Pothos plants are wonderful with trailing growth that isn’t too sprawling or fast for any house plant hobbyist to handle. One of the most intriguing types of all the Pothos options is the Pothos Pearls and Jade, which is very easy-going and simple to care for properly for healthy vegetation and thriving growth.
This article covers:
- What Pothos Pearls and Jade is and what it looks like
- How to care for it properly with the right amount of water and light, best type of soil, and more
- Common problems and what to do about them
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
What are Pothos Pearls and Jade?
Pothos Pearls and Jade plants (epipremnum aureum) are fantastic types of Pothos plants that are known for their trailing, but slow growth routines. They are fairly common, but not so much that they are everywhere.
They are usually very easy to take care of for interior use, especially compared with other climbing plants like hoyas.
They are lovely looking with variegated foliage that mimics the name Pearls and Jade. With bright greens and streaks of variegated pearly white, this plant is certainly a beautiful addition to any home.
They are sometimes called the devil’s ivy or Marble Queen, but this cultivar is wonderful for bathrooms and other humid areas of your home.
To learn where the genetically mutated Pothos Pearls and Jade comes from, check out this fascinating video:
How to Care for Pothos Pearls and Jade
Even though these plants are very easy to maintain and keep healthy, growing, bright, and colorful, you still have to know the type of conditions that they prefer.
In addition to the right temperature and humidity, you also need to water it properly, provide sufficient light, and use the right type of soil. Let’s look at these factors to see how to care for Pothos Pearls and Jade.
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Light
Light is crucial if you want your Pothos Pearls and Jade to retain the beautiful variegation that makes them such attractive plants. It needs bright, indirect light for healthy color and thriving growth. Direct light can scorch the leaves and cause significant issues with coloration and tones.
It is often best to place the Pearls and Jade plant in a North or East-facing window with moderate shade. However, windows facing the South and West can work too, but be careful with light that is too direct.
You may have to place it further from the window if this is your preference, especially during the Summer months, or add a curtain sheer.
Water
Pothos Pearls and Jade house plants like slightly moist soil, like many other plants. You really want to shoot for the balance between flooding and complete dryness.
However, overwatering is significantly more likely to cause issues than underwatering, so when you first get your Pothos Pearls and Jade it is best to err on the side of too little water until you get used to its moisture consumption.
This is because these plants are very likely to develop root rot.
Underwatered Pothos plants are easy to restore, even once they turn yellow, crisp, and brown. During the growing months of Spring and Summer, you will probably have to water once a week or a little more.
But during the Winter this can decrease to as little as once every couple of weeks, especially in humid, cool areas.
Soil
Pothos Pearls and Jade aren’t very picky when it comes to the type of soil because they are very adaptive and tough.
It does need to drain well enough to prevent root rot and excessive moisture, but other than that most potting mixes will work quite well if they have good enough aeration and provide some nutrients.
However, you do want to avoid typical garden soil because it’s too dense and Pearls and Jade likes loosely compacted options.
A lot of people find that potting mixtures that are made for Cacti and other succulents work well for Pothos plants, including Pearls and Jade. This is because they use a lot of peat moss that can gradually release moisture as the Pothos Pearls and Jade needs it.
In addition, components like perlite, pumice, or sand are also good for aeration and well-draining properties.
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Temperature and Humidity
The right temperature for Pothos Pearls and Jade plants is between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 29 degrees Celsius). It likes this temperature range throughout the entire year, but can resist temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).
Try not to let it dip below that ever though and avoid keeping it at that temperature for any prolonged period. This is because it can free the cells and disrupt natural growth or cause damage to the veins.
Pearls and Jades are quite tolerant to dry conditions, but they will grow much healthier during tropical-mimicking humid environments. If you can keep the moisture levels above 50 percent, that is best. They do well with humidity levels between 50 and 70 percent.
Fertilizer
Pothos plants, including the Pearls and Jade variety, do not require tons of heavy fertilizing, but it can help them with coloration and growth. Still, if you are looking for an easy plant that you never have to feed with fertilizer, this is an okay option to choose.
If you do want to fertilize, then a balanced all-purpose fertilizer should work fine as long as you dilute it 50%.
Only feed the Pothos Pearls and Jade during the growing season between the Spring months and the end of Summer. You don’t need to feed it at all during the Winter because it will be semi-dormant and grow very slowly.
In fact, fertilizer during the Fall and Winter can burn the plant or even kill it in serious cases.
General Maintenance
Since Pothos Pearls and Jade grow so slowly, you won’t have to worry too much about pruning. However, they do have the ability to grow very expansively, up to 30 feet tall.
While this can take years, some occasional pruning doesn’t hurt and can actually fuel healthier foliage and better, fuller growth. For indoor growth, you want to try to keep it at a maximum of around 10 feet.
The slow growth also means you will only rarely have to repot the plant. In fact, it may be 2 years or more before you have to change it, but doing so more often means you get the chance to give it fresher soil full of more nutrients. This can help the coloration and healthiness of the Pearls and Jade.
You can propagate Pearls and Jade variants of Pothos from cuttings, grafting, or layering. The one that works best is using stem cuttings about 4 to 6 inches long with at least 4 leaves attached. Keep it in water for a couple of weeks before transferring it to the soil.
Common Problems for Pothos Pearls and Jade
There are several issues that you may encounter with Pothos Pearls and Jade plants. From pests and diseases to discoloration and wilting, there are problems that you should keep an eye out for and address if you see them popping up. Let’s check each one out.
Pests
Pothos plants like the Pearls and Jade can come under attack from pest infestations. The most common types of pests for these plant species are scales, mealybugs, aphids, thrips, and spider mites.
They can damage your plant by eating away at the sape, but insecticidal soap is usually sufficient for getting rid of mild to moderate infestations. In more serious cases, you may have to prune away the damaged portions of the leaves and stem systems.
Brown Leaves
If the tips of your leaves turn brown, then the air is too dry. Remember, Pothos Pearls and Jade are tropical plants that prefer humidity. If the air gets below 50 percent humidity for a long time, then the plant will become unhealthy and brown.
Since they don’t do good with excessive watering, try to avoid misting the plant with a spray bottle as you may do with other plant species. Instead, move it to a bathroom or create a pebble tray to put underneath it to feed consistent moisture into and around the plant.
Diseases
There are two main diseases that you need to be careful about with Pothos Pearls and Jade. First, root rot is very common for these plants, which is why you need to avoid heavy watering schedules and excessive moisture in the soil.
The second type of disease is a fungal disease known as Rhizoctonia blight, which is caused by misting, other plants that are too close, poor ventilation, and too much moisture on the stems.
Final Thoughts on Pothos Pearls and Jade
Pothos Pearls and Jade plants are lovely with great color variation, as the name suggests. They have beautiful lively green coloration combined with pearl-colored silver shading that makes them a lovely addition to any home. The best part? They are super easy to take care of and keep healthy, so they are great for a novice and lovely for an expert.