There are many good reasons why a lot of homeowners choose pothos as their favorite houseplant. The evergreen shrub is pretty, highly versatile, and very easy to care for.
In addition to all these reasons, pothos come in tons of varieties, such as the variegated neon pothos. If you’re planning to grow this beautiful variety in your house, you’re in for a treat!
In today’s article, we’ll provide you with a brief guide that walks you through everything you need to know about this lovely plant. Let’s dive right in!
What Are Variegated Neon Pothos?
The variegated neon pothos is one of the most brilliant and impressive cultivars of the standard neon pothos.
The plant is known scientifically as “Epipremnum aureum”, which is a flowering plant that belongs to the Araceae family.
Pothos, in general, are originally from the Society Islands of French Polynesia but have been grown in various parts around the world nowadays due to their vast popularity.
Many varieties and cultivars of the plant have been developed through time, including the standard and the variegated neon pothos.
The most outstanding feature of variegated neon pothos is that it has heart-shaped leaves with a remarkably vibrant lime-green and bright yellow coloring.
The plant is mostly grown indoors and is capable of producing white flowers with a spike and spathe, but this rarely happens indoors.
The neon pothos is pretty hardy and easy to care for and mostly used as a hanging plant indoors thanks to its beautiful leaves rather than the flowers.
Regular Neon Pothos vs. Variegated Neon Pothos
Both regular and neon pothos are extremely similar in just about every aspect. The primary difference is that regular neon pothos are golden yellow or bright chartreuse without any variegation.
Despite being golden yellow, this plant shouldn’t be confused with “golden pothos”, which is a different variety of the plant.
On the other hand, variegated neon pothos are mostly bright yellow in color but will also have streaks of bright lime-green.
Apart from extra sunlight, the two plants are almost identical when it comes to favorable conditions and requirements to grow.
Where Should You Keep a Variegated Neon Pothos?
Variegated neon pothos can grow well in a variety of spots around the house and have an astonishingly beautiful look, so it’s an ideal decorative plant in rooms with plenty of indirect light.
This makes the shaded corner in all rooms, including bathrooms and kitchen, ideal for the plant.
Since the plant needs ample light to stay brightly colored, you should keep it in rooms with plenty of artificial light at night as well, so it doesn’t work well with offices that don’t operate at night.
Is Variegated Neon Pothos Toxic?
Similar to all other pothos and plants that belong to the Araceae family, the variegated neon pothos is considered toxic to humans as well as pets.
The reason behind the toxicity is that the plant produces calcium oxalate crystals that can cause serious irritation to human and animal organs.
If you have small children or pets, you should limit their access to the room where you plant pothos, as they’ll experience tongue swelling and heavy salivation as well as vomiting in the case of ingesting the plant.
How to Propagate Variegated Neon Pothos
You can easily propagate variegated neon pothos using the stem cutting method. To do that, you need to do the following:
- Using a clean sharp knife, cut about 5 to 6 inches of the stem so that you cut beneath a growing node.
- Remove the leaves that surround the node and place them in a jar filled with some water. Make sure that intact leaves aren’t inside the water.
- Allow the node to grow, which should develop into a node in a matter of a few weeks.
- Once the pothos produces a root, plant in a pot filled with a fresh potting mix or in its original pot for a denser look.
How to Repot and Transfer Variegated Neon Pothos
You’ll need to replace the pot of the variegated neon pothos once every 2 to 3 years or if you’ve overwatered the plant.
Luckily, the process is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require special steps. Simply scoop out the root ball from the pot and remove extra dirt on it.
After trimming any decaying or rotting ends, re-pot the plant in a relatively larger pot that is half-filled with potting mix and a bottom layer of gravel.
After repotting, top up the roots of the plant with soil mix so that it’s compact but still well aerated.
How Big Can a Variegated Neon Pothos Grow?
Variegated neon pothos grow significantly faster than most other vine plants, especially when the plant is left in a favorable environment with plenty of light and suitable temperatures.
For a Variegated neon pothos that grows indoors, the plant may take several years before it’s fully mature and may never bloom.
However, it grows anywhere between 5 to 10 ft when grown indoors, depending on the environment and nutrition.
How to Care for Variegated Neon Pothos
Now that you know more about the plant, it’s time for a brief care guide to help you maintain the plant. Let’s have a quick look at the favorable condition at which the variegated neon pothos grow.
Soil and Nutrition
Variegated neon pothos need a well-drained and decently aerated potting mix that is fairly rich in nutrients.
A typical neon pothos soil will contain equal parts of standard houseplant soil as well as peat moss and perlite.
For better drainage, it’s recommended that you lay the bottom of the pot with a layer of gravel then another layer of 50% gravel and 50% soil.
Avoid using compacted soil that doesn’t drain well at all costs because the plant will quickly die of root rot in such conditions.
Keep in mind that you can keep stem cuttings with nodes in clean water and the plant will continue growing.
Lighting
The lighting is somewhat the only condition where variegated neon pothos stands out from the regular neon pothos.
Ideally, the variegated cultivar needs more light than regular ones and will give off a more vibrant color when exposed to more light, which is why some growers recommend using artificial light to further nourish the plant at low light conditions.
The best spot to leave the plant in is in plenty of indirect sunlight to avoid scorching the leaves. Keep in mind that the less light the plant gets every day, the darker its leaves will be.
Water and Humidity
Pothos are fairly sensitive to water, and they can withstand being underwatered better than overwatered.
You should never stick to a specific schedule while watering the variegated neon pothos because factors will also affect the moisture level of the soil.
Instead, you should always check the soil and make sure that the top 1 or 2 inches are dry before rewatering the plant.
Since the plant originated in a relatively humid area, it prefers a relatively higher humidity. However, houseplant pothos can also tolerate relatively lower humidity just fine.
For optimal growth in very low humidity, you can monitor the plant with a hygrometer and use a humidifier.
Temperature
Similar to regular neon pothos, the variegated cultivar also prefers relatively warmer temperatures that range between 65 °F and 85 °F (about 18 °C and 29 °C respectively).
Avoid letting the temperature of the room go below this range because in colder temperatures the brightly colored leaves will darken and curl significantly.
Moreover, avoid sudden fluctuation of temperature, so it shouldn’t be in the path of an AC’s draft or the direct heat of a radiator. Similar to humidity, you can check it with a room temperature thermometer.
What Are the Most Common Pests and Diseases that Affect Variegated Neon Pothos?
Neon Pothos, including the variegated and standard cultivars, are also similar when it comes to general health and the ability to withstand common pests and diseases.
In this section, we’ll walk you through the most popular diseases and infections that can affect the health of this plant:
Common Variegated Neon Pothos Diseases
Similar to most other pothos, the variegated neon variety is quite resistant to a variety of diseases and conditions that can compromise the health of the plant.
However, root rot remains one of the most common diseases that the plant is prone to due to how sensitive it is towards overwatering.
If the plant is left in soggy or excessively damp soil for a long time, the roots will start to darken and become slimy, which leads to fungal infections with droopy stems and decayed leaves and roots. This condition is fatal to the plant if left untreated.
Common Variegated Neon Pothos Pests
Neon pothos are rarely affected by common household pests. However, if you don’t remove dead leaves from around the plant, it can attract some pests, such as mealybugs, spider mites, and scales.
Luckily, you can get rid of these tiny critters by spraying the plant with natural repellent essential oils, such as lavender and neem oils, especially when diluted in warm water with a few drops of dish soap.
Final Thoughts
This wraps it up for today’s guide with everything you need to know about variegated neon pothos.
While these aesthetically pleasing plants are unique, they’re pretty easy to care for and will tolerate harsh conditions with relative ease!