How To Care For Plants

How to care for a Neon pothos

Epipremnum aureum 'Neon'

Care facts verified
Neon pothos (Epipremnum aureum 'Neon') with a mass of glossy, uniformly chartreuse-lime heart-shaped leaves
Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, KenraizCC BY-SA 4.0source

Neon pothos is an all-over chartreuse cultivar of the ordinary pothos, electric-lime when grown bright and muddy-green when grown dark — so light is what makes or breaks its colour. Keep it in bright indirect light, let the top couple of centimetres of compost dry before each drink, and use any well-draining mix. Standing water rots its roots; a dim corner dulls the glow. Toxic to cats and dogs.

Care at a glance

Light
Bright indirect light for the electric glowThe chartreuse colour is brightest in strong indirect light; in shade the leaves turn a dull, deeper green, and harsh direct sun bleaches and scorches them.
Water
When the top 2 cm of compost is dryAbout weekly in summer and every couple of weeks in winter; the soft leaves flag a little when thirsty and recover quickly once watered.
Soil
Any well-draining potting compostA standard peat-free mix with a handful of perlite or bark for aeration is all it needs.
Humidity
Comfortable in normal indoor airIt tolerates dry rooms well, though a slightly more humid spot gives marginally larger leaves.
Temperature
Room warmth, 16–29 °C (61–85 °F)Keep it above 12 °C (54 °F); like all pothos it sulks and pauses in the cold.
Difficulty
EasyOne of the most beginner-proof trailers there is — just resist the urge to keep the soil constantly wet.
Pets
Toxic to petsToxic to cats and dogs — being Epipremnum aureum it contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and cause drooling and vomiting if eaten (ASPCA).

Where it comes from

Native rangeA chartreuse cultivar of Epipremnum aureum, whose wild form is native to the Solomon Islands in the western Pacific

Propagation

Neon pothos roots as obligingly as any pothos. Snip a vine segment so each piece carries a node or two, remove the bottom leaf to expose that node, and sit the cuttings upright in a jar of water on a bright sill. Pale roots push out within a fortnight; once they reach a few centimetres, settle the rooted pieces into the donor pot to build a dense, glowing mound of lime foliage.

Cuttings can go straight into damp compost instead of water and will take just as readily, skipping the transplant shock. Keep new cuttings in bright light from the start so the fresh growth comes in vivid chartreuse rather than the duller green that low light produces.

Common problems

  • Leaves a dull, dark green instead of bright lime

    Likely cause: Too little light — Neon's signature glow only develops in bright conditions and fades toward ordinary green in shade.

    Fix: Move it to a brighter indirect spot; existing leaves stay as they are, but the new growth comes in with the proper chartreuse colour.

  • Long bare vines with leaves only at the tips

    Likely cause: Legginess from low light, with the stems stretching and the leaves spacing far apart as the plant reaches for a window.

    Fix: Brighten its position, then cut the stretched vines back hard; new shoots break from the remaining nodes and the prunings root easily to refill the gaps.

  • Mushy, yellowing leaves and a sour-smelling pot

    Likely cause: Overwatering and root rot from compost kept constantly wet, especially over winter.

    Fix: Let the mix dry well before the next water, check the pot drains freely, and repot away soft, blackened roots if rot has set in.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my Neon pothos losing its bright colour?

Low light is the cause. The vivid chartreuse only develops in bright indirect light, and in a dim spot the leaves come in a duller, deeper green. Move it somewhere brighter and the new growth will return to the electric-lime colour, though existing leaves stay as they are.

Do Neon pothos leaves get darker as they age?

Yes, a little. New Neon leaves are the brightest, almost yellow-green, and they often deepen to a richer lime as they mature. A dramatic drop to dull dark green, though, signals too little light rather than normal ageing.

What is the difference between Neon pothos and golden pothos?

Both are cultivars of Epipremnum aureum. Golden pothos has green leaves marked with yellow, while Neon is a solid, uniform chartreuse with no variegation at all. Their care is identical, but Neon's signature glow depends heavily on getting enough bright light.

Is Neon pothos safe around cats and dogs?

No. Like all pothos it is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats and dogs, containing insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that cause oral pain, drooling and vomiting if chewed. Hang it or place it where pets cannot reach the trailing stems.

Sources

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