29 Must Know Pearls and Jade Pothos Care Tips

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Pearls and Jade Pothos is a tropical plant with unique features that make an excellent addition to any plant lover’s collection.

By the time you’ve finished this post, you’ll know how to easily grow the Pearls and Jade Pothos.

And if you’re here to buy one for yourself, we’ll include a few options for doing that.

What Is The Pearls and Jade Pothos?

The Pearls and Jade Pothos is also known as P&J Pothos, Pothos Pearls and Jade, and E. Aureum Pearls and Jade.

This perennial from the Araceae family is well-known for its captivating variegation. It has heart-shaped leaves with a fascinating smattering of forest green and ivory, green, and muted green blotches.

Generally, Pearls and Jade is a smaller variety of Pothos, but it is still often confused with Marble Queen and pothos cultivars Manjula and Njoy. It’s primarily because of their showy variegation that they look very similar.

The main difference probably among these beauties would be the size of the foliage. Marble Queen and Manjula have bigger leaves compared to P&J. The Manjula has a more defined heart shape with more white/ivory areas in its leaves. The Marble Queen has more splashes and speckles and even stripes of green and ivory. As for the Njoy, it has the same blotchy discoloration as, but with fewer speckles. The transition from white/ivory to green is smoother.

Most of this post is about growing Pearls and Jade Pothos indoors, but you can absolutely grow them outside in hardiness zones 9 through 12.

Origin And Family

P&J Pothos originates from the Epipremnum genus, part of the Araceae family. The forests of French Polynesia are home to all pothos plants, and it has since become naturalized in the forest floors of Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands.

Thanks to the University of Florida for inducing mutations in four Marble Queen Pothos, this wonderful new addition to the pothos family has been dominating nurseries and indoor gardens since 2008.

Where To Buy

A plant nursery is a good place to buy Pothos plants, but I prefer buying most of my indoor plants on Etsy these days. It’s convenient and simple to complete your purchase. What’s more, when you buy from Etsy, most growers package the plant so that it travels well, which is a nice perk. Be sure to read reviews of buyers before buying, though.

The pricing of Pearls and Jade Pothos ranges between $15 for small plants to $30 for larger or more mature plants.

Pearls and Jade Pothos Plant Size

The Pearls and Jade Pothos as a houseplant reaches a height of 6-10 feet and a width of 3-6 feet. It typically grows slow to moderate. Place it near a north-facing window for optimum plant development.

Pearls and Jade Pothos Care Needs

With their captivating variegation, your Pearls and Jade Pothos will flourish if you take good care of them. The main things to consider for this beauty are high humidity and moderately moist soil.

You should water this Pothos when the soil’s top inch or two is dry. You can use your finger to gauge this. Be sure to water thoroughly, allowing the water to drip from the pot’s drainage holes (which you should have).

For lighting, bright indirect light is your best option, but this Pothos is pretty hardy and can usually live in more or less light.

But those are just the basics. Read on to make your Pearls and Jade healthy and happy.

Care Difficulty

With their light, water, and humidity needs, the Pothos Pearls and Jade is typically considered easy to care for. The biggest factors are the soil quality, the amount of light, and the humidity.

Repotted my pearls and Jade pothos in this lil dude pic.twitter.com/I4Is5cEkd1

— CHASE BLISS MOOD PRIDE FLAG (@HYENABLOOD) May 20, 2022

Growth Rate

Most Epipremnum species, including the Pearls and Jade, are known to grow at a slow-to-moderate pace.

The E. Aureum Pearls and Jade reaches a height of 6-10 feet when you grow it indoors. The spring and summer mark its growing season.

Potting

Epipremnum plants, in general, prefer a well-draining pot. For your P&J Pothos, a medium-sized plastic, terracotta, or clay pot is recommended for your P&J Pothos. It also looks incredible high up on a shelf or in a hanging basket from the ceiling because of its trailing nature. You can also support its climbing habit with a moss pole.

But whatever you choose for the Pearls and Jade Pothos, please, at a minimum, make sure there are a couple drainage holes. Overwatering is a common killer of houseplants, and you might overdo it if you don’t have holes.

Repotting

You’ll want to repot your Pearls and Jade Pothos when you start seeing the lowest roots pressing through the drainage holes (this is another reason to have a pot with holes!).

You can expect this to happen every 2-3 years or so. When you transplant, you can go to a slightly larger pot, but please be sure that you swap out the soil. New soil means your Pothos will have access to nutrients in its new soil.

Soil

The Pearls and Jade Pothos don’t need anything fancy for soil, and a regular commercial potting mix or soil is fine for this beauty.

You can even make your own mix, using a mix of perlite, peat, pumice, or sand. The goal of this mix is to have a well-aerated growing medium. This Pothos like relatively moist soil, but it doesn’t want to be drenched.

Here are some options we recommend:

pH

For the E. Aureum Pearls and Jade, you’ll need neutral to acidic soil with around 6.1-6.5 pH. If you use a standard potting mix or soil, I wouldn’t worry much about your pH levels.

If you think pH is to blame, start with a pH test or pH meter online.Raising pH in your soil can be done with a lime option, baking soda, or even wood ash. Sulfur and aluminum sulfate are options you can use to lower your pH levels.

But for this plant, simply refreshing the soil is likely the best option to get a neutral pH.

Water

The amount you water will depend on several factors, like your humidity and the temperature of your home. This Pothos wants a drink when the top 1-2 inches of topsoil feel dry (use your finger to check this). You should expect to water about once or twice a week and adjust as needed for your environment.

I know we’ve said it a lot already, but please don’t overwater your Pothos! If you have drainage holes (and you should), water thoroughly, allowing it to drip from the bottom of the pot. Leave your plant alone once it’s running through the bottom until it needs another drink.

Also, don’t water the foliage directly. Instead, water the soil beneath the stem. That said, if you are having fungus gnats problems from the moist topsoil, check out some solutions below for how to combat these pests.

Light

This Pothos prefers bright indirect light for approximately 6-8 hours a day, but it can typically survive in more light, assuming the area is not too warm. Too much light, however, and its leaves will scorch. Too little light and it may lose its variegation.

If you’re worried that your Pearls and Jade Pothos aren’t getting enough light, try moving them closer to a window or think about using artificial lights.

Pothos are some of the most versatile plants to care for as they are known to survive low light conditions and partial shade, but not for long periods.

Fertilizer

Indoor growers are known for committing one of two cardinal sins when fertilizing – over and under-doing it.

The good news is that your commercial potting soil already has the necessary nourishment your Pearls and Jade Pothos need. But over time, it will need you to supplement the soil as your plant feeds.

The P&J isn’t a heavy feeder and doesn’t need much fertilizer. Still, you should fertilize once a month in the spring and summer months with a balanced liquid fertilizer – no need to apply any fertilizer during the fall or winter.

I also recommend diluting your fertilizer a bit with water.

Propagating Pearls and Jade Pothos

Propagating most Pothos is easy in both the soil and water. Here are the ins and out of propagating this beautiful plant.

repotted a pearls and jade pothos today ✨️ pic.twitter.com/Ha3E0coZAC

— 첼⁷ ᵖʳᵒᵒᶠ (@taetanniex) April 3, 2022

Stem Cuttings In Soil

An easy way to propagate your P&J Pothos is to plant stem cuttings right in the soil. I recommend doing this in the early spring, but that’s not a requirement.

1. Cut. Find a healthy part of your plant with new growth and cut off a piece that is at least three inches long and has a leaf node. Make sure you’re using scissors that have been thoroughly cleaned.

2. Plant. Put the cutting in moist soil and bury the nodes. Then, gently pack the dirt around the stem to keep the cutting from falling.

3. Maintain. Wet the soil often to help the roots grow faster. Keep the plant in bright, indirect sunlight near a window.

4. Wait. You can expect to see new buds on the top leaves in two to three weeks, and this means that your cutting has now taken hold.

Stem Cuttings In Water

Propagating in water is highly recommended for this Pothos (and most Pothos, really).

Start by cutting a healthy clipping from the mother plant. You want a plant section with a few leaves and at least a single node. Make sure you’re using clean scissors or shears.

In a simple glass cup of water, place your cutting so that the leaves are above the water and the node(s) are below the water.

Place your cutting in a well-lit area that has decent ventilation. If you’re worried about your ventilation, place an oscillating fan nearby.

As the cutting grows, the water level will drop. Refill your cup every few days. And clean out the cup if you notice that it’s getting grimy.

After about three weeks or so, you should see roots growing from the nodes. At this point, you should transplant to soil.

I wouldn’t wait too much longer than three weeks, as longer roots may not adjust as quickly to the transplant.

Humidity And Aeration

Pearls and Jade Pothos is a luxurious perennial that prefers high humidity– often between 50%-70%.

Brown edges can signify that you aren’t giving your Pothos enough humidity. There are a few ways to fix this:

Placing a humidifier nearby is the best option

Use a pebble tray

Huddle multiple houseplants in a single area

Mist your plants (be careful – doing this too much could create a breeding ground for fungus)

The best of these options is to just get a humidifier.

Temperature

The E. Aureum Pearls and Jade plant wants to be in moderately warm temperatures. The ideal temperature range is between 60-85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Keep all of your houseplants away from cold or hot drafts – coming from windows, air conditioners, heaters, etc. This Pothos wants things to be consistent.

Toxic

Unfortunately, the Pothos Pearls and Jade is toxic to humans, cats, and dogs, as it contains calcium oxalate.

Injecting it can cause swelling, pain, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and redness.

Fortunately, consuming this is usually considered non-life-threatening.

Pests, Diseases, And Other Problems

While the Pearls and Jade Pothos is pretty resistant to most diseases and pests, you may still have issues from time to time.

Check out common issues with this Pothos – and options for fixing them.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are most commonly identified by their webbing between stems and the brownish-yellow patches they leave behind.

If you think your Pothos is affected by spider mites, start bringing your plant to the kitchen sink. Wash off the leaves thoroughly, and then treat the stems with rubbing alcohol or a horticultural oil

Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats are tiny bugs that eat dead things in the soil, and their larvae will eat the roots of your P&J Pothos, which is where the trouble starts.

Fungus gnat larvae die when they touch hydrogen peroxide, so this is a quick and easy way to get rid of these pests. For your household insecticidal mix, take one part hydrogen peroxide with four parts water. Mix together and spray your plants and soil.

You could also put bowls of water and cider vinegar near your plant to get adult gnats to drown. Also, they are especially drawn to the color yellow. Put sticky yellow cards on wooden skewers and stick them on the ground.

Aphids

Aphids are commonly thought of as outside pests, but they can easily infect indoor plants. These small pests can eat leaves, leaving patches of brown and black on your Pothos.

Like most pests here, neem oil (diluted) or an insecticidal soap is your best option. Some people use a water and dish detergent mix (one gallon of water with one TSP of unscented dish soap)

When treating the plant, make sure you get the underside of the leaves, which is where those nasty aphids like to hide.

Alsooo came home yesterday to free plant cuttings that Kristi’s mom sent home with her! 😍😍😍 The pearls and Jade Pothos is so pretty! pic.twitter.com/ib94SiItAQ

— 🥟 J.J 🥟 (@JLeigh1780) June 11, 2022

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are terrible this year, and they could infest your E. Aureum Pearls and Jade. When you find mealybugs (they look like white fluff on your plants), you must act fast.

Take a cotton ball, dip it in rubbing alcohol, and rub it over the leaves and stems. Remove all the mealybugs you see.

The next step is to ensure you didn’t miss any of them. A neem oil and water mix sprayed on the plants once a month can keep the infestation from returning.

Like most of the pests mentioned in this post, you may need to quarantine your plant if it’s infected. You don’t want the mealybugs migrating to the rest of your home.

Brown Leaf Tips

Low humidity, underwatering, root injury, and soil compaction can create brown leaf tips on your P&J Pothos.

You may need to flush away excess minerals, salts, fertilizers, and chemicals in the soil from time to time by allowing water to run through for a few minutes. You shouldn’t have to worry about drowning your plant’s roots if you use a fast-draining substrate and a container with drainage holes.

Yellow Leaves

Several conditions might cause the leaves of Pothos Pearls and Jade to turn yellow.

Too much or too little water can cause this, but it can also mean not receiving enough sunlight.

Remove the yellow leaves to promote new growth.

Root Rot

I promise this is the last time I’ll talk about overwatering in this post, but seriously don’t do it. Overwatering can (and will) cause root rot, which is a disease that is difficult to recover from.

Prevention is key here. Have at least one drainage hole, and use our watering section above to properly hydrate your Pothos.

You should also have a well-draining growing medium, allowing the water to flush through the mix quickly, protecting it from disease and fungus.

Similar Plants

Love P&J Pothos? Here are some other pothos varieties you should try:

Marble Queen Pothos: – With its swirls of green, cream, and white variegation, this royal-looking plant is a superb addition to any indoor garden. It’s a lovely ornamental item that will brighten up any room.

Manjula Pothos: – This plant’s distinct appearance and feel are all you need to liven up your day, whether you use it as a centerpiece or place it in a hanging planter.

Satin Pothos: – Another great plant to have is this beautifully variegated plant. Its dark green foliage with silvery markings make it one of the favorite indoor plants for accent pieces.

Neon Pothos: – We all need a little neon now and then, and this lovely plant is one that “brings it.” It’s so appealing that you can’t help but run to the nearest nursery to get this popular houseplant.

Conclusion

Pearls and Jade Pothos are a fantastic option for indoor growers with its captivating variegation. It’s slightly different than a typical golden pothos, it’s easy to care for, and you can grow it in most light environments.

Call all P&J Pothos growers! We want to see it! Please submit photos to [email protected] so that we can share them on our blog.

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