Plant Name
Scientific Name: Epipremnum pinnatum
Synonyms: Epipremnum aureum, E. pinnatum cv. 'Aureum', Philodendron nechodomii, Pothos aurea, Rhaphidophora aurea, Scindapsus aureus
Common Names: Golden Pothos, Golden Pothos Vine, Pothos, Centipede Tongavine, Taro Vine, Devil's Ivy
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Vine, Herb/Forb
Hawaii Native Status: Introduced. This naturalized ornamental garden plant and houseplant is native to southeastern Asia and the southern and western Pacific. The variegated cultivated variety originated in the Solomon Islands.
Flower Color: Cream
Height: Up to 65 feet (20 m) tall or more
Description: The tiny flowers are in a cylindrical, cream-colored spadix above a cupped, oval, cream-colored, short-lived, petal-like spathe. The flowers are followed by small berries with 1 or 2 seeds. The leaves vary greatly in size and appearance depending on plant age and growing conditions. The leaves of young plants and those grown as houseplants are smaller, heart-shaped, and more variegated with yellow or cream, while those of older, tree-climbing plants are much larger, deeply pinnately lobed, and less variegated. Leaves growing in full sun scorch and turn yellow. The stems are tree climbing and often have aerial roots. The plants are lianas or climbing hemiepiphytes and typically cover the trunks of large trees.
Here in Hawaii, Golden Pothos commonly climbs trees in disturbed, shady to partly shady forested areas, especially along roadsides.
Golden Pothos resembles Philodendrons (Philodendron spp.), but it can be identified by its paler, yellower green, usually partly variegated leaves.
Special Characteristics
Poisonous – The plants are poisonous and contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause severe mouth irritation and swelling if ingested.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass: Arecidae
Order: Arales
Family: Araceae – Arum family
Genus: Epipremnum Schott – tongavine
Species: Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engl. – centipede tongavine
More About This Plant