Satin pothos
Also called Silver vine, Silver philodendron, Satin vine.
| Light | medium light |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 9 days in the growing season, every 16 in winter |
| Pets | Cats toxic, dogs toxic |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants list.
Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. Listed as toxic to cats and dogs. Like its relatives in the arum family it carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that burn the mouth when chewed. Keep it where an animal that eats houseplants cannot reach it, and speak to a vet if one does. In South Africa telephone the Poison Information Helpline on 0861 555 777; in the US, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.
The satin pothos climbs trees through south east Asia, and its leaves are the reason to grow it: matt, slightly puckered, and marked with silver in a way that catches light rather than reflecting it. It is not a pothos, and it is not a philodendron, though it is sold as both. Grown as a trailer it stays small leaved and neat; given a moss pole to climb it makes noticeably larger leaves as it goes, the same trick its relatives use. It asks for less water than most trailing plants because the leaves are thick, and it fades to plain green in a dark corner. Like the rest of the arum family it carries irritant crystals and is on the ASPCA list as toxic to cats and dogs, which matters for a plant that hangs at a cat’s eye level.
Ailments observed
| White or yellow markings fading to plain green | Too little light, which fades the silver spotting. Move it to medium indirect light near a window, out of direct sun. |
|---|---|
| Yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant | Overwatering. Let the top half of the compost dry between waterings and check the pot drains. |
| Brown crisp edges on the leaves | Dry air or a pot that dried out completely. Water more evenly and move it away from radiators. |
Questions from the margin
Is satin pothos the same as a pothos?
No, although both are climbers in the arum family and both are grown the same way. This is Scindapsus, with matt leaves marked in silver, and the true pothos is Epipremnum, with waxy leaves flecked in gold. Neither is a philodendron, whatever the label says.
Filed underPlants for a bedroom, Plants that forgive a beginner
Neighbouring entries
Pothos
Epipremnum aureumPothos care made simple, with a seasonal watering interval, the light it really needs to keep its variegation, and quick fixes for yellow or limp leaves.
Heartleaf philodendron
Philodendron hederaceumHeartleaf philodendron care for a shelf or a pole, with how often to water, why the stems go leggy, and how to root a cutting in a week or two.
Arrowhead vine
Syngonium podophyllumArrowhead vine care for a shelf or a pole, with the light that keeps the markings and the pinching that stops it going stringy.