Scindapsus pictus ‘Argyraeus’ — the silver-splashed trailing aroid sold as satin pothos. Not a true pothos, but it lives the same easy life, and it tells you when it’s thirsty by curling its leaves.
Satin pothos has the thick, matte, heart-shaped leaves that make people stop and touch it — dark green flecked and edged with silver, as if brushed with metallic paint. Botanically it is a Scindapsus, not an Epipremnum, but it grows the same way: trailing from a basket, climbing a totem, tolerating dry indoor air and forgiving a missed watering. It is a little slower than golden pothos and a little more elegant.
It has one useful habit: the leaves curl inward when the plant wants water and flatten out within hours of a drink, so you almost cannot get the watering wrong. The rest of the bench is on our Houseplants page.
This is the satin pothos we commonly carry. Availability changes week to week and season to season, so call (480) 987-3308 or stop in to see what’s on the bench today.
Heart-shaped, matte dark-green leaves speckled and edged in silver on a trailing vine. Sold; trails three feet or more, or climbs a totem. Bright indirect light keeps the silver bright; let the top inch dry between waterings.
Looking for one that isn’t listed? Ask — we can usually suggest a close match or tell you when it tends to come around.
The care tag was written somewhere else. This is the Queen Creek version.
Satin pothos wants bright indirect light to keep its silver markings vivid — near an east window, or filtered light from a south one. In a dim room it survives but the new leaves come in smaller and greener. Direct afternoon sun through west glass in summer scorches the leaves.
It copes with our dry indoor air well; brown leaf tips mean it is sitting in a vent’s airflow or has been left dry too often. Move it out of the draft. During the monsoon months it grows noticeably faster indoors.
A balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength monthly from March through October, nothing in winter. Wipe the leaves every few weeks; the matte surface holds dust, which dulls the silver.
Let the top inch or two of mix dry, then water thoroughly and empty the saucer — roughly weekly in summer indoors, every ten to fourteen days in winter. The leaves curl inward when thirsty and open again after watering; yellow, soft leaves with damp soil mean too much. Flush the pot every couple of months to clear hard-water salts.
A well-draining potting mix with perlite and a little bark, in a pot with a hole. Repot every two years. Trail it from a shelf or basket, or give it a moss totem — climbing plants produce larger leaves. Pinch the tips to keep it full; cuttings with a node root in water in about two weeks.
Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, like its pothos and philodendron relatives. Mealybugs and spider mites in dry winter air; rinse and treat with insecticidal soap. Outdoors, a fully shaded, covered patio in spring and fall only.
Yellowing, spots, no new growth — snap a photo of the plant and its window and we’ll diagnose it at the bench. Advice is free.
We stock indoor potting mix, orchid bark and perlite for the chunky blends aroids and epiphytes want, balanced houseplant fertilizers, insecticidal soap and neem for the usual mealybug and mite visits, and moss poles, hoops and saucers. The pottery yard has terracotta, glazed and lightweight pots from 4-inch up, plus hanging baskets and cache pots.
No — it is Scindapsus pictus, a related aroid. The care is the same as golden pothos, with a preference for slightly brighter light to keep the silver markings.
Thirst. Curling leaves are its signal for water; they flatten within hours of a thorough drink. If they curl with wet soil, the roots are struggling — check the drainage.
When the top inch or two of mix is dry — about weekly in summer indoors and every ten to fourteen days in winter. Let the leaf curl guide you.
Yes, like pothos and philodendron it contains calcium oxalate crystals. Keep it away from cats and dogs.
Too little light. Move it closer to an east window, out of direct sun, and the next leaves will come in larger and brighter.
Yes. On a damp moss totem it climbs and produces bigger leaves; left alone it trails three feet or more from a basket.
Satin Pothos live on the houseplant bench; any staff member can point you to them. Locally owned, and a short drive from San Tan Valley, Gilbert, Chandler and Mesa.