Pothos barberianus

Botanical identity and natural origin of Pothos barberianus

Pothos barberianus is native to Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. It grows in wet tropical forest, including lowland forest on clay soils, disturbed forest and ridgetop heath forest known as kerangas.

Caring for Pothos barberianus

• Light: Provide bright filtered light or light shade.
• Temperature and humidity: Keep temperatures around 18–28 °C and avoid prolonged temperatures below 15 °C. Aim for 60–80% humidity with gentle airflow around the leaves and aerial roots.
• Water: Keep the mix evenly moist and let surplus water drain freely. Water again when the top of the mix starts to feel slightly drier.
• Potting mix: Use an aroid mix with coarse material that holds some moisture, drains freely and stays loose around the roots.
• Feeding: Use a dilute balanced foliage fertiliser while new leaves and stems are growing.
• Support: Give the vine a rough vertical surface such as bark, cork or a firmly fixed pole. Guide new stem tips onto the surface so the aerial roots can attach.
• Repotting: Repot when the roots fill the container or the mix compacts. Keep the climbing stem attached to its support during the move.

Problems and solutions for Pothos barberianus

• Small new leaves and stems hanging away from the support: the vine may need direct contact with its support or bright filtered light. Tie the newest stem loosely against the support and place the plant in bright filtered light if new growth remains small.
• Yellowing leaves with soft dark roots: saturated, airless mix can damage the root system. Cut away all rotten roots and stems to firm healthy tissue with a clean tool, discard the rot, and repot the remaining healthy rooted growth in fresh, well-draining aroid mix.
• Dry brown leaf margins: repeated drying of the root ball, very dry air or strong airflow can dehydrate the leaf edges. Keep the root ball evenly moist and provide moderate humidity with gentle airflow.
• Bleached dry patches on exposed leaves: strong direct sun can scorch the foliage. Move the plant into filtered light. Existing patches will remain; healthy new leaves should be deep green.

Pothos barberianus 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.

Who first published Pothos barberianus, and what does the name mean?

The name Pothos traces back to Sinhalese names recorded for Pothos scandens. Barberianus honours Edmund Barber Scott, who collected plants in northern Borneo and on Labuan during the 19th century.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Pothos in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 968.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott first described Pothos barberianus in 1856 in Aroideae, page 24.