden pothos features heart-shaped emerald green leaves with speckles of cream yellow scattered throughout.

Native to French Polynesia, in the wild it is often found as ground cover or growing vertically up trees. In addition to being very popular, Golden pothos is one of the most vigorous and probably the easiest to grow off all the varieties out there. It’s easy to find and has a very stable leaf color, meaning it is suitable for many different types of environments – lighting conditions particularly.

Another popular type of pothos, marble queen pothos is one of the earliest cultivars of the plant. It has a very distinct appearance compare to golden pothos, with marble-like patches of white and green on the leaves. In some cases, the two colors are about 50-50, or some plants and leaves may have more green or more white.

Marble queen pothos is a highly variegated type of pothos and since there is less chlorophyll in each leaf, it grows much slower than other varieties. To influence their growth, you may want to place a marble queen pothos closer to a windowsill or other light source. In general, you’ll want to avoid locations that are too dark to prevent poor growth.

Of all the pothos varieties, neon pothos has the most perfect heart-shaped leaves. Though, this is not where it gets its name. Rather, neon pothos receives its name from the shiny, almost neon green color of the leaves. In fact, the color of this pothos is the brightest green you’ll see in all types of pothos.

The younger, budding leaves of the neon pothos are typically brighter in color, while the older, mature leaves have a deep neon tinge. If you want to take advantage of your neon pothos’ signature remarkable neon color, make sure you place the plant in bright light. In dim or low light conditions, the leaves will remain dull and darker in color.

Originally created by the University of Florida, Manjula Pothos is a patented type of pothos. Because of the patent, you cannot reproduce this plant. What distinguishes this pothos from others is the heart-shaped leaves with curvy edges that do not lay flat. The leaves also feature striking variegated colors with hues of white, green, silver, and cream.

These colors can occur in different patterns, and even with some overlapping. The leaves of a Manjula pothos will all differ from each other; while some may have large green patches, others will be heavily freckled with other colors. Additionally, the variegation on Manjula leaves is not clear cut, meaning you can also expect dabs of green on the white areas as well.

Another patented type of Pothos that was created by the University of Florida, Pearls and Jade Pothos is one of the most elegant houseplants you can buy. It features green leaves that are variegated with white and silver-gray hues. Unlike most other pothos with variegation, the variegation on the leaves of Pearls and Jade Pothos appears on the edges instead of in the center.

In general, there aren’t many areas of color on each leaf – typically a green section in the center and a white area around it, with potentially some small green lines at some areas on the edges. The whiter areas of the leaves are usually clouded with green and silver-gray tones. Overall, Pearls and Jade Pothos tends to have leaves that are smaller than other types and they also grow slower as well.

Similar to Marble Queen, each leaf on Jessenia pothos appears differently than the others. This plant features green heart shaped leaves that are speckled with greenish-yellow hues. The variegation of the leaves is of two very similar colors of green – a dark emerald and a chartreuse color.

Fortunately, the color of Jessenia pothos is very stable, which makes this plant suitable to different light conditions. Though, because of the lack of chlorophyll, Jessenia pothos tends to grow slower than non-variegated types of pothos. While it may not have a striking look on its own, this type of pothos is more of an “ambience creator” because of its light but verdant appearance.

Satin pothos, also known as silver pothos, features dark green, heart shaped leaves that are speckled with silver. When compared to other types, the foliage of satin pothos is smaller. It has a vine like quality and sparkling look that makes this plant ideal for decorating your indoor jungle.

Unlike other pothos plants, the satin pothos may bloom on occasion. The bloom is very exotic looking, similar to a strange tropical fruit or white pinecone. You usually won’t find this plant at your local garden center or nursery. Instead, the best place to source a Satin or Silver Pothos is online.

Cebu Blue Pothos actually belongs to the species Epipremnum pinnatum, instead of Epipremnum aureum. However, it has become an honorary pothos among gardeners. Instead of the signature heart shaped leaves that pothos are known for, Cebu Blue Pothos have arrow-shaped blue-green foliage.

In fact, they typically have a slight metallic blue shine that sets them apart from other types of pothos. Their glossy appearance is highlighted by the bumps and veins found on the leaves, which also sets them apart from their botanical cousins.

N-Joy pothos is one of the youngest on our list, as one of the most recent cultivars to be bred. It is a type of variegated pothos with clear cut green and white patches, which tend to be larger in size. Depending on the light and age of the leaf, the green will change shades – from pale green to a very dark green.

The variegation typically takes on very intriguing shapes, with some patches appearing like a flame, heart, or butterfly. While N-Joy pothos is a very decorative variety, it is typically more difficult to find. Being relatively new, this plant is expected to gain popularity in the coming years.