Epipremnum aureum 'HiColor'

Background of the plant

'HiColor' is a horticultural selection of Epipremnum aureum valued for its strong yellow and yellow-green variegation across broad green leaves.

E. aureum itself is native to Mo‘orea in French Polynesia, where the species grows as a tropical climber.

Care for 'HiColor' pothos

• Light: Give bright indirect light. This supports stronger colour while protecting yellow tissue from direct-sun scorch.
• Watering: Water again when the upper part of the mix has started to dry and the pot feels lighter; let excess water drain away.
• Temperature: Keep it warm and away from cold draughts.
• Humidity: Average room humidity is fine; more consistent humidity can help new leaves open without dry edges.
• Potting mix: Use a chunky, well-drained substrate that does not collapse into a dense, airless mass around the roots.
• Training: For larger leaves, lead a vigorous stem up a textured pole. For a compact plant, cut long vines back above healthy nodes.
• Feeding, repotting and propagation: Feed lightly in active growth and pause or reduce feeding when growth slows in winter. Repot when roots become crowded; node cuttings are straightforward to root.

Troubleshooting 'HiColor'

• Bright yellow areas becoming tan or crisp: Move the plant away from direct midday sun and check whether it is drying too far between waterings.
• Several new leaves lose their yellow marbling: If one vine keeps producing mostly green leaves, the colour pattern on that vine may be reverting. If you want to keep the brighter pattern, cut the vine back to a node that was still producing clear yellow or lime markings.
• General yellowing while the pot stays wet: Reduce watering, improve drainage and inspect the roots if the stem base begins to soften.
• Small scars, black specks or twisted new growth: Check for thrips, isolate an affected plant and use a product labelled for thrips on ornamental houseplants. Repeat only at the interval stated on the label.

Epipremnum aureum ‘HiColor’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

About the name Epipremnum aureum

Epipremnum combines Greek epi, meaning upon, with premnon, meaning tree trunk, referring to the way the vine attaches to a support.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus Epipremnum in 1857 in Bonplandia (Hannover), volume 5, page 45.

Jean Jules Linden and Édouard-François André first described it as Pothos aureus in 1880 in L’Illustration Horticole, volume 27, page 69. George Sydney Bunting later placed it in Epipremnum as Epipremnum aureum in 1964 in Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, volume 50, page 28.