Manjula Pothos is a lovely and wonderful cultivar with large attractive leaves and appealing variegation. Plus, they are not very difficult to care for which means you can have these exciting plants around your home without stressing about keeping them healthy, lively, and green.
However, you still need to know how to care for it properly, even if it isn’t hard to do so.
This article covers:
- What Manjula Pothos is and what it looks like
- How to care for it including the right amount of water, type of soil, and amount of light
- Common problems that you may run into and what to do about them
Let’s get started!
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Table of Contents
What is Manjula Pothos?
Manjula Pothos is a pothos cultivar that is fairly rare, which means it may be harder to find, but when you do it is quite attractive and unique. It is mainly characterized by the large leaves that are shaped like hearts as well as the fluid variation between white, green, and cream-colored.
What is so great is that the light and dark portions are so bright and contrast distinctly, which makes it a great conversation starter as a houseplant.
It is toxic to humans and animals if ingested, so if you have pets or children around your home you will want to be careful. It can cause irritation, particularly around the mouth, throat, and eyes.
What’s remarkable about the Manjula Pothos is that it is actually a patented cultivar that was originally developed by the University of Florida. Maybe that’s why it has colors like a Gator.
It is similar in appearance to two other common pothos varieties known as n’joy pothos and pearls and jade pothos.
The difference between these is that the variegation is a little more patchy and that there are usually three contrasting colors that you can readily see that are distinct without too much streakiness.
Plus, the leaves are larger than other cultivars and it grows quite fast compared to many other pothos plants.
For more interesting facts about Manjula plants, check out this awesome video:
How to Care for Manjula Pothos
While rare and attractive, the Manjula Pothos is incredibly easy to care for when you know how to. They adapt well to different environments and are quite resilient if you disregard the care of accidents occasionally.
Plus, you won’t really have to change your home atmosphere to make this plant happy. Let’s look at the conditions you want to promote for healthy growth and colorful greenery.
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Light
Manjula Pothos aren’t incredibly picky about light, but you do want to avoid too much direct sunlight. This is because direct sunlight can burn the leaves and scorch their appearance.
Also, while they may survive in dim and low light conditions, they will grow best and look more lively if you give them a solid amount of indirect light throughout the day.
We recommend bright indirect light from a South or West-facing window. However, any direction can work as long as you are careful because they can survive in most conditions. The only thing we would suggest avoiding is a window that faces the midday sun, at least without some shade.
Soil
For the Manjula Pothos to grow well, you need to use a well-draining potting mix that allows the moisture to flow out.
Loamy soil works best for these plants, but standard indoor potting soil can work fine too, but if you do so we do recommend adding in a little extra perlite to increase drainage.
This is because too much moisture trapped within the soil can cause root rot and make your plant look sickly or even die. As long as the water can drain through the soil, you should be good.
You do not necessarily need to fertilize the soil either, but if you do want faster growth then you can feed the Manjula Pothos during the growing season from early Spring to late Summer.
Use a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to 50% during these months to encourage faster growth and thicker foliage.
Water
Too much water is typically worse than too little water because Manjula Pothos plants can withstand dry climates for a little while. Therefore if you forget to water once or twice, they should be okay. Your watering schedule should depend on the dryness or lack of dryness in the soil.
Generally, you will want to wait until the top 1.5 to 2 inches of soil is completely dried out before watering again.
During the growing months, this could be as much as once per week, especially for larger Manjula Pothos individuals. However, it can slow to once every two weeks or even a little less during the Fall and Winter months.
Temperature and Humidity
Manjula Pothos like humid conditions and also do best in warm climates. However, they usually do okay during the regular house conditions of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Really, they are fine at pretty much any temperature as long as it is below 90 degrees Fahrenheit and never gets below freezing. They will not survive frost for very long but can be grown outdoors in USDA zones 11 and 12 as long as you bring them inside before cold weather.
You can add extra humidity by growing them in a bathroom or laundry room or by placing a humidifier nearby. You should only sparingly spray the leaves with moisture, but you can use a pebble tray to promote humid conditions as well.
Propagation
Manjula Pothos plants are easy to propagate using stem cuttings. Actually, to promote better growth and attractive foliage, you should prune your plant occasionally anyways.
Every stem you cut before an ode will grow a new branch, making for a fuller and more attractive Manjula Pothos. You can also repot the cuttings to make for a fuller plant right next to the original.
It is best to use stem cuttings about 4 or 5 inches long, making the cut directly below a node or leaf. Remove all the leaves from the bottom half of your cutting and submerge them completely in water.
Then, place them in bright indirect light, making sure to replace the water once per week. Once the roots start to grow, simply replant in a pre-moistened well-draining potting mix
Common Problems with Manjula Pothos
There are some common problems to be aware of with Manjula Pothos. Things like pests, diseases, and ugly leaves can quickly become problems, which means it is best to know what to do when these issues arise so that you can address them promptly and eradicate the issue with ease.
Let’s examine the most common issues and what you can do about them.
Pests
While there are lots of pests that can attack your Manjula Pothos plant and wreak havoc on its health, there are some that are much more common than others. Possibly the most common pest for all pothos plants including Manjula Pothos are mealybugs.
You should also be on the lookout for scale, fungus gnats, and spider mites.
The good news is that these pests and infestations are usually really easy to eradicate and eliminate. Use neem oil to treat any of these pests as soon as you notice them. The best idea is to use it as a preventative measure before any of these issues arise in the first place.
If needed, you can also use insecticidal soap.
Yellowing Leaves
If the leaves of your Manjula Pothos start to turn yellow, the likely cause is root rot. This is caused by overwatering or soil that is not draining well enough. If it happens, you will want to repot the plant in new soil and check to make sure excess water is thoroughly draining through the bottom.
In some cases, yellow leaves may be caused by too little light. If the plant is located in a dim area of your home, try moving it to a brighter location as long as there is not too much scorching, direct sunlight.
Leaves Turning Brown
If the leaves of your Manjula Pothos start to turn brown, then you may have neglected to water them. Too much dryness and drought can cause brown and crisp leaves. Try to gradually increase your watering schedule until it regains color.
It may also help to increase the humidity around the plant using a pebble tray or humidifier. You can also spray the leaves with water occasionally, but do not do this too often. This will usually solve the problem quickly.
Drooping Leaves
Drooping leaves also occur when there is too little moisture and water, but it is an earlier indication than brown leaves. Therefore, when you see drooping leaves try to water them immediately to avoid discoloration and other issues.
The only time when drooping leaves may be indicative of another problem is if the soil is completely wet when the leaves start dropping. This may be a sign that the plant is still waterlogged.
Final Thoughts on Manjula Pothos
The Manjula Pothos is a wonderfully attractive plant with cream, silver, and dark green colored leaves that are shaped like large hearts. They are easy to take care of, but quite rare compared to other Pothos plants, so they can be a welcome addition to any home.