Epipremnum aureum 'Neon' ('Neon Pothos', 'Golden Pothos')

Epipremnum aureum 'Neon' ('Neon Pothos', 'Golden Pothos')

Epipremnum aureum 'Neon' is a bright chartreuse pothos with glossy heart-shaped leaves and flexible vining stems. New leaves often emerge in a vivid yellow-green tone before settling into a clearer lime-green colour across the vine.

This cultivar has the same climbing aroid structure as Epipremnum aureum: nodes, aerial roots, and long stems that can trail from a pot or climb when given support. Indoors it usually keeps juvenile leaves, with an even, smooth leaf surface and solid chartreuse foliage.

As a selection of Epipremnum aureum, it belongs to a wet-tropical climbing species from Mo‘orea in the Society Islands, where aerial roots anchor the stems to humid forest surfaces.

Chartreuse pothos features

• Solid chartreuse to lime-green foliage with glossy heart-shaped leaves.
• Trailing or climbing vine growth from node-based stems.
• Fresh yellow-green new leaves that mature to a brighter green tone.
• Easy shaping through pruning and rooting stem cuttings.
• Warmth and bright indirect light help reduce stretched growth on the vine.

Bright leaves on a self-clinging vine

'Neon' is an evergreen self-clinging climber, with slender stems that can lengthen strongly if left unpruned. The leaves are oval to heart-shaped at the base and stay glossy in indoor culture. When grown on a support, the aerial roots can attach and the plant may produce larger leaves as the stems mature.

Yellowing, dullness, stretched stems, or soft growth usually point to changes in moisture, light, temperature, or root health. Regular pruning keeps the vine fuller and prevents long bare sections from forming.

Care for clear lime-green growth

• Light: Give bright indirect light to reduce stretched vine growth. Gentle morning or late-day sun may be tolerated after acclimation.
• Water: Water when the upper 20–30% of the mix has dried. The plant grows strongly in warm months, but the roots still need air between waterings.
• Substrate: Use a loose aroid mix with bark, perlite, coco chips, or pumice. Good drainage keeps the root system active and reduces soft-stem risk.
• Temperature: Keep between 18–28 °C. Protect from cold draughts and cold wet windowsills in winter.
• Humidity: Average indoor humidity is usually fine. Higher humidity helps new leaves expand more smoothly on climbing stems.
• Feeding: Feed lightly during active growth. Strong new vine extension responds better to regular low doses than occasional heavy feeding.
• Pruning and propagation: Cut above a node to shape the vine. Root healthy stem cuttings in water or a light propagation mix before potting them on.

Colour, stem, and root checks

• Dull or stretched growth: Move gradually into brighter indirect light and prune long sections to encourage fresh shoots.
• Yellow leaves with wet soil: Check drainage, pot size, and root condition. Let the mix dry further before watering again.
• Brown edges: Review watering gaps, dry heat, fertiliser concentration, and direct sun exposure.
• Soft lower stems: Inspect the base and roots for rot. Remove affected sections and reroot healthy vine tips if needed.
• Sticky residue or speckling: Check for scale, mealybugs, thrips, or mites along stems and leaf undersides.

Safety for this bright pothos

Epipremnum aureum 'Neon' contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. It is toxic if chewed by pets and can irritate the mouth, lips, tongue, and throat, so keep leaves and cuttings out of reach.

Botanical name and cultivar name

Epipremnum comes from Greek roots meaning “upon” and “trunk.” Aureum means “golden,” referring to the yellow-gold markings of the classic plant.