Leggy Pothos: Why Vines Go Bare and Where to Prune

A pothos with long, bare vines and a few leaves at the ends is not dying. It is doing what pothos does, often in light that is too dim. NC State Extension notes that older pothos leaves yellow and fall over time, so most leaves end up at the end of the stems (NC State: Epipremnum aureum). Its advice is simple: prune stems back to keep a bushy habit. Pruning works best once the light is right.

Is It Leggy, Stretched or Both?

Check the vine itself.

• Bare base, normal spacing. Leaves have dropped from the older part of the vine, but the gaps between leaves near the tip look normal. That is natural ageing. University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says older leaves yellow and drop naturally (UW–Madison: Pothos).
• Long gaps and small leaves. New growth is thin, with wide spaces between leaves, and leans toward the window. This stretch, sometimes called etiolation, is a light problem. Iowa State Extension says the typical cause of spindly growth is low light (Iowa State: Diagnosing Houseplant Problems). University of Maryland Extension describes indoor plants stretching for more light (UMD: Indoor Plant Problems Caused by Nonliving Factors).
• Both. Common on a pothos kept in a dim corner for a long time.

Fix the Light First

Pruning a stretched pothos in the same dark spot gives you another stretched vine. NC State says pothos prefers bright, indirect light and survives long periods in low light. Surviving is not the same as growing compactly.

UF/IFAS gives a useful guide for indoor pothos. It tolerates light as low as about 540 lux (50 foot-candles), but new leaves will be small. Around 1,600 lux (150 foot-candles) or more maintains leaf size and colour (UF/IFAS EP151). A light meter app gives a rough reading.

• Move the plant closer to a bright window, out of direct afternoon sun. Penn State Extension notes that direct sun can yellow pothos leaves (Penn State: Pothos as a Houseplant).
• Iowa State advises moving plants into brighter conditions gradually over several weeks, to avoid scorch.
• Penn State suggests turning the pot weekly, because pothos leaves grow toward the light.
• In a dark room, a grow light can fill the gap. See our grow lights guide.

Where to Cut

1. Use clean, sharp scissors or pruners. Penn State recommends sharp scissors. Wipe the blades clean between plants.
2. Find a node. Nodes are the joints where a leaf meets the vine, often with a small brown aerial root.
3. Cut just above a node. Penn State says you can trim a vine just above a node at any point along its length. New growth comes from the node below the cut.
4. Remove whole bare vines if needed. Penn State notes you can remove an entire stem, leaving a stub of about 5 cm (2 in). Wisconsin says a pothos can be cut back to about 5 cm (2 in) from the soil line if necessary.
5. Prune selectively. Wisconsin advises selective pruning to keep vines a reasonable length and promote new growth. Cutting a few vines at different lengths keeps the plant looking full while it recovers.

Do not expect leaves to regrow along a bare section of vine. New shoots come from the nodes nearest the cut.

Replant the Cuttings

The cut tips are your best tool for a fuller pot. NC State notes that pothos vines root easily in water. Wisconsin says it is best to plant several rooted cuttings together in a single pot. Each cutting needs at least one node, as Clemson HGIC notes (HGIC 1568).

Root them, then tuck them into the soil around the base of the parent plant. Our pothos propagation guide covers the steps.

Keep It Full

• Pinch or trim vine tips regularly, before they run bare.
• Keep the plant in bright, indirect light.
• Let the mix dry between waterings, as Clemson advises. Lost lower leaves can also follow watering trouble; see pothos yellow leaves.
• To grow larger leaves instead, give the vine something to climb. See our vertical support and leaf size guide.

For general care, see the pothos hub.

References

• NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Epipremnum aureum
• Penn State Extension: Pothos as a Houseplant
• University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension: Pothos, Epipremnum aureum
• Iowa State University Extension: Diagnosing Houseplant Problems — Improper Environmental Conditions
• University of Maryland Extension: Indoor Plant Problems Caused by Nonliving Factors
• UF/IFAS EP151: Cultural Guidelines for Commercial Production of Interiorscape Epipremnum
• Clemson HGIC 1568: How to Grow Pothos Indoors