Pothos are a very popular houseplant and are known to be quite indestructible. But as with any plant in your home, especially one with a common name like Devil’s Ivy, you may be wondering if pothos is poisonous.
Are pothos poisonous? Yes, Pothos plants are poisonous if ingested and can irritate the skin when touched. They are not known to be fatal, but they irritate the lips and tongue and can cause vomiting. Keep the plant away from cats, dogs and children.
That said, if you handle the plant properly and keep it away from children and pets, it is one of the easiest plants to care for, no matter how rough you handle it. The plant is known to survive periods of drought and darkness. Read on as I explain why Pothos are poisonous and how to care for them safely.
Contents
Why are Pothos poisonous?
What makes Pothos plants poisonous are the insoluble calcium oxalate crystals in their leaves and stems. These crystals look like small shards of glass that physically pierce and cause localized irritation to the skin when touched, or to the mouth and digestive tract when chewed or swallowed.
In very rare cases, ingesting part of a Pothos plant can also cause inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, making it difficult to breathe.
All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested, so be very careful and be sure to keep the plant away from pets and children.
In case of accidental ingestion, immediately call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. They will provide help.
How to grow the Pothos plant safely?
Knowing the toxicity of Pothos plants is the most important thing to growing this plant safely. You need to make sure your Pothos grows out of the reach of children and pets.
You probably have a good idea of how your pets and children react to your houseplants. Some kids and pets can’t leave houseplants alone, while others don’t notice an indoor jungle.
Obviously, my house is full of houseplants and I have two young children who happily ignore them. I’m lucky if my daughter comments about pretty pink flowers on one of my plants. Luckily, I haven’t caught any of my kids eating my plants yet!
I take great care when growing my houseplants, making sure plants that are known to be poisonous are kept out of reach or in a room that my children can’t get to.
Of course, if you’re particularly concerned about the risk of growing a Pothos plant, there are plenty of beautiful, non-toxic alternative foliage plants. Examples include Pinstripe Calathea, Prayer Plant, Wandering Jew Plant and Peperomias.
For more pet-safe houseplant options, check out this article.
Placement
As mentioned above, if you have pets and children, it is important to place these plants. This plant is highly poisonous if ingested, and pets and children have been known to eat things they shouldn’t, so ensuring they are placed higher is essential.
Another reason to raise these plants is to be able to properly display the growing vines. The best places to store these plants are above shelves, hanging from the ceiling, or even on a tall plant stand.
If you think the earrings are getting too long, a good tip is to hang the earrings on strategically placed hooks. These always keep them in a higher place and away from prying hands.
pothos care
Pothos plants are one of the easiest plants to grow. They require very little attention to grow and even thrive. In the United States, these plants are generally grown indoors, with the exception of USDA plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. In these regions, the plant can survive outdoors.
In this article, we’ll talk about how to grow them safely indoors. Just follow a few basic steps and you will have a thriving Pothos.
Before I talk about general care, there are a few common problems with Pothos plants that I’ve covered in other articles you might want to read.
- How to grow pothos faster (Get lush, hanging vines twice as fast.)
- Why Do Pothos Plants Have Curly Leaves?
- Why do pothos plants have yellow leaves and how to fix it?
Length
Pothos plants are usually 6 to 10 feet tall, and sometimes the vines can reach 30 feet.
Of course, you can always prune and propagate the plant to keep it at a certain length. The choice is yours and it all depends on how you want to display the plant in your space.
light
Pothos can grow in a variety of light conditions. Thrives in medium indirect light. However, this amazing plant can also survive in very low light conditions.
Therefore, you will find this plant popular in office spaces. Different light levels in an office space will not significantly affect the growth of this plant, although in low light conditions Pothos will grow more slowly and the foliage will be less lush and less vibrant.
There are signs you can watch out for to make sure you don’t lose your plant to improper lighting. These are:
- Many species of Pothos have yellow or white variegated leaves. If you start to see the leaf variety disappear, it means the plant is not getting enough light. And it’s time to give it some indirect light.
- If you start to see your leaves turn more yellow or white, rather than a balanced mottled color, it means your plant is getting too much light and it may be time to move your plant to a less light location.
Water
Again, the magic of this plant is that it doesn’t need a lot of water. Can be soaked without water. In fact, pothos do best if the soil has time to dry out a bit between waterings. So don’t panic if you forgot to water the plant once or twice. He will still survive.
As with light, there are ways to tell if the plant is thirsty or if you are drowning it. Obviously, if your plant is beautifully green, lush, and generally healthy and happy, it’s golden and you have nothing to worry about. Otherwise beware:
- If your plant is wilting, losing its shine, turning brown at the tips of the leaves, or if the vines seem limp, you’re not watering them enough. Your best bet when you wake up is to quench the poor plant’s thirst. Give it a good shot of water and let it be. You will see it come alive again in a few days.
- If your plant’s leaves are turning yellow, you may be overwatering your plant. Slowly remove it from the pot and check if the roots are in the water. Overwatering can cause root rot, which must be identified and treated immediately if you want to save your plant.
If you really want to become a pro at telling exactly when to water your houseplants, read my articles on “how to know when to water your houseplants” and “how often to water your houseplants”.
Using a plant hanger can keep your Pothos (epipremnum aureum) out of reach of children and pets.Temperature
Pothos can survive most temperatures, but they live best in warm temperatures. Anywhere between 60-85ºF (15-29C) is your ideal temperature. They will also do best in moderate to high humidity conditions, but can tolerate lower humidity well.
replant
It is a good idea to repot these plants once every two years. This helps the roots have room to grow, which promotes overall plant growth. To repot, gently lift the plant out of its current pot and place it gently in fresh soil in the new pot.
cut
This will help keep the plant clean, neat and manageable.
The best way to do this is to remove dead leaves, prune leafless vines, and even prune leaves that don’t look very nice.
spread
You can cut a stem with several leaves and put it in water until a root grows. Then transfer it to a pot with soil and let it grow.
Alternatively, you can plant the rooted stem in the same pot you got the stem from, this can give your plant a fuller look once the stem starts growing.
Usually I
Pothos plants aren’t picky about what they need to grow. A little water, a little light and a little soil and they are good to go.
So you don’t need anything special. Normal soil with good drainage is sufficient.
fertilizer
Like soil, pothos don’t need anything special to grow, but you can give them a balanced houseplant fertilizer once or twice a year. I have used this houseplant food over the years and have seen fantastic results.
Ultimately
Pothos plants, although poisonous, are one of the most popular plants for the home or office for many reasons. They look great, thrive in a variety of conditions, and don’t require much maintenance if you tend to them once every few weeks.