Plant care guide
Bigger Pothos Leaves: Climbing Support, Moss Poles, Light
Updated
Why does my Pothos have vertical support leaf size?
Pothos kept as a trailing houseplant stays in its juvenile form, with leaves a few inches long. Given something to climb and enough light, the vine can start producing larger, more mature leaves on the climbing section.
What to do first
Give the plant a moss-covered pole or similar support, attach vines so their nodes and aerial roots touch it, and move it into bright, indirect light. Judge results by new leaves on the climbing stems.
If your pothos leaves have stayed small for years, the plant is not failing. It is growing the way a trailing pothos grows. University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension explains that pothos has very different juvenile and mature foliage, and that only the juvenile phase is usually grown as a houseplant (UW–Madison: Pothos). Climbing is what shifts it toward larger leaves.
Why Trailing Pothos Keeps Small Leaves
In the wild, pothos climbs trees. Wisconsin notes that its leaves grow larger as the vine gets higher in the canopy. Mature leaves can reach about 90 cm (3 ft) long, with holes along the midrib. Clemson HGIC makes the same contrast: indoors, leaves are typically a few inches long and stay whole (HGIC 1568). UF/IFAS notes that leaves on indoor plants seldom exceed about 15 cm (6 in) (UF/IFAS EP151).
NC State Extension sums it up: as a container plant, pothos generally keeps its juvenile leaf shape. If given a support to climb and adequate light, it will begin to produce large, mature leaves (NC State: Epipremnum aureum). Both conditions matter.
Expect a gradual change, not giant leaves at once. Indoor leaves will not reach the size of wild ones.
Choose a Support
Clemson suggests a moss pole or a wooden rod, to imitate the tree trunks pothos wraps around in nature. Penn State Extension describes a moss-covered totem that the vine attaches to with its adhesive aerial roots (Penn State: Pothos as a Houseplant). Wisconsin notes that pothos makes clasping aerial roots from its nodes and internodes as it climbs.
A surface the roots can grip works better than smooth plastic. Moss, coir and rough wood all give the aerial roots something to hold. Our aerial roots guide explains what those brown roots are for.
How to Attach the Vine
- Set the pole first. Push it firmly into the pot, close to the base of the vines. Repot at the same time if the plant needs it.
- Choose healthy vines. Use vines with firm nodes and some leaves near the base.
- Bring the nodes into contact. The aerial roots grow from the nodes, so lay the vine against the pole with the nodes touching it.
- Tie loosely. Use soft plant ties or twine below the nodes. Do not pinch the stem.
- Train new growth upward. As the tip grows, tie it in so it keeps climbing, rather than arching back down.
- Check the ties as it grows. Loosen or move ties before they cut into thickening stems, and add a taller support when the vine reaches the top.
Long trailing vines can be shortened first. Our leggy pothos guide covers where to cut.
Light Pays for Larger Leaves
A pole in a dim corner gives you an upright vine with small leaves. UF/IFAS says light as low as about 540 lux (50 foot-candles) produces small new leaves, while around 1,600 lux (150 foot-candles) or more maintains leaf size and colour. Clemson recommends bright, indirect light. Keep the plant out of harsh direct sun; see our pothos sunburn guide if leaves bleach after a move.
Start With Bigger Cuttings
UF/IFAS describes how growers get larger-leaved plants for totems. Stock plants are grown on a pole, and tip cuttings are taken from them. At home, a tip cutting from a vine that is already climbing carries that larger growth with it. Root it and plant it at the base of the pole.
What to Expect
- New leaves on the climbing section are the ones that change. Older trailing leaves stay their size.
- Clemson notes that some varieties may develop ornamental holes when climbing, depending on the variety.
- Keep the rest of the care steady: let the mix dry between waterings, and fertilize every other month outside winter, as NC State suggests.
The same principle applies to monstera; our moss pole article covers it in more depth. For general care, see the pothos hub.
References
- NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Epipremnum aureum
- Clemson HGIC 1568: How to Grow Pothos Indoors
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension: Pothos, Epipremnum aureum
- Penn State Extension: Pothos as a Houseplant
- UF/IFAS EP151: Cultural Guidelines for Commercial Production of Interiorscape Epipremnum
How this guide was put together: NC State Extension, Clemson HGIC, University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Penn State Extension and UF/IFAS guidance.