Pothos plants have become very common houseplants in recent years. This is partially because they’re considered to be a good plant for people who aren’t particularly good at taking care of plants.
If you’ve had bad luck and killed several houseplants before, then you might have better luck taking care of a pothos plant. It isn’t as finicky as many other houseplants, and this makes it a good one to help you get used to caring for plants.
Have you heard from some people that pothos are supposed to be capable of flowering? Many people care for pothos plants for years and never see them flower at all.
Do pothos plants flower or is that just misinformation? Keep reading to learn more about pothos plants and whether or not they are capable of flowering.
Pothos Plants Can Indeed Flower
Pothos plants can indeed flower, but they aren’t generally going to flower when you’re caring for them indoors. Most people who keep pothos plants won’t ever see them flower because they need to grow incredibly large to do so.
You see, pothos plants are typically grown indoors and kept as houseplants these days. They only get so big when kept as houseplants, and this means that they will never reach the size requirements that will allow them to flower.
If you plant pothos plants outside, then that is going to be a different story. It’s still going to take some considerable time and effort to get a pothos plant to flower, but it’s going to be possible.
Pothos plants will only flower when you plant them in the ground in good soil. The plant will need to grow to a size of 35 feet or higher before being able to flower.
Most sources say that pothos plants will flower when they are between 35 and 40 feet in length. You’ll need to provide the pothos plant with the ideal conditions and continue to care for it until it reaches the right size.
Otherwise, there isn’t anything that you can do to make the pothos plant flower. It isn’t going to be able to do so in a home environment due to not being able to grow large enough.
Pothos Plants Need Shade Outdoors
If you’re going to get good results when growing pothos plants outdoors, then you’ll need to approach things the right way. It’s imperative to ensure that pothos plants are placed in shade or partial shade.
Direct sunlight is something that can be very bad for your pothos plant. You’re going to need to find a safe spot for the pothos plant outdoors that will allow it to thrive.
It shouldn’t be too difficult to find a spot that offers partial shade in your garden area. If you have nearby trees, then you might be able to utilize those as cover for your pothos plants so that they won’t be exposed to direct sunlight.
Bright indirect sunlight will do a good job of helping the plant to get the energy that it needs. If you can find a suitable location for the pothos plant, then you’ll be doing well.
One of the trickiest parts of caring for pothos plants outdoors will just be figuring out where you want them to be. You also have to consider that your goal is to get the plant to reach a height of 35 feet or higher, and you’ll need to plan accordingly.
Soil
Getting the soil right is imperative as well. Just try to plant the pothos in the ground using nutrient-rich soil that is well-draining.
You don’t want the pothos to become waterlogged, and that’s why it’s sometimes necessary to prepare the soil ahead of time. If you live in an area with heavy soil that has too much clay, then it might be best to work the land a bit and create more suitable soil.
Pothos plants aren’t super picky about soil, but they won’t do as well as they could if the soil is too dense. You can easily create soil that will have the right drainage for a pothos plant to thrive.
If you’re growing other plants outside, then you likely already have good enough soil to get fine results. Plant your pothos plant in a good spot and then continue to take care of it.
Temperature Concerns
You might not want to attempt to grow a pothos plant outside if you don’t live in a warmer climate. Pothos plants are tropical in nature, and they’re going to prefer warmer temperatures.
When you’re growing pothos plants indoors, they’re going to be able to tolerate moderate temperatures. They’re going to like things to be a bit hotter outdoors, though.
If the temperatures in your area are regularly between 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then that will be good for the pothos plant. It isn’t going to want things to get cooler than 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
This means that only certain locations are suitable for growing pothos plants outdoors. Some people leave pothos plants outdoors part of the time and bring them indoors during cold snaps.
However, this wouldn’t be suitable for what you’re trying to accomplish here. The goal is to keep the pothos planted in the ground so that it can reach the right height to flower.
If you don’t live in a suitable climate to grow pothos plants outside, then you might need to give up. It could be possible if you can create a greenhouse environment, but that’s not going to be practical for most people.
Pothos Water Requirements
Watering pothos plants properly is going to be an important part of getting them to grow strong. Outdoor pothos plants are going to need more water than indoor plants.
There isn’t a specific watering schedule that you need to stick to, though. Just keep an eye on the pothos plant and check its soil to see if it has become dry.
You’re supposed to water pothos plants when the top two inches of soil is dry to the touch. If you wish for the pothos plant to thrive, then it’s best to pay attention and check the soil often so that you aren’t going too long without watering the plant.
It’s also notable that pothos plants like humidity due to being tropical in nature. It might be beneficial to mist the leaves from time to time if you don’t think that things are quite humid enough.
If you live in a very humid place, then this might not be necessary at all. It’s just important to mention that the humidity levels should be high for pothos plants to grow as tall as possible.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer might help pothos plants to grow a bit faster than normal, but you can’t go overboard. The best thing to do is to use fertilizer on your pothos plant once per month during the spring and summer.
It’s recommended that you use a general balanced fertilizer to get good results. Take things cautiously and only use half of the recommended dose so that you don’t give the plant too much.
Never fertilize your pothos plant during the winter months. Pothos plants go dormant in the winter and giving the plant fertilizer could lead to you stressing the plant.
So long as you use fertilizer responsibly, it’ll be possible to help your plant to grow tall. It’s still going to take quite some time for pothos plants to get tall enough to flower, but you’ll be doing your best.
Final Thoughts
The only way to get a pothos plant to flower is to plant it in the ground outside. This isn’t going to be possible for everyone due to pothos plants needing the right temperature and humidity levels.
If you live in a region of the world that is hot and humid, then you’ll have an easier time getting pothos plants to do well outside. Pothos plants love temperatures that range from 70 degrees Fahrenheit to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
They don’t like it when temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and that’s why some people have to plant pothos plants in pots if they’re going to care for them. If you live in a place that gets cold during the winter, then you’ll likely never see your pothos plant flower.
However, those who live in the right environment will just need to keep caring for pothos plants outside. If you can care for your plant well, then it might reach the required height of 35 feet at some point in time.
Pothos plants are supposed to flower when they are between 35 feet and 40 feet tall. You’ll just have to do your best to care for the plant and allow it to get that big.
Hopefully, the advice above will help you to care for the plant to the best of your ability. You’ll need to water the plant well and ensure that it isn’t exposed to direct sunlight if you want things to go smoothly.
It can be a bit frustrating having to wait so long to see a pothos plant flower, but it might very well be worth it. At least you know what you have to do now if you want to see your pothos plant reach this state.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.