Are Pothos and Golden Pothos the Same Plant? A Breakdown of the Differences
People can look alike, and so can plants, especially greenery. In the flower market, greenery is everywhere you look, and the two best-selling ones are Golden Pothos and Pothos. These two look similar in appearance, both being evergreen foliage plants. For beginner plant lovers, how can you tell them apart fastest? What obvious differences does each have?
Pothos and Golden Pothos look similar because they belong to different genera within the Araceae family. Judging by their outward appearance, Pothos leaves feel waxy and thick to the touch, are green with a hint of dark green, and feel relatively soft. By contrast, Golden Pothos leaves have a texture of interwoven white, green and pale yellow variegated stripes, and the leaf color is not deep dark green but rather light jade green.
Beyond appearance, the two also differ in plant safety. Pothos is hailed as a plant that can purify the air, and it is basically harmless to both children and pets. Golden Pothos, on the other hand, is a cat's "nemesis": if a cat accidentally mouths a Golden Pothos leaf, it will irritate its oral mucosa, leading to inflammation and pain. If a cat swallows too much, it may lead to kidney and neurological disease, which is truly a headache.
In addition, once you have distinguished Pothos from Golden Pothos, their care methods also differ slightly. In terms of daily light, Pothos is more shade-tolerant and can grow in relatively shaded environments, whereas by comparison Golden Pothos needs sufficient light to grow well. In terms of watering, Pothos can be adjusted more flexibly than Golden Pothos; Golden Pothos soil needs to be kept moist, while Pothos can be grown well whether the soil is moist or on the slightly dry side. As for fertilizing, Golden Pothos is a "big eater" during its growing season, and it is recommended to apply dilute liquid fertilizer 2 times per month, while Pothos only needs a balanced fertilizer about once every 2 weeks, which is enough.
In short, comparing the two plants, although Pothos leaves lack the fancy dark patterns, it is better than Golden Pothos in both care and safety. Golden Pothos is more ornamental than Pothos, but if you have a cat at home, you need to be careful.