Pothos vs. Philodendron: What’s the Distinction?

There are a variety of key variations between pothos, generally called devil’s ivy, and vining philodendron kinds that allow you inform them apart.

These embrace taxonomy, leaf type and texture, aerial roots and petioles, progress habits, new leaves, and rising circumstances.

Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the strategy of organizing residing points like vegetation into distinct households, genera, and species. It’s how vegetation get their botanical names.

Every pothos and philodendrons belong to the aroid family (Araceae) along with completely different commonplace houseplants like monstera, alocasia, and peace lily.

Nonetheless, pothos and philodendrons fall into completely completely different genera. Pothos belongs to the Epipremnum genus, and philodendron belongs to the Philodendron genus.

Leaf Type and Texture

Certainly one of many greatest strategies to tell pothos and philodendrons apart is by their leaves. Many philodendrons, along with the aptly named heartleaf philodendron, have thinner, distinctly heart-shaped leaves with a softer texture. Pothos leaves are thicker and waxier.

The completely completely different shapes are significantly noticeable on the extent the place the petiole (leaf stem) connects to the underside of each leaf.

Whereas the underside of a pothos leaf is relatively straight, the underside of a philodendron leaf curves inwards like the best of a coronary coronary heart.

Aerial Roots and Petioles

You might also uncover variations in aerial roots and petioles of pothos versus philodendrons. Every species have aggressive aerial roots that allow them to climb a moss pole, trellis, or completely different help.

Nonetheless, pothos (pictured above correct) solely develop one large aerial root per node, whereas philodendrons (pictured above left) can have numerous smaller aerial roots per node.

Petioles are the small stems that be a part of the leaves to the plant’s main stem.

The petioles on pothos vegetation indent within the course of the stem they join with, whereas philodendron petioles are completely rounded. Philodendron petioles moreover are sometimes thinner than these of pothos.

Progress Habits and New Leaves

One different method to tell the excellence between pothos versus philodendrons is to seek for cataphylls.

When new leaves develop on a trailing philodendron, they emerge from these buildings, which seem like small leaves that defend the model new leaf as a result of it grows.

Cataphylls usually keep on the plant after a model new leaf has unfurled, finally drying up and falling off. New leaves on pothos vegetation develop and unfurl from the sooner leaf.

Maintenance of Pothos vs. Philodendron

Pothos and philodendrons have comparable needs for gentle, soil, water, and temperature, and are considered low-maintenance houseplants.

Nonetheless, there are a number of minor variations of their care. Philodendrons tolerate low gentle increased than pothos.

Pothos favor significantly better temperatures than philodendrons and are tolerant of drought circumstances.

Every vegetation are easy to propagate from stem cuttings, nevertheless philodendrons moreover produce offsets, or little one vegetation, that could be divided from the mother plant.

One different Sophisticated Houseplant: The Satin Pothos

One different houseplant species normally confused with every pothos and philodendrons is A torn painting.

This aroid goes by the widespread establish satin pothos, nevertheless it is not a species of pothos. This plant is known for its vining progress habits and shimmery silver patches all through its leaves that make it easy to ascertain, nevertheless it has very comparable progress requirements to every pothos and philodendrons.