The Pothos is a tropical vine famous for its vigorous, trailing growth, which is the source of its common nickname, “Devil’s Ivy.” While the cascading look is beautiful, this rapid vining habit often results in a “leggy” appearance. This occurs when the stems become long and sparse with leaves concentrated only at the very ends as the plant seeks more light. Intervention is often needed to restore a bushier, more compact form.
Strategic Pruning for Shape and Health
Strategic pruning is the most direct method for managing excessive vine length and encouraging a fuller plant structure. Pruning relies on cutting back to a node, which is the small, slightly raised bump on the stem where a leaf or aerial root emerges. The node contains dormant growth points that will activate after a cut.
Use a sharp, sterile tool, cleaning it with rubbing alcohol to prevent disease transmission. Identify the long, sparse vine sections and make your cut just above a node or a leaf junction. Cutting above this point signals the plant to redirect energy, causing new growth to sprout from the node, often resulting in two new vines instead of one.
This branching encourages the Pothos to become bushier. For severely leggy plants, you can cut the vine back significantly, leaving as little as two nodes on the stem above the soil line for regeneration. While light maintenance trimming can happen year-round, aggressive cuts are best performed during the active growing season, from spring to early fall.
Turning Cuttings Into New Pothos Plants
The vine sections removed during pruning are an excellent resource for propagation, allowing you to multiply your plant collection or fill out the existing pot. Each cutting must have at least one node and one leaf, as the node is the specific site from which new roots will emerge. Use a clean, sharp cut, ensuring any leaves that would be submerged are removed to prevent rotting.
There are two primary methods for rooting these cuttings: water and soil propagation. Water propagation is popular for beginners because it allows visible monitoring of root development, which can begin in one to three weeks. The cuttings are placed in water with the nodes submerged, and the water should be changed every few days to maintain freshness.
The alternative is direct soil propagation, where the cutting is planted immediately into a well-draining potting mix. While roots may take longer to form (typically four to six weeks), the resulting roots are often stronger and better adapted to the soil environment. Water-rooted cuttings should be transferred to soil once the new roots are about two to three inches long to reduce transplant shock.
Creative Ways to Display Long Pothos Vines
If you prefer the extensive length of your Pothos, managing the vines without cutting them back is an option. One effective technique is to train the vines to grow vertically rather than trailing downward. This can be achieved by providing a support structure such as a moss pole or a simple trellis inserted directly into the pot.
Pothos are natural climbers, and their aerial roots will attach to the rough surface of a pole, which can lead to larger, more mature leaves. Alternatively, the long vines can be guided and secured across a wall or shelf using small, removable plant clips or hooks. This method allows the plant to act as living decor, framing windows or following the edge of furniture.
If the plant is placed on a high shelf, the vines can simply be allowed to drape and cascade naturally. They can also be looped back up and draped over the sides of the pot to create a denser, more jungle-like appearance.