Countless houseplant enthusiasts begin their collections with a single Golden Pothos. But the Golden Pothos is just one example of what this family of tropical evergreen vines has to offer!
Because these plants are so diverse — even within a single species — many types of pothos are labeled with a variety or cultivar name. (If you’re new to the world of plant taxonomy, it’s easiest to think of varieties and cultivars like dog breeds!)
Whether you’re learning how to care for your very first pothos or are interested in expanding your collection to include even rarer cultivars, here are 16 must-know pothos varieties to keep on your radar:
1. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
The Golden Pothos is synonymous with pothos plants as a whole. While some people categorize the Golden Pothos as its own variety, it’s more accurately described as the “original” pothos which all other cultivars are born from.
Despite the name, Golden Pothos are more green than anything else. They do, however, have a tinge of yellow in their leaves.
The foliage develops yellow-white variegation when exposed to plenty of light. Golden Pothos grown in low light may have entirely solid, green leaves.
When given free rein, the Golden Pothos can produce vines as long as 40 feet! Rest assured, however, that this growth rate is extremely unlikely in captivity.
2. Neon Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Neon’)
As far as cultivars go, none are as popular as the Neon Pothos. This plant is super easy to identify thanks to its vibrant, yellow-green foliage!
This cultivar has the same leaf shape and overall growth habit as the Golden Pothos but rarely produces vines longer than 10 feet.
Keep in mind that the leaves of the Neon Pothos tend to be brightest when they first emerge. If your Neon Pothos’ mature foliage appears lackluster, however, it’s possible that it isn’t receiving enough sunlight.
The Neon Pothos is one of the easiest cultivars to add to your houseplant collection. Just be sure you’re purchasing Epipremnum aureum ‘Neon’ and not the similar-looking Lemon-Lime Philodendron.
3. Jade Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Jade’)
The Jade Pothos is a natural mutation of the original Golden Pothos. It is commonly sold in garden centers and gift shops and offers a beautiful contrast to any living space.
The hallmark characteristic of this pothos is its dark green foliage. The leaves are very thick and emerge off of equally strong vines.
Jade Pothos are even more tolerant of low light than other varieties, largely thanks to the amount of chlorophyll in their dark foliage! And, unlike other pothos, there’s no fading variegation to worry about.
4. Cebu Blue Pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum ‘Cebu Blue’)
The Cebu Blue Pothos is not a variety of the typical Golden Pothos. Instead, it is one of a handful of pothos classified as a completely different species!
Rest assured, Cebu Blue is still a pothos through and through! The species belongs to the same genus as the Golden Pothos and shares many of its physical traits.
The Cebu Blue Pothos has silvery leaves that are more narrow- than heart-shaped. The vines can grow up to 40 feet long in the wild but rarely exceed 8 feet when kept indoors.
Interestingly, Cebu Blue Pothos kept as houseplants are almost exclusively juvenile specimens. Mature plants develop fenestrations in their leaves similar to a Monstera (this life stage is typically only seen in outdoor pothos).
5. Marble Queen Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen’)
If you’re looking for a houseplant with a bit more intrigue than the standard Golden Pothos, the Marble Queen Pothos is a wonderful option that’s not too difficult to get a hold of.
This cultivar is easily recognized by the extreme variegation covering the entire plant! Its foliage is technically green and white but can appear yellow in many cases.
As with other variegated pothos, this cultivar needs adequate light to maintain its unique appearance. Otherwise, it’s extremely easy to care for!
6. Glacier Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Glacier’)
The Glacier Pothos is one of many cultivars with striking green-and-white variegation on its leaves.
This cultivar is very small compared to most others — you can safely keep a Glacier Pothos as a centerpiece of desktop decor without worrying about a tangled mess of vines!
Getting a positive ID on this cultivar is a bit tricky. You can identify its foliage by white patches that are streaky rather than well-defined plus an overall silvery cast.
Since the Glacier Pothos is relatively rare and easily mistaken for other variegated cultivars, it’s important to only purchase this plant from trusted sellers.
Mislabelling (both accidental and intentional) is quite common when it comes to these pothos!
7. Satin Pothos (Scindapsus pictus)
The Satin Pothos is best identified by its thick, speckled foliage with silvery margins.
You might have noticed that the Latin name for this pothos is a bit different from others we’ve covered. This is because the Satin Pothos is — botanically speaking — not a true pothos.
Even though this plant doesn’t belong to the greater pothos genus, it is still a close relative. (These plants are so similar, in fact, that they were once classified under a singular genus.)
Taxonomy aside, the differences between Satin Pothos and its “authentic” relatives are insignificant to the home gardener. Care and maintenance for the Satin Pothos are identical to that of, say, a Golden Pothos.
8. Global Green Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Global Green’)
This newer cultivar is easy to overlook if you don’t know what makes it unique!
No, the Global Green Pothos is not as striking as a cultivar like Marble Queen. But its green-on-green variegation is surprisingly rare in the world of houseplants.
Most Global Green Pothos featuress
dark green foliage with lighter splotches toward the center of each leaf. As with other variegated varieties, adequate light is crucial to maintaining these splotches.
9. Manjula Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Manjula’)
The Manjula Pothos is a beautiful cultivar that’s sure to draw admiration from fellow houseplant enthusiasts!
Characterized by extremely large, heart-shaped leaves and bold variegation, this cultivar is patented by the University of Florida.
Manjula Pothos foliage can have super varied levels of variegation. The leaves often have specks of different colors in light patches.
While rare, the Manjula Pothos is still accessible to pretty much anyone who’d like to try their hands at it. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to visit a specialty retailer — finding this cultivar at your local garden center is unlikely!
10. Moonlight Pothos (Scindapsus treubii ‘Moonlight’)
Another fascinating member of the Scindapsus genus that is often marketed as a pothos is the Moonlight Pothos.
The leaves of this houseplant are incredibly thick and almost fleshy. Most are dark green with a silvery cast over each lobe.
Small Moonlight Pothos specimens tend to have an upright shape. However, the vines will eventually trail over the container’s edge unless given something to climb.
Keep your Moonlight Pothos somewhere with moderate light and warm air. This cultivar enjoys moisture but should never be left in soggy soil.
11. Platinum Satin Pothos (Scindapsus pictus ‘Platinum’)
The Platinum Satin Pothos is a beautiful cultivar of Scindapsus pictus. Like other Satin Pothos, this plant is only distantly related to “true” pothos but boasts nearly identical physical traits.
The thick, heart-shaped leaves of this cultivar feature extremely large patches of silver that dwarf the jade green background. Some specimens have entirely silver leaves.
If you get your hands on this rare houseplant — it’s sometimes sold as a Silver Hero Pothos or Scindapsus — keep in mind that sunlight can play a large role in how much variegation comes out in the leaves.
12. Pearls and Jade Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Pearls and Jade’)
Speaking of the University of Florida, the Pearls and Jade Pothos is another cultivar developed and patented by its horticultural team!
This cultivar is derived from the Marble Queen Pothos. However, the two share very little in terms of appearance.
The Pearls and Jade Pothos tends to have jade-colored leaves with large patches of white. It’s very common for the white patches to be speckled with green, yellow, and silver flecks.
Note that this cultivar is a slow-grower and needs more sunlight than most other pothos types.
13. N’Joy Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘N’Joy’)
The N’Joy Pothos is a very popular cultivar also created from the Marble Queen Pothos. It’s often mistaken for rarer variegated varieties but is beautiful in its own right.
The easiest cultivar you could mistake the N’Joy Pothos for is Pearls and Jade.
To tell the difference between these two plants, look for specks of color in leaves’ white patches. The N’Joy Pothos will not have any specks.
14. Jessenia Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Jessenia’)
The Jessenia Pothos is a relatively slow-growing cultivar that first appeared as a sport (or mutation) of the Marble Queen Pothos.
You can identify this cultivar by its leaves with green-on-green variegation. Most specimens feature even distributions of light and dark green foliage, creating a marbled or splattered appearance.
Since the shining trait of the Jessenia Pothos is its variegation, be sure to select a location that receives bright, indirect sunlight!
15. Silvery Ann Pothos (Scindapsus pictus ‘Silvery Ann’)
The Silvery Ann Pothos is a cultivar of the Satin Pothos with uniquely variegated leaves. Silvery Ann Pothos foliage can be up to 80% white or silver.
Interestingly, variegation often favors the tip of the leaf. The end result is a leaf that looks as if it was dipped in silver paint.
The Silvery Ann Pothos is more compact than other relatives of the Satin Pothos. Most vines reach no more than 6 feet in length.
16. Harlequin Pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Harlequin’)
One of the rarest pothos plants in existence is the elusive Harlequin cultivar. This cultivar is closely related to the Manjula Pothos — they are often mistaken for each other.
With adequate sunlight, the Harlequin Pothos can produce almost entirely white foliage. This cultivar often requires much brighter light than other pothos in order to photosynthesize properly.
Purchasing a Harlequin Pothos can be difficult for a couple of reasons. First is the scarcity of this cultivar. Second, unfortunately, is the tendency for retailers to mislabel Manjula Pothos as it’s rarer (and more expensive!) look-alike.