Am I Cultivating a Pothos or a Philodendron?

These are two very popular houseplants. Both are long vines covered in heart-shaped leaves. Pothos and philodendron are also good plants for hanging baskets. They look so similar that they are often confused. For a citizen of the world who dreams only of greenery and beautification, which one is which is of little importance. But for a novice gardener who discovers that plants have names, common names, and Latin names, being able to correctly identify these plants takes the form of a small challenge. This one will demand you go even further into plant knowledge! Here is the ultimate guide of the difference between a pothos and a philodendron.

Four Names: One Plant!

Simply distinguishing a pothos from a philodendron is a small challenge in itself (one we’ll overcome with great ease!). But the complexity increases a notch when we focus simply on correctly identifying pothos! Indeed, this popular plant has gone by several names throughout its glorious career as the star plant of dimly lit apartments.

Its very first Latin name was indeed Pothos aureus. This name has remained and is evidently persisting as the common and popular name of the plant. Later, it was renamed Scindapsus aureus and even Raphidophora aurea! However, it is the Latin name Epipremnum aureum which is currently accepted.

Just between us, and because it is the common name, we will continue to affectionately call it “pothos”.

A Single Plant Among 600 Possibilities

On the other hand, let’s get to know THE philodendron that is likely to be confused with a pothos. Because, among philodendrons, there are more than 600 different species (622, if we trust the precious site Plants of the World Online)! However, it is one species in particular, Philodendron hederaceum, that looks just like a pothos. And to add to the confusion, in 1775, Philodendron hederaceum already bore the name Pothos hederaceus. What?

But back to our philodendron, commonly called the ivy-leaved philodendron or heartleaf philodendron (P. hederaceum). It does indeed look like a long vine, with heart-shaped leaves. Which is the exact description of a pothos.

So, Am I Growing a Philodendron or a Pothos? First, the Leaves!

With a little observational skills, it’s fairly easy to tell these two plants apart. First, the leaves. Just by touch, you can easily tell that pothos leaves are thicker and waxier. Philodendron leaves are thin and more pliable. But that’s not always the case! The leaves of the ‘Glacier’ pothos (also called ‘Pearls and Jade’) are a bit thinner than those of other pothos varieties.

Although both leaves are heart-shaped, the pothos leaf appears more curled and has a more prominent midrib. The philodendron’s heart-shaped outline also appears sharper than the pothos’s, especially where the leaf attaches to the petiole. Also noticeable is the more pronounced tip of the philodendron’s leaf, called an acuminate tip. This gives the philodendron leaf a more perfect and regular heartshape than the pothos’s.

Then the Leaf Sheath

A leaf sheath? Also called a bract or stipule, it’s a small membrane that develops at the base of the petiole. And it’s one of the most precise ways to differentiate pothos from philodendron. Indeed, the young leaves of philodendrons emerge from this leaf sheath, a sort of envelope that protects the leaf. Eventually, when the leaf has reached full maturity, this sheath falls off naturally.

In pothos , this envelope is completely non-existent. The leaf unrolls on itself at the end of a bare petiole.

We Continue With the Aerial Roots

Being vines that cling to tree trunks to grow, both philodendron and pothos produce small roots that appear along the stem. These are called adventitious roots or aerial roots. These appear precisely at the node, that is, at the point where the leaf attaches to the stem.

In the case of pothos, these adventitious roots are initially short and stubby. They appear as small studs. And there are few of them coming from the same point. In philodendron, the adventitious roots are more numerous and thinner. They also lengthen quicker.

In short, all these clues are enough to untangle these two plants. And in the end, you’ll see that it is quite easy to differentiate them! I would add, from personal observation, that the stems of pothos are often very green, while those of philodendrons take on a reddish tint. I also find that the petiole of the philodendron is perfectly cylindrical while that of the pothos has a small furrow.

Two Easy Plants!

What’s also fascinating about these two little lookalikes is that they’re both extremely easy plants to grow. They make good candidates for beginning gardeners. That said, I’ve noticed that the philodendron is a little less drought-tolerant than the pothos. Also, the pothos seems more tolerant of low light than the philodendron. But, despite this, they’re both still good candidates for those looking for worry-free plants.