Neon Pothos Plant Summary

The Neon Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), sometimes called the lime green pothos is a vibrant, lime-colored plant that can be used in terrariums and paludariums. This species of plant gives you a fantastic ability to add a splash of eye popping green into your enclosure. This species of Pothos grows up trees or whatever it can cling to and climbs high to try and reach more sunlight. Overall this is an incredibly hardy plant and does well in a multitude of environments. This article will cover Neon Pothos care in a paludarium or terrarium, and I will provide personal experiences with keeping this plant.

Neon Pothos Light Requirements

In a terrarium or paludarium, the Neon Pothos plant does well in medium to bright lighting. The plant naturally stems up and will climb up surfaces it can attach to. I started to grow mine in a shadier part of my paludarium and it quickly grew up and keeps climbing up my cork bark walls. Trimming and directing this plant’s growth is fairly easy. In low light, the leaves may be smaller and paler. Keep an eye out for that and make sure your plant gets enough light. I currently have this plant growing incredibly well under a NICREW RGB Plus Aquarium Light. The light does a great job bringing out colors in the Pothos and more importantly provides plenty for photosynthesis.

Watering & Humidity

Neon Pothos only needs enough water to moisten the soil. This species is quite resilient and will tolerate wet soils, but over time it may cause harm to it. Yellowing and wilting leaves may be witnessed due to overwatering of this plant. From personal experience, I rarely have to water Pothos in my paludarium because my humidity sits between 60% and 80%. There is enough moisture in the environment to keep this plant happy. I occasionally mist the paludarium but Neon Pothos is quite tolerant if you miss a watering.

On the other hand, I have kept Neon Pothos in a pot outside of my paludarium. The plants out of the paludarium required watering at least once a week. Without watering, I began seeing the leaves droop down and shrivel up. This is partly because my home’s humidity is not nearly as high as the paludarium. Keep a close eye on your plant. Different room temperatures, lighting, environments, and other factors may force you to water this plant more often. Drooping leaves and stems are clear indicators that this plant needs more water.

Neon Pothos Temperature Requirements

Neon Pothos are quite versatile in regards to temperature. They do great in temperatures between 70° and 90° Fahrenheit. They will temporarily tolerate temperatures in the lower 60s but it’s best to keep them warm to maximize growth and health. Luckily, most houses will hit this plant’s temperature range requirements. This is a fairly hardy plant in regards to temperature and is quite forgiving.

Soil and Substrate for Pothos

The Neon Pothos is an epiphytic vine. In the wild, it is often found high up in trees. This detail can already help determine what type of substrate Neon Pothos will need. Water flows down trees due to gravity which means that Neon Pothos will rarely sit in the soggy substrate. Also, because they grow in trees, there may be a lack of soil altogether. The best soil and/or substrate for Neon Pothos will drain well, retain water, and provide aeration for the roots. I have personally had great luck with Zoo Med Eco Earth substrate but other fibrous substrates should work perfectly fine. You can even consider ReptiChip Compressed Coconut Chip Substrate.

Fibrous substrates should drain water fairly well and their size will also help keep the roots aerated. You can help retain water around your Neon Pothos by adding mosses around the base of this plant. Placing Zoo Med’s New Zealand Sphagnum Moss around your Pothos will help provide water retention for this plant. The moss will slowly grow around and spread around the pothos and give a more natural look.

Extra Information about Neon Pothos

Is Pothos Toxic?

Neon Pothos is dangerous to humans and pets if consumed. Keep this plant out of reach of children and be sure your pet does not consume this species of plant. They are safe to touch but may irritate the skin when propagating or pruning. I would suggest wearing gloves when working with this plant.

Can Pothos be submerged in water?

Pothos should not be fully submerged in water. They are a terrestrial plant species and struggle fully submerged because they need to exchange oxygen from the air. However, there are two ways pothos will do well around water. First, and in my opinion, the best way to grow pothos in water, is to only submerge part of the stem. Doing this will allow your pothos to root into the water but keep their leaves above the water’s surface. The pothos will release large, long roots into your water and provide hiding spaces for your fish.

You can submerge pothos in water but some leaves will need to be above the water’s surface to exchange gasses with the air. It will not do well fully submerged but a good portion can be underwater. If you’re looking for plants that are fully aquatic check out 5 Great Aquarium Plants for Low light Aquariums.

Final Notes

Neon Pothos and most other Pothos species are fantastic plants for paludariums and terrariums. They come in many different variations, like the Jade or Golden Pothos, each with their own colorations and appearance. Although harder to find, variegated neon pothos can also be found from time to time. Be mindful that when consumed, this plant can be dangerous but otherwise it is incredibly safe and removes toxins from the air.