Are Pothos and Golden Pothos the Same Plant? A Breakdown of the Differences
People can look alike, and so can plants, especially when it comes to greenery. In the flower market, green plants are 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 as quickly as possible? What obvious differences does each have?
Pothos and Golden Pothos look similar because they are plants in different genera of the Araceae family. If you distinguish them by their appearance, Pothos leaves feel waxy and thick to the touch, are green with a darker ink-green tone, and feel relatively soft. By contrast, Golden Pothos leaves have a pattern woven from three colors - white, green and tender yellow - and the leaf color is not deep ink-green but a light jade green.
Besides the appearance differences, the two also differ in plant safety. Among them, Pothos is praised as a plant that can purify the air and is basically harmless to both children and pets. Golden Pothos, on the other hand, is a "nemesis" for cats. If a cat accidentally touches Golden Pothos leaves with its mouth, it will newly irritate the cat's oral mucosa, which then leads to inflammation and pain. If a cat swallows too much, it may cause kidney and neurological diseases, which is truly a headache.
In addition, after telling Pothos and Golden Pothos apart, their care methods also differ slightly. In terms of daily light, Pothos is more shade-tolerant and can grow in a relatively shaded environment, whereas 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 more often, while Pothos can be grown well whether moist or on the slightly dry side. As for fertilizing, Golden Pothos is a "big eater" during the growing season, and it is suggested 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 do not have 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 kitten at home, you need to be careful.