Pearl and jade pothos leaves are variegated, with cream, white, and grey streaks. Traditionally, they are shown as hanging baskets or little potted plants.
This kind of pothos is regarded as an easy-to-grow houseplant that would look great in your indoor garden. Everything you need to know about the Jade and Pearl Pothos is provided here.
Pearls and Jade Pothos Overview
| Common Name | Devil’s ivy, variegated philodendrons |
| Family | Araceae |
| Plant Type | Perennial, evergreen, vine |
| Hardiness Zones | 10a-12a USDA |
| Sun Exposure | Partial indirect sunlight |
| Soil Type | Moist but well-drained |
| Soil pH | Acidic |
| Height | 6 to 10 ft long |
| Bloom Time | Spring and summer |
| Native Area | South Pacific |
Pearls and Jade Pothos Care
These multi-coloured plants are renowned for their easy maintenance and moderate growth. The following are the primary maintenance needs for a jade pothos and pearls plant:
- Plant in well-draining, rich, and open soil.
- Place in an area that receives many hours each day of indirect, bright light. Unlike other pothos kinds, like the golden or jade pothos, pearls, and jade pothos cannot withstand low light levels.
- Depending on the time of year, water frequently or whenever the top 1 to 2 inches of soil dries out.
- Give your houseplants a monthly feeding in the spring and summer with a balanced fertilizer.
Light
The variegated foliage of pearls and jade pothos depends on many hours of bright, indirect light each day. Since the papery-thin leaves of these plants are prone to leaf burn, keep them out of direct sunlight.
These pothos thrive best when placed directly in front of north- or east-facing windows or a few feet back from windows facing west or south.
Water
Pearl and jade pothos, like most pothos plants, benefit from frequent irrigation but may tolerate periods of drought if necessary. Watering them should ideally occur after the top inch or two of soil has dried off. The time of year will have a modest impact on how frequently you water.
For instance, you might need to water your pearls and jade pothos once a week in the spring and summer when there are more daylight hours and warmer temperatures, but only once every two weeks in the autumn and winter.
You can tell if your plant is ready for a drink by using a moisture meter or your finger to test the soil’s moisture content before you water it.
Soil
This type of pothos requires soil that drains properly. Therefore, investing in a high-quality potting mix is advised. To extend the life of your potting mix, combine two parts of the mix with two parts perlite to enhance drainage.
Rich, well-draining soil with plenty of air is ideal for growing pearls and jade pothos. Although this plant can thrive in damp environments, it is vulnerable to root rot in rainy soil. In general, pothos plants thrive when fine moss, perlite, coco coir, and other additives like sand are to various houseplant soils.
In addition to purchasing premium indoor potting mix, you can supplement with extra chunky perlite and coco coir. These supplements maintain the health of the plant’s roots and aid in drainage and aeration.
Temperature and Humidity
Tropical plants like jade, pothos, and pearls thrive in warm, somewhat humid environments. Standard home temperature and humidity levels work well for these plants most of the time, but if your home is particularly dry, you might want to provide your plant with some additional humidity to encourage growth.
Make sure that the temperature of your jade pothos and pearls does not drop below fifty degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). Pearls and jade pothos can be grown outdoors year-round in USDA zones 9 through 12, though they are most commonly grown as houseplants.
Fertilizer
Every two weeks, at half strength, from spring through autumn, the pearls and jade pothos gain from a balanced, water-soluble liquid fertilizer. Reduce the amount of fertilizer to once per month during the winter and cold months.
While this plant will benefit from liquid fertilizer, you won’t need to fertilize it as often because jade pothos and pearls are not heavy feeders. Fertilizer needs won’t arise if you use a chuck-full potting mixture.
Pruning
While pruning is not a regular aspect of caring for jade pothos and pearls, you will probably need to do it at some point to regulate the growth of your plant. Another excellent method to encourage bushier, fuller growth in your pothos is to prune them.
Pruning pearls and jade pothos is best done in the spring or summer when the plants are actively growing. Cut off any extra growth with a pair of clean, sharp pruning shears or scissors. To keep the plant from going into shock, don’t remove more than ⅓ of it at a time.
Propagating
Grow new plants or supplement your current collection of pearls and jade pothos by propagating them. Cutting stem cuttings and rooting them in a few simple steps is an easy way to propagate these pothos.
To reproduce pearls and jade pothos, it is ideal to do it in the spring or summer when the plant is actively growing and more likely to bounce back from cuttings.
- Pick off one or more stem cuttings from a healthy pearl or jade pothos plant using a pair of sharp pruning shears or scissors. Three to five nodes should be present on the stem of each cutting.
- To expose the lower nodes along the stem, remove the bottom two to three leaves from each cutting.
- Fill a container with clean water, and then submerge the cuttings in the water so that the top leaves are above the water’s surface and the nodes at the bottom of each cutting are buried.
- Refresh the water once a week, and place the cuttings in an area that receives bright, indirect light. You should see tiny white roots emerging from the cuttings after a few weeks. You can transfer the cuttings from water to soil once the roots reach a length of two to three inches.
- Plant the rooted cuttings in a small pot (or pots) with well-draining soil, making sure to water the plants well after planting. To help the new roots adjust from water to soil, move the cuttings back to an area with bright indirect light and keep the soil consistently moist for the first one to two weeks. When the top one to two inches of soil are dry as usual, after a few weeks, you can start watering your new plant or plants.
Potting and Repotting Pearls and Jade Pothos
When a pearl or jade pothos outgrows its prior potting container, it should be replanted; however, it can withstand being somewhat root-bound.
Typically, depending on growth, this occurs once every one to two years. Steeped growth and roots emerging from the drainage holes are indications that your plant has outgrown its pot.
Select a replacement pot that’s no bigger than its old one by two to four inches. When potting your plant in a new container, make sure to use lots of fresh, well-draining soil and loosen up the root ball a little.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
While not very problematic, a few common houseplant illnesses and pests can cause problems for these pothos.
Look out for pests that can move from houseplant to houseplant quickly, such as thrips, spider mites, and fungus gnats. Additionally, keep an eye out for any indications of root rot, which can be brought on by excessive watering.
Common Problems with Pearls and Jade Pothos
Pearl and jade pothos, like most pothos plants, are well-known for being low-maintenance and trouble-free houseplants. On the other hand, stay alert for the following possible problems, which need to be resolved if you see them:
Brown Leaves
These plants thrive with regular watering; if they are allowed to dry out too much, they may start to produce brown leaves. However, they prefer to be slightly dry between watering and can withstand the odd drought.
Likewise, your plant may start to produce brown, crispy leaves if it is kept in an excessively dry environment or if it is housed in an exceptionally dry area.
Drooping Leaves
While drooping leaves are usually an indication that your plant needs water, they are not always a reason for alarm. Pothos plants typically bounce back after receiving enough water.
Just be careful not to let your plant sit about with drooping leaves for too long, since you don’t want it to start growing brown leaves or having its roots dry up.
Yellow Leaves
When your plant has yellow leaves, it usually means that something is off with the growing environment. Always keep in mind that these variegated pothos prefer to let themselves dry out a little bit in between watering and love several hours of bright, indirect light.
To avoid overwatering your plant, always make sure it is potted in a well-draining soil mixture in a container with drainage holes. Yellow leaves can be a perfectly normal aspect of a leaf’s natural life cycle, but they are also typically a sign that something is amiss.
FAQ
How big can jade pothos with pearls get?
Pearls and jade pothos are little varieties of pothos, smaller than some of their relatives in the Epipremnum genus. Despite this, its tendrils can typically still reach heights of 6 to 10 feet indoors; however, because this pothos grows slowly, this may take some time.
How can I thicken my jade pothos and pearls?
Regular pruning of your pothos is one of the finest ways to promote a thicker, fuller growth habit. Additionally, make sure your jade pothos and pearls receive enough light; these plants will become lanky and slender in low light.
What kind of pathos is the rarest?
The manjula pothos, with its gorgeous creamy yellow-white variegation and medium green foliage, is the hardest to locate pothos. Pearls are easier to locate, while jade pathos requires bright, indirect light, just like Manjula pothos.