If you’re looking for a beginner houseplant that can handle a bit of neglect — all while beautifying your space with its vining and variegated foliage — you might consider the Marble Queen Pothos (Scientific name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen’).
The Marble Queen Pothos does best in medium to bright indirect light and regular watering. It can tolerate average room humidities (though aim for 60% for best growth), and is relatively pest-resistant and problem-free.
Let’s dive into the details!
What is the Marble Queen Pothos?
Also known as Devil’s Ivy and Money Plant, the Marble Queen Pothos is an ornamental plant featuring glossy, heart-shaped foliage. It is a relatively fast-growing vine that you can easily grow in a hanging basket, allowing its foliage to trail down.
It can grow up to 10 feet (3m) tall and 3 feet (0.9m) wide when kept as a houseplant.
Family and Origins
Belonging to the family of Araceae, this perennial vine is native to French Polynesia. However, compared to other members of the Pothos variety, the Marble Queen grows at a slightly slower pace due to its variegated leaves.
How to Care for a Marble Queen Pothos
Light
Like other pothos, Marble Queen does best in medium to bright, indirect light. This is essential to keep its foliage bright and vibrant.
It can survive in low light conditions, but this increases its green to cream ratio (more green). This is because only the green parts of the plant contain the pigment that helps manufacture food (chlorophyll). When light levels drop, the plant cannot make enough food, turning its cream parts green to make up for the light deficiency.
Indirect light requirements mean your Marble Queen is best placed near an east-facing window. You can also set it on a windowsill, provided the sunlight filtered through, for example, a shade cloth.
Marble Queen Pothos can tolerate direct morning and evening light for 1-3 hours, but more than that will scorch its leaves. This will result in the plant losing its jade green colour.
Water
The Marble Queen Pothos prefers drier soil, so as a rule of thumb you should wait 7 to 10 days before watering it. However, this is just a guide; don’t religiously stick to a watering schedule (every X days).
The best way to check if your plant requires watering is by placing your finger into the soil. If the top 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) are dry, give it water. If the soil feels moist, you should wait a little longer.
Water the plant at soil level, allowing the water to slowly seep into the soil and reach the roots. During the winter months, you’ll find that watering frequency naturally drops. It will take longer for the topsoil to become dry, as your plant requires less water.
Allowing the topsoil to fully dry between watering helps prevent root rot.
If you are not watering your plant correctly, your Marble Queen’s leaves will either turn yellow (overwatering), or start to form brown edges (underwatering).
Humidity
The Marble Queen Pothos grows well under average humidity levels, 40 – 60%. But if you can manage it, shoot for the higher end of this range (60% is best).
The high humidity levels emulates the tropical climate your Queen is native to, and your plant will thank you for it! Check out our guide on how to raise humidity levels here.
Temperature
Marble Queen Pothos thrives in warm temperatures ranging between 65 and 85°F (18 and 29°C). Spells of cold must be avoided — you should ensure indoor temperatures never drop below 55°F (13°C).
Keep it away from air conditioning units in the summer and radiators in the winter.
You can also grow Devil’s Ivy outdoors in temperate climates. The conditions are suitable during summer, and you can bring them indoors when the temperatures drop during winter.
Soil
Marble Queen Pothos thrives in well-aerated, loamy soil with excellent drainage. Standard indoor potting soil that you can easily find at gardening centers works fine. We like adding in equal parts pumice and orchid bark to lighten the standard mixes.
If you’re open to hydroponics, Marble Queen Pothos can also be grown easily in LECA.
Fertilizer
Fertilizing Devil’s Ivy is optional, but applying a nitrogen-heavy liquid fertilizer during the growing season (spring and summer only) will encourage quicker growth.
Be sure to dilute the fertilizer to half its recommended strength and fertilize just once a month during growing season. Fertilizing too often will do more harm than good for your plant.
Repotting
As a rule of thumb, small to medium-sized Marble Queens should be repotted once a year, while larger plants are fine to stay in the same pot for up to 3 years.
However, it is best to allow your pothos to decide when exactly it needs to be repotted. If it looks happy, let it be. If it’s showing signs of being rootbound, such as stunted growth or roots growing out of drainage holes, consider moving it to a larger pot.
Remember, the best time to repot is spring.
Here’s how you can repot Marble Queen Pothos:
- Carefully tip the pot and remove the plant, using a knife to work around the edges of the pot where necessary.
- Select a pot one size bigger (around 2 inches or 5cm bigger) than your current one, and half-fill it with a potting mix.
- Carefully untangle the roots of your plant with your fingers… this is important to remove compacted soil and allow roots to “break free” from their dense mass.
- Check for any signs of damaged roots (black or mushy roots) and trim these off where needed.
- Place your pothos in the new pot, adding potting mix to fill in gaps. Be sure to leave 2 inches (5 cm) of space at the top.
Toxicity
Marble Queen Pothos is toxic to humans and animals when ingested.
Its stem, roots and leaves are poisonous because they contain tiny calcium oxalate crystals which cause localized burns and vomitting when ingested.
Handling a Marble Queen does not usually cause skin irritation unless you have sensitive skin or come into contact with the plant sap.
Propagation
Propagating Marble Queen Pothos is very easy. You can either propagate it directly in soil, or let it root in water before transferring into a potting mix.
Soil propagation
- Use sharp scissors to cut 3-4 stems just below the node (1/4 inch or 0.6cm below if you want to be specific). Nodes are where new growth will form, so your stem cutting should contain the node.
- Place the stem cuttings in another pot with fresh potting mix. Ensure the nodes are buried under the soil to allow for root growth.
- Place the pot in a spot with bright, indirect light. If you have a humidifier, place it next to the pot and set at 80%.
- Keep the soil evenly moist for the next 3-4 weeks. In about a month, the roots should have developed. You can confirm this by giving your plant a very gentle tug – a slight resistance means the roots have grown.
Water propagation
- Use sharp scissors to cut 3-4 stems just below the node (1/4 inch or 0.6cm below if you want to be specific). Nodes are where new growth will form, so your stem cutting should contain the node.
- Fill a glass jar with room-temperature water.
- Place the cuttings in the jar, ensuring at least one node in each cutting is below the waterline.
- Ensure any leaves are above the waterline.
- Keep the jar in an area that receives bright, indirect light.
- Refresh the water every few days.
- When the roots are 2 inches (5 cm) long, remove the plant from the water and plant it in a new pot with fresh potting mix.
Additional Care: Pruning
You can prune a Marble Queen Pothos by trimming long stems (in spring) and damaged, discolored parts with a sharp pair of scissors (throughout the year).
When pruning, cut just ABOVE the node. Since nodes are where new growth forms, cutting slightly above the node prevents “die back” and reduces the risk of disease.
Additional Care: Pests
Marble Queen Pothos are relatively pest-resistant. But no plant is 100% immune. If a pest were to attack, the 2 likely suspects are mealybugs and fungus gnats.
Mealybugs appear like small, white cotton balls on your plant’s leaves and stems, and especially near new growth. You can get rid of them by using an Insecticidal Soap Spray. Here’s our guide on identifying and getting rid of mealybugs.
Fungus gnats are small black flies that feed on decaying organic matter in the soil, but also attack the plant’s roots. Insecticidal soap spray is also effective against fungus gnats.
Troubleshooting
Why are the leaves turning yellow?
This is most likely due to overwatering. Check the soil moisture to confirm. Waterlogged roots often cause yellowing leaves and soft stems.
Ensure you are watering only when the topsoil is dry, and are using a well-draining potting mix with plenty of chunky amendments like bark and pumice.
In severe cases of persistent overwatering, repot your plant into fresh, sterile soil. For more tips on watering your plant properly, check out our watering guide.
Why are the plant leaves turning brown and crispy?
Brown and crispy leaves usually indicate your plant is suffering from a lack of moisture. This can be due to underwatering or too-dry air.
To fix the problem, be sure you are watering your plant deeply, when the top layer of soil is dry and introduce a humidifier to help with dry air.
Too much direct light or too much fertilizer can also cause brown and crispy leaves.
Why are the leaves droopy?
The leaves of Marble Queen Pothos may droop because of overwatering (leading to a soft, mushy stem) or underwatering (causing a limp plant). Observe the soil’s moisture levels, and adjust your watering practices accordingly.
How can I encourage my Marble Queen to grow faster?
To ensure your plant grows fast, you have to provide it adequate conditions:
- Bright, indirect light.
- Preferably above average humidity (60%).
- Proper watering, allowing the soil to dry between watering sessions fully, but watering deeply when the topsoil is dry.
- Feeding monthly during the growing season.
- No drastic changes in temperature.
How can I encourage variegation in my Marble Queen?
Providing enough bright light is essential to encourage variegation in Marble Queen. Place your plant in bright, filtered light for at least 8 hours per day to support variegation.
Remember, variegated plants like the Marble Queen Pothos need higher light levels to compensate for less chlorophyll in their leaves.
How can I encourage my Marble Queen to climb?
Marble Queen Pothos is a natural climber in its native habitat. To encourage it to climb indoors, you can use a plant trellis or moss pole, in addition to providing the rainforest-like conditions discussed in this article.
Alternatively, you can grow Marble Queen as a hanging plant, letting its vines cascade downwards. Preferably hang it near an east-facing window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Marble Queen revert?
Yes, a Marble Queen can revert to its non-variegated form, turning its cream parts to green. This occurs due to a deficiency of sunlight. If you see your plant reverting to green, provide ample bright, shaded light (at least 8 hours a day) to retain its cream variegation.
Can a Marble Queen live in water forever?
Yes, Marble Queen Pothos can live in water forever provided you give it the care it requires.
This includes nourishing it with a hydroponics fertilizer, alongside usual care conditions like adequate light and humidity. However, keep in mind that Marble Queen grows slower and remains smaller when grown in water than in soil.
Do Marble Queens get fenestrations?
No, Marble Queens do not get fenestrations or split leaves. Some varieties of pothos do have cuts and perforations, but this variety is not one of them.
What is the major difference between Marble Queen and Snow Queen pothos?
The main difference between both varieties is the colour of the foliage. Snow Queen has more white colour on its leaves. Because of its increased variegation, the Snow Queen is a slower grower too.
Does Marble Queen Pothos help purify the air?
Also, according to a 1989 NASA study, a benefit of growing Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) indoors is that it purifies the air around it. In particular, it removes small amounts of benzene and formaldehyde.
For the sake of transparency – the air-purifying aspect of these plants is arguably too small to notice a difference if you have just a few plants. We just think it’s a good excuse to buy more! 🙂
What are some of the best Pothos to keep as houseplants?
Great question. Here are 11 pothos to add to your plant collection!
Similar Plants and Varieties
These pothos have similar care conditions, and are all vining plants. The main way to tell them apart is by their leaf color, shape and size.
- Pothos N’Joy – leaves that are green in the middle and white around the edges.
- Manjula Pothos – broad and wavy leaves with marbled green and off-white.
- Neon Pothos – as the name suggests, bold, neon-yellow colored leaves for a pop of color!
- Cebu Blue Pothos – green leaves that appear silvery-blue in the sun, and that transform into a palm-like frond when mature!
- Hawaiian Pothos – larger leaves than most pothos, up to 12inches (30cm) that are variegated green and cream.
Deborah is a plant enthusiast and founder of Gardening Collective.
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