If you’re a houseplant enthusiast, you probably have a quite impressive collection of tropical plants that you carefully tend to.
A popular houseplant is the Marble Queen pothos (Epipremnum aureum ‘Marbled’). This fast-climbing vine is incredibly easy to care for and is tolerant of neglect. It’s also one of the few indoor plants that thrive in low-light conditions.
There are several pothos varieties, such as the Snow Queen pothos or Jade pothos, but we are focusing on Marble Queen.
Marble Queen Pothos Plants
This article gives you a complete guide for growing and caring for Marble Queen Pothos. We’ll also provide propagation tips.
| Botanical Name | Epipremnum aureum ‘Marbled’ |
| Common Name | Marble Queen pothos, golden pothos, Devil’s Ivy |
| Family | Araceae |
| Plant Type | Vine, evergreen perennial |
| Mature Size | Up to 10 feet long (can be trimmed to the desired length) |
| Sun Exposure | Low-to-bright indirect light |
| Soil Type | Peat-based potting mix |
| Water | Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between watering |
| Temperature | 65–80°F (18–27°C) |
| Humidity | Average room humidity |
| Fertilizer | Balanced liquid fertilizer once a month |
Known for its white leaves and green variegated foliage, Marble Queen pothos is perfect for those who want to add a touch of green to their home but don’t have a lot of time for plant care.
Marble Queen Pothos Care
The Marble Queen pothos is versatile and can be grown indoors in low-light rooms or bright offices.
It’s also one of the few indoor plants that tolerate extensive neglect.
Here’s what you need to know:
Light
The Marble Queen pothos thrives in low light and bright indirect light. However, if you want to maintain its variegated leaves, go with bright indirect light.
A Marble Queen pothos grows in low-light conditions without any issues. You may notice its leaves turning green, which is completely normal and doesn’t mean your plant is unhealthy.
Here’s a quick tip: If you want to keep your Devil’s Ivy in low-light conditions but still want it to have variegated leaves, try growing it in a hanging basket.
This will allow the leaves to trail down, increasing the amount of light they receive.
Another simple tip for Marble Queen pothos care is to avoid direct sunlight and grow lights as they can cause the leaves to scorch.
Water
The Marble Queen pothos tolerates extensive drought. In fact, overwatering is one of the most common problems people have with this plant.
To avoid overwatering, always allow the top inch of well-draining soil to dry out before adding water.
This is especially important for Marble Queen pothos care when growing your plant in a pot with no drainage.
Overwatering your Marble pothos will cause leaves to yellow and drop off. The best way to fix it is by reducing water and ensuring a well-draining pot.
Leaves that go soft and limp indicate underwatering.
If you have a pot with holes in it, take the plant to the bathroom and put it under the shower. Give it a good soak and let it drain before putting it back on its plate.
Here’s a quick tip: If you’re unsure whether or not your pothos needs water, touch the soil. If it’s dry, it needs water.
Soil
The Marble Queen pothos is not picky with soil and handles itself well in most potting mixes. However, use a peat-based potting mix for best results; it’s more acidic, keeping the leaves vibrant and healthy.
Add a layer of gravel or rocks on the pot’s drainage holes before adding your potting mix to prevent the roots from sitting in water. If you’re growing your Marble Queen pothos plant in a pot without drainage, water it less often.
Another quick tip in Marble Queen pothos care is to avoid soils with a lot of perlite or sand; they make it difficult for roots to absorb water. Remember that moderation is key, and although the pothos tolerates various soil types, the best results come from a peat-based potting mix.
Fertilizer
The Marble Queen pothos is a fast-growing plant that benefits from regular feedings during the growing season. But it’s not necessary to fertilize it more than once a month.
Over-fertilizing does more harm than good, causing the leaves of your Marble Queen pothos plant to turn brown and drop off.
Use a half-strength fertilizer for your Devil’s Ivy every two weeks during the growing season. And avoid fertilizers with high nitrogen content as this can cause the leaves to turn yellow.
Water the soil well while fertilizing it so that food reaches the plant’s roots. Not watering the fertilizer into the soil can actually cause it to burn the roots, damaging your plant.
Yellow-turning leaves indicate that you’re using too much fertilizer. Try cutting back on the amount or fertilizing your plant less often.
Temperature and Humidity
The Marble Queen pothos is a tropical plant and prefers warm temperatures and high humidity. However, it fairly tolerates cooler temperatures and even survives brief periods of frost.
If you live in an area with cool winters, it’s best to grow your pothos indoors where the temperature is more consistent. Mist the leaves regularly or put the pot on a tray of pebbles and water to increase the humidity around your Marble Queen pothos.
Don’t let the pot sit in water, as this can cause the roots to rot. Although direct sunlight is unnecessary for the pothos, it will do better in an area with bright, indirect sunlight.
Too much direct light will cause the leaves to turn yellow and may scorch the leaves. If you notice this happening, move your plant to a shadier spot.
Humidity is essential for Marble Queen pothos care. And although it’s tolerant of dry air, it handles itself better in an environment with high humidity.
Here’s a pro tip: the best place to grow Marble Queen pothos is a bathroom. The humidity from the showers keeps the leaves healthy and green.
Propagate Marble Queen Pothos
An important thing to remember about Marble Queen pothos propagation is that it’s a vine plant, which means it can grow quite long. You need to prune it regularly to keep it under control. Besides, pruning encouranges new growth – perfect for Marble Queen pothos propagation.
To propagate Marble Queen pothos, you’ll need to take a cutting from the plant. Here’s how:
- Pick a moment in spring or summer when the plant is actively growing.
- Choose a cutting with at least two leaves.
- Put the cutting in water or pot it directly into the soil. Remember to change the water every few days to prevent it from going stagnant.
- It can take several weeks for the cutting to root. But you’ll know it’s ready when you see new growth appearing on the Marble Queen pothos plant.
- After the cutting rots, transplant it to its own pot.
- Choose a pot with drainage holes at the bottom to prevent rotting roots.
While propagating your Marble pothos, remember that the cutting will be sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. Keep it in a warm spot with high humidity to prevent it from dying.
Propagated plants aren’t fully formed, so extra care is required when watering and fertilizing Marble Queen pothos. Also, it’s best to wait until the plant is well established before fertilizing it.
Common Problems With Marble Queen Pothos
As with any plant, you may encounter a few common problems when growing Marble Queen pothos. The important thing is knowing how to handle any issues:
Root Rot
One of the most common problems is root rot, caused by overwatering or planting the golden pothos in a pot with no drainage.
Wilting or yellow-turning leaves are a sign that the roots are starting to rot.
To save your plant, take it out of the pot and check the roots. If they’re black or mushy, there’s nothing you can do about it anymore. But if they’re still white and firm, repot your pothos in a fresh potting mix. Choose a pot with drainage, and only add water when the soil is dry.
Leaf Yellowing
Another common problem with Marble pothos is yellow leaves, which can be caused by various factors: excessive natural light, a lack of humidity, nutrient deficiencies, pests, and so on.
If you notice that leaves are turning yellow, try and identify the cause. If it’s due to a lack of humidity, increase the humidity around your plant by misting it with water or placing it on a pebble tray.
On the other hand, if yellow leaves are caused by nutrient deficiencies, feed your plant with a balanced fertilizer. Check the instructions on the box and only fertilize your plant when it’s actively growing.
Pests can also cause the leaves of your plant to turn yellow. If you notice any pests on your plant, remove them by hand or treat your Marble pothos with an insecticide.
Leaf Browning
One of the leading causes of brown leaves is too much direct sunlight. Leaves exposed to too much sun will turn brown and eventually curl up and die.
Using too much fertilizer can also cause the leaves to turn brown. To fix it, flush the potting mix with water to remove any excess fertilizer.
The downside is that, by the time you notice the brown leaves, it’s often too late to save the plant.
When that happens, you can propagate your plant from a healthy cutting.
Leaf Curling
Too much direct sunlight may cause leaves to curl up and die. It can also be caused by underwatering or overwatering.
When noticing curling leaves, check the soil. If it’s too dry, water your plant and use a pot with drainage to handle the excess water.
Or, if it’s too wet, repot your plant in fresh potting soil and only water it when the soil is dry.
Common Marble Queen Pothos Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases are common problems that can affect any type of plant, and pothos plants are no exception.
Common pests that target pothos plants include aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, and scale insects. They suck the sap out of the leaves, causing them to turn yellow or brown and eventually die.
If you notice any pests, remove them by hand or treat your plant with an insecticide after checking the instructions on the box.
Pythium root rot is a common disease that can affect Marble pothos plants. It’s caused by a fungus that attacks the roots, causing the leaves to turn yellow or brown.
Fix it by removing the affected roots and repotting your pothos in fresh potting soil. Feel free to treat it with a fungicide, too.
FAQ
Discover more helpful information about Marble Queen pothos:
Pothos plants are relatively tolerant of drought, so you don’t need to water them too often. In fact, it prefers dry soil.
Pothos plants prefer a light and well-draining potting mix. You can use a commercial potting mix or make your own by mixing equal parts of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite.
Yes, Marble pothos plants can live in water. However, they will eventually outgrow their container and need to be repotted. To prevent your plant from getting too big, cut off over-growing stems, which you can further use for propagation.
The main difference between Snow Queen pothos and Marble Queen pothos is the color of their leaves. Snow queen pothos has green leaves with white variegation, while marble queen pothos has green leaves with creamy-white variegation.
Marble pothos are fast-growing plants and can grow up to 10 feet long. However, you can easily control them by pruning over-growing stems.
Pothos plants prefer bright, indirect light but can also tolerate poorer light conditions. If your plant is not getting enough light, the leaves will start to turn yellow.
Yes, pothos plants are toxic to cats. They may experience vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing. If you think your cat has eaten a pothos plant, then it to the vet immediately.
The most common reason is that the plant is not getting enough light. Or it might be overwatered.
It’s likely that the plant is getting too much direct sunlight. Brown spots can also be caused by a fungal disease called Alternaria leaf spot.
You can buy pothos plants from your local nursery, garden center, or online from a number of retailers.
Yes, pothos plants are vines that will trail if left unchecked.
Pothos plants can grow up to 10 feet long. If you’re not comfortable with this length, you can easily control its growth by pruning the stems regularly.
Take a cutting from the stem and root it in water or a potting mix. After the cutting roots, transfer it to a pot.
Pothos plants prefer to be kept on the dry side, so you don’t need to water them too often. Water your plant when the top inch of soil is dry. Also, choose a pot with drainage to handle excess water.
Marble Queen Pothos – Conclusion
All things considered, the Marble Queen pothos is an easy plant to care for. It’s fast-growing, can tolerate low-light conditions, and doesn’t need to be watered too often.
Keep an eye on the Marble Queen pothos description. For instance, you should prune the stems regularly to control their growth. And if you notice brown spots on the leaves, it’s best to move your plant to a spot with more indirect light.
Make sure to pay attention to the color of the leaves, too. Yellow leaves indicate that your plant is getting low light and should be moved somewhere brighter.
Other than that, the Marble Queen pothos is a low-maintenance, beautiful plant that makes a great addition to any home.
So if you’re looking for a fast-growing, easy-to-care-for plant, the Marble Queen pothos is fantastic!
