Pothos N’Joy is a beautiful variety of Epipremnum Aureum and a cultivar of Marble Queen Pothos. It is sought after for its small leaves that are green in the middle and white around the edges.
Pothos N’Joy is a low-maintenance houseplant and does not ask for a lot in care. As long as it is planted in a well-draining mix, gets adequate sunlight, and is occasionally watered, the plant will thrive in most environments. When cared for well, the vines can grow endlessly long… up to 10 feet (3.3m!)
Here is a comprehensive guide on looking after your N’Joy 🙂 Let’s go!
Table of Contents
How to care for your plant
Light Requirements
The easy-to-grow Pothos N’Joy can adapt to varying light conditions. While it grows best in bright indirect sunlight, it also grows well indoors in lower light conditions. However, the amount of light that your plant receives determines the size of its leaves.
In a sheltered area outdoors, the leaves grow large and can be propagated more quickly. Leaves are smaller indoors, with less defined variegation and slower growth, especially if placed in a shady spot.
If placing your plant indoors, East-facing windows are your best bet. Outdoors is a great option if you have a space that is sheltered from direct sunlight. This is because direct sunlight can cause foliage to scorch.
Water Requirements
The hardy Pothos N’Joy does not need to be watered daily. In fact, Pothos N’Joy is hugely susceptible to overwatering, leading to root rot. This is why it is essential to provide proper drainage for this plant.
Water your plant only when you notice that the top 2 inches (5cm) of soil is dry. At this point, water the plant until you see runoff from the drainage hole, indicating that the soil is thoroughly wet. Empty the saucer so that your plant’s roots are not sitting in a pool of water; this can cause it to wilt and die.
Similarly, underwatering will also lead to the leaves curling and falling off to minimize water loss.
A moisture meter is a fairly inexpensive investment for those who want to be more precise about moisture levels. Though not so crucial for a hardy plant like the Pothos N’Joy, it can be a helpful tool if you have fussy plants in your home.
Humidity
Being a tropical variety, the Pothos N’Joy likes the humidity levels to be between moderate and high. Preferably between 50% and 90% is best. However, the plant is very forgiving and can grow well in climates from 30% humidity.
Therefore, it is only if you live in an arid region that you should worry about the humidity levels of your plant.
In a dry atmosphere, use a humidifier, or place your plant in a terrarium to increase humidity.
Temperature
Like humidity, the temperature is also an easy one for Pothos N’Joy, and you most likely will not have to consider maintaining a particular temperature for it to grow well.
The plant can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, from around 60 – 95 degrees F (15 – 35 degrees C). Since most homes fit into this temperature range, you will not have to make any adjustments.
Growth
Under favorable conditions, this plant can get very tall pretty quickly (up to several feet a year), growing up to 10 feet (3 meters) in length. The plant sprouts aerial roots to climb structures and support its weight as it grows taller.
So it’s a good idea to use an extendable moss pole for this climbing plant, which can help it grow healthy.
The climbing plant may start getting “leggy” if it does not receive adequate sunlight to support growth.
Soil
As we already mentioned, proper drainage is crucial for the health of your Pothos N’Joy. Using a soil mix that is too dense can trap excess water and deteriorate your plant’s roots.
From our experience, we have found that 50% perlite and 50% peat is the best soil mixture for Pothos N’Joy. This potting mix is excellent for many Pothos, striking a good balance between water drainage and water retention properties.
Fertilizer
While fertilizing isn’t absolutely necessary, the Pothos N’Joy can benefit from the occasional nutritional boost.
Apply a gentle houseplant fertilizer, twice a month during spring and summer when the plant is growing. Ensure that the fertilizer is urea-free and nutritionally complete. (We recommend this one.)
You can reduce this frequency to only once a month in autumn and winter.
Repotting
Since Pothos N’Joy is a fast-growing plant, it can quickly get too big for the original pot it was planted in. This condition is known as “rootbound”, where the roots do not have much room to spread.
To check if your Pothos N’Joy needs repotting, look under the pot to see if roots are emerging from the bottom of the drainage hole. If so, gently remove the plant from the old pot and examine the roots for confirmation. If roots are congested, it is time to find your plant a new home in a larger container!
Choosing a pot that is just 2 inches (5cm) larger is best. As a rule of thumb, check if your Pothos needs repotting once every year.
The best time to repot your Pothos N’Joy is during the growing season, coinciding with the spring and summer months. During this time, your plant is best equipped to deal with the stress of settling into a new home.
While repotting your plant, make sure that you use a fresh batch of well-draining soil mix and a pot with drainage holes.
Toxicity
Unfortunately, Pothos are toxic if ingested by humans and animals. This is because Pothos N’Joy contains calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals known as raphides.
These sharp, needle-like crystals are insoluble and can cause significant harm if accidentally eaten.
Propagation through Stem Cuttings
Propagating Pothos N’Joy via stem cutting is a piece of cake. All you need is one healthy plant, some sharp pruning shears, and the container you want to propagate the plant in.
- Choose a healthy stem with several healthy leaves to propagate your plant.
- Use the pruning shears to cut it just below a node.
- Place the cut stem in a container filled with water such that the node is submerged, but the leaves stay above the water. (You can snip off any leaves close to the node that are submerged.)
- In a couple of weeks, your stem cutting will sprout new roots and will be ready to be transplanted into soil.
Alternatively, you can also plant the stem cutting directly in the soil.
When using the water propagation method, ensure that you don’t wait too long to move your stem cutting into the soil once the roots have developed. The longer you put off planting it, the harder it is for your Pothos cutting to adapt to the new growing medium.
(We know some people who place their N’Joys permanently in water, but we don’t recommend this. Usually growing in water results in much slower growth, and less vibrant variegation.)
Pruning
Pruning your Pothos N’Joy will result in a shorter, fuller, more healthy-looking plant. If your plant looks leggy, cut the stems just above the nodes using a pair of pruning shears or a sharp knife. New leaves will start growing from the point you have cut in a few weeks.
Also be sure to remove any damaged or yellow leaves. This allows your plant to focus its energy on new growth.
Phytophthora Root Rot
According to the University of Florida, the most common disease affecting Pothos is the Phytophthora root rot. Like all root rot this is due to overwatering. The infection starts in the roots, and spreads throughout the leaves. Leaves turn brown and black but stems remain green.
The best course of action is to remove all affected parts of the plant. Then, treat the healthy portions with a fungicide.
Other Pests and Diseases
Pests are not usually a big concern with Pothos N’Joy, but it is best to watch out for the occasional mealy bugs, spider mites, and scale. These can be detected upon close inspection of the leaves and stems. If you find any evidence of an infestation, use an insecticidal soap to get rid of these.
For more information on detecting and eradicating spider mites, read this.
A more common problem with Pothos N’Joy is the bacterial wilt disease caused by the bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum. This infection leads to droopy leaves and the stem turning black with zero propagation. It tends to be more rampant in warmer months.
Unfortunately, there are no bactericides that are effective against this wilt disease. You will need to prune off damaged portions, bag these and throw them away. Also, ensure you sanitize and clean all tools and pots to prevent a recurrence of the disease.
Troubleshooting
Why are the leaves turning yellow?
If you are worried about your plant’s leaves turning yellow, assess your watering practices. Yellow leaves for Pothos are usually due to overwatering and dreaded root rot.
But if you are vigilant about how much you water your plant, yellow leaves could be the plant shedding the old leaves to grow new ones. This is a natural and healthy occurrence. Observe if the yellowing is confined to a few older leaves, or if the yellowing is widespread to check.
If neither of these are the problem, then check if your plant is receiving too much sunlight. Direct sunlight is also a cause of yellow leaves.
Why are the leaves turning brown and crispy?
There are several reasons for Pothos N’Joy turning brown. The top 3 reasons are:
- Too much direct sunlight
- Not enough water
- Too much fertiliser
Tackle potential issues in this order. First check if your Pothos is getting too much sunlight. Next check the soil’s moisture levels before assessing if it has been overfed.
Why are the leaves droopy?
It’s confusing we know, but a wilting plant is usually either a sign of overwatering or underwatering. If the leaves are curled and falling off, and the soil looks dry, the plant needs more water. On the other hand, if there is moisture in the soil, ensure your soil mix is suitable and decrease watering frequency.
It could be the case that you are watering your plant adequately, but a poor-draining growing mix means that your plant is still sitting in a pool of water. Try a well-draining mix of 50% peat and 50% perlite.
Why is my Pothos N’Joy growing so slowly?
The slow growth of a Pothos N’Joy plant placed indoors is most commonly because of inadequate sunlight. If you would like to see more rapid growth in your plant, try placing it somewhere where it can get ample amounts of bright but indirect sunlight. You may consider using grow lights in winter months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Pothos N’Joys rare?
While not classified as rare, Pothos N’Joy plants are less readily available at local nurseries. Luckily, it’s easy to propagate them, and you can get multiple plants out of one in no time, given that the conditions are right. To purchase an N’Joy, try online sellers such as Etsy.
Once you’ve started on the Pothos train, read this to learn about our favourite types of Pothos to add to your collection.
Does Pothos N’Joy clean the air?
Pothos N’Joy is especially known for its air-purifying properties. They are very good at removing carbon monoxide from the air and improving air quality. They are also often put in enclosed spaces that have been recently painted due to their ability to remove formaldehyde and benzene toxic fumes from the air.
Are Pothos and same as Philodendrons?
Short answer, no they are not. They both have beautiful varieties but are definitely note the same plant. Here’s how to differentiate between a Philodendron and a Pothos.
Varieties and Similar plants
Pearls and Jade Pothos
Like Pothos N’Joy, Pearls and Jade is another variety of Epipremnum Aureum. These cultivars also share the same parent plant, the Marble Queen. Appearance-wise, the species are highly similar, with climbing vines and variegated, heart-shaped leaves.
However, Pothos N’Joy shows a more distinct darker green vs whiter variegation, whereas Pearls and Jade tends to feature splotches of green, whites and greys in coloured patches.
Marble Queen Pothos
The Marble Queen is the parent plant of Pothos N’Joy. Both are climbing plants and have variegated leaves, but it’s easy to tell the two apart. The Marble Queen sports much bigger leaves (usually about 3 times bigger!) than Pothos N’Joy. In addition to this, the variegation pattern of both species differs as well, with Marble Queen having a speckled appearance with its greens and white variegation, compared to a cleaner brushstroke pattern of N’Joy.
Manjula Pothos
Another look-alike is the Manjula Pothos! The easiest way to tell between the two is their leaf size: The Manjula Pothos has larger leaves than the N’Joy. The former also has a different growth habit, tending to grow bushier than the N’Joy Pothos before eventually vining downwards (if kept in a hanging basket) or climb upwards on a moss pole.
Other Pothos: Neon Pothos
The Neon Pothos is easily recognizable for its long vines and striking bright lime or chartreuse-green leaves. They are an easy-to-care for plant and are a rapid-grower.
Hawaiian Pothos
The Hawaiian Pothos is a large-leafed, variegated pothos that can be hard to find. This epiphyte features beautiful cream, gold, and green striations on its foliage.
Cebu Blue Pothos
My personal favorite 🙂 The Cebu Blue Pothos is a unique vining plant that starts off with silver-blue tinged green leaves when juvenile. They then transform into large palm-like fronds when they mature. This houseplant is prized for iridescent foliage that appears different shades of greenish-blue, silver, and purply-blue in the sunlight.
Can’t get enough Pothos? Read this to learn more about 11 UNIQUE types of Pothos.
Deborah is a plant enthusiast and founder of Gardening Collective.
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