Silver Satin Pothos: An ‘About Me’ Guide With Care & Details
A charming indoor plant for a houseplant lover of any level, the Silver Satin Pothos makes a beautiful splash of greenery to any space. Each leaf is vastly unique with silver and green hues that feature a shimmery sheen. This fast grower is easy to keep alive and requires very little maintenance. The only thing difficult about this plant is its name-- getting technical, this plant is botanically known as Scindapsus Pictus 'Exotica'. Contrary to its common names, the Silver Satin Pothos and Philodendron Silver, it is actually not a true Pothos or Philodendron. While the three may share the same Aroid family, this plant is of the Scindapsus genus.
Names: Silver Satin Pothos, Philodendron Silver, Satin pothos
Origin: Hybrid cultivar, but descends from Southeast Asia
About: With tear or heart-shaped leaves, the Silver Satin Pothos puts out colorful and satin-like foliage. Its soft texture and vining nature add to the aesthetic appeal of this houseplant. Capable of growing 4-8 feet long while indoors, this plant can be a fun addition to your home.
Indoor Care: For sunlight requirements, the Silver Satin Pothos prefers partial shade. With bright to moderate indirect light, this plant will thrive and leaves can grow as large as your hand. Ensuring that this plant has room and ability to vine upwards will also help this plant grow to new heights (literally!). So consider placing a moss pole or trellis in the pot for the stems to climb (it may take some training and time). Another option that many people prefer is to allow the plant to vine along a wall (again with help) or cascade down a piece of furniture.
As for water, allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out before watering again. The Silver Satin Pothos will not tolerate soggy soil, so one of this biggest tips for keeping this plant thriving is to not overdo it with water (when in doubt remember that this plant will recover better from underwater). Too much water will leave the plant vulnerable to root rot and eventual death. If the leaves begin to curl or shrivel (and the top soil is dry), then this is a key indicator that the plant is past due for a proper watering. It’s helpful to give the plant a healthy, full dose of water by supplying until the extra water trickles from the bottom of the pot (assuming it’s in a nursery pot or planter with drainage, which it should be!). Allow the excess water to drain out (perhaps over a sink) and put the plant back while making sure no standing water is left over.
This plant also loves humidity (it is from the rainforest afterall), and providing enough moisture can become important. If the leaves ever show browning or drying out, consider supplementing with extra humidity. You can do so by placing pebble tray filled with water at the bottom of the plant (just make sure there’s no water touching the soil or roots). Shy away from misting this plant with water as it’s velvety leaves sometimes capture too much. When this happens the Silver Satin Pothos becomes vulnerable to bacterial and fungal leaf growth (which can be seen as a mixture of brown & yellow spots). However if your plant does experience this abnormal growth, don’t be too alarmed-- just trim away the affected areas.
During the spring and summer months, the Silver Satin Pothos will appreciate (and need) some fertilizer. Any common houseplant fertilizer found in stores will do. We recommend granular and applying half of the recommended amount about once a month.
And after about a year or two (or when you start to see roots coming out of the bottom pot), you will need to repot your plant to support new growth. That means upsizing a few inches depending on the level of the root system.
Extra Care: You can propagate Silver Satin Pothos easily at home! An added benefit, this can be a dual plant care moment as pruning will help stimulate future plant growth.
To propagate, start by cutting off a longer piece of the vine with at least two nodes (the bumpy protrusions near the intersection of leaf stem and vine). From there, simply place the stem in water, fully submerging the nodes, and roots will grow in a matter of time. Don’t expect a 100% success rate though as some may not be viable-- so it helps it have a few in play at once. Once the roots are a couple of inches in length, you can transfer them into soil. It isn’t necessary to use a rooting hormone, but it may help speed things along and increase that success rate!
Toxicity: Considered mildly toxic when ingested by humans, cats, and dogs. The Scindapsus genus of plants contain calcium oxalates, which can irritate the skin and mouth, and throat.
Interesting Tidbit: The epithet Pictus (in the name Scindapsus Pictus 'Exotica') translates to “painted”-- reflecting how the leaves appear painted.