Both these plants are easy to care for and very popular among houseplants. There are many similarities between these two that people often get confused. But with the help of this Pothos Vs Philodendron post, you’ll be able to differentiate between them easily.
1. Foliage
Pothos
Pothos leaves are heart-shaped, green, and pointed, somewhat resembling philodendron. Most of the pothos cultivars have variegated leaves, but some are solid colored. The appearance is a bit different for each variety. Silver or satin pothos has silver markings on heart-shaped leaves and looks a lot like a philodendron. The most common type is golden pothos, having medium green leaves with yellow patches and a waxy texture. The leaves grow to 3-4 inches in the indoor space and 18-24 inches outdoors.
Philodendron
Philodendron also bears heart-shaped leaves on slender vines of the vining varieties. It’s easy to differentiate non-heading philodendron from pothos because it’s not vining. The common heart-leaf philodendron is not so easy to tell apart from pothos, as it’s a climber. Although, there are some subtle differences such as the leaves are not that shiny and have a dark green color. You’ll also notice that unlike pothos, its foliage is thin and floppy.
Also Read: Sphagnum Moss vs Peat Moss
2. Growing Requirements
In this aspect, pothos and philodendron are identical! They both are low maintenance and have minimal requirements. They thrive naturally in warm tropical regions. In the case of golden pothos, you’ll need to place it in indirect sunlight to keep the plant healthy and thriving. It can also tolerate shady spots, but partial sunlight and warmth are what make variegation and leaf markings more visible.
When it comes to Heartleaf philodendron, there aren’t many houseplants that are as tolerant of low lighting as this one. Not just heartleaf philodendron but other philodendron varieties can also tolerate low-light conditions up to a certain extent. But indirect bright light is a must for its growth!
3. Watering Requirements
Both Golden Pothos and Philodendron do well in moist soil. However, thanks to its thick leaves, the Golden Pothos can retain water longer, making it more drought-tolerant as compared to Philodendron.
4. Flowers
Both Pothos and Philodendron are the members of Araceae or the arum family, meaning they both have flowers that look like a miniature version of a Peace lily. Where the philodendron has green color flowers all year round; pothos flowers are green, purple and yellow in color. They rarely bloom, that too when they are planted outdoors.
5. Length
When grown indoors, the pothos plant will grow up to 3 feet long with leaves measuring 3-4 inches across in length. However, outdoors, some of the pothos varieties like Hawaiin pothos and golden pothos can be up to 65 feet.
Philodendron, comparatively, are smaller in size. Most of the cultivars are 5-6 feet when grown indoors. However, its variety, the tree philodendron, can reach a height of 15 feet or more outdoors.
- Percival Acosta
- October 6, 2020 At 8:18 pm
- Very informative indeed…
- Reply
Very informative indeed…
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