If you have ever had a houseplant, then chances are you have also had the pothos plant. The pothos have many characteristics besides being manageable and beautiful to look at. In fact, the Snow Queen Pothos make for a great inclusion in any type of arrangement.
The plant is strong and lives evergreen for a long time. Plus, it is a great type to get started with if you are just starting out with plants.
The snow queen pothos make a great addition as a table plant as well as for hanging. If you want, the plant can even be taught how to climb poles and a trellis.
When you provide an adequate amount of care to your pothos, they will be able to provide you with great health benefits such as detoxifying the air.
Because of this ability to purify the air, it goes without saying that this is a great reason to love the snow queen potho. With lush, green and white leaves, they incorporate a heart shape that spills out love.
Being a versatile plant allows the potho to be an outdoor or indoor plant that easily thrives in a warm climate that does not get below freezing.
Origin/Varieties Plant Characteristics
The origin of the snow queen pothos plant comes from warm tropical climates. It’s a fast grower that can quickly reach up to 6 feet in length.
The snow queen pothos plant is known for its beautiful variegated leaves that have shades of green, white, and yellow. The plant is also known for being easy to care for and being tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions.
The pothos plant means ‘wicked’ in Greek. The name was given to the plant because of its ability to quickly overgrow other plants in the garden. The snow queen pothos is a climbing plant and will often wrap itself around trees or any other object it can find to support its growth.
In its natural habitat, the snow queen pothos is an epiphyte plant. This means that it grows on other plants or objects instead of in the ground. The snow queen pothos has aerial roots that it uses to anchor itself to its support.
The snow queen is a member of the Araceae family which also includes philodendrons, alocasias, and anthuriums. This plant is sometimes also known as the silver pothos, Ceylon creeper, or hunter’s robe.
The snow queen plant’s leaves are variable in shape and can be either heart-shaped or oval. The leaves are also variegated with shades of green, yellow, and white. Having white and green mixed provides an appearance that seems marbleized and glossy.
A lot of times, confusion may occur between the snow queen and marble queen. This is due to their similar appearance. Despite their similarity, they do have a difference and that is the green leaves of the snow queen are lighter and it includes more of a white color.
Overview of Plant Care Requirements
The snow queen potho requires the same amount of care as other varieties of pothos. This makes it a great plant to have. Below are some of the requirements needed for your potho to remain thriving and as healthy as possible.
Light Requirements
Lighting for these plants should consist of sunlight that is partially shaded and indirect. You will find that the pothis will do very well in areas that are only partially sunny or no sun at all. The amount of time in the sun needed for your pothos to thrive is only around 4 hours. However, they will do ok with less.
When you leave your snow queen in a low sun area, then you may begin to notice a fading in its color. To keep your pothos looking its best, give it a location with bright, indirect sunlight.
Watering Requirements
As far as watering your snow queen potho is concerned, it is a good idea to have them remain as dry as possible. In fact, the potho prefers that the soil remain dry prior to watering it again.
You can check that the soil is dry by sticking your finger about two inches into the soil. If it feels dry, then it is time to water your plant.
When you do water your potho, make sure that you use room temperature water and allow the excess to drain out. Your plant should never be sitting in water or you risk root rot.
When the winter months roll around, you can allow it to become completely dry prior to giving it water. You will know that it is time to provide water by observing the leaves droop and become soft. It is also a good idea that their pot has a water drain so that they don’t get stuck with too much water at their roots.
Plant Soil Requirements
The soil requirements for the snow queen is straightforward and simple. They will thrive in any soil that can drain fast and is of high-quality. If the soil is too wet, then your snow queen may develop root rot, so ensure that it drains sufficiently.
Your soil pH should be at least 6.1 but not more than 6.5. You may finds excellent results using these pH levels.
Location and Temperature Needs
As we see with all other potho varieties, the snow queen likes to have a warm temperature indoors that remains close to 80-85 degrees F and a night temperature of around 65 F. Specifically, this climate type will be found in the southern more humid states or throughout Mexico and Asia.
Although they are able to handle hot climates, you need to ensure that they are not in direct sunlight. The snow queen potho also makes a great covering on the ground and is able to cover a huge amount of space with very little care and without any effort on your part.
Besides a warm climate, snow queen pothos can also thrive in climates that are cool. However, the snow queen will die as soon as cold or frost starts to sets in.
Special Requirements for Humidity and Fertilizer
Snow Queen Pothos and Humidity
Due to the tropical nature of the pothos, the amount of humidity should be considered. It is important to understand that they will do very well in conditions that are also mid-humid.
You can accomplish this by misting yours if your natural climate is not humid. If misting is accomplished, you need to ensure that it is not too much so that your pothos does not develop a fungus.
An optimal amount of humidity for your pothos should be no more than 75% and at least 50%.
Snow Queen Pothos and Fertilizer
You will love the fact that your pothos may not need much fertilizer. It is believed by many that the snow queen pothos may not even require fertilizing.
This is another reason why they make great house plants as the care they need is very minimal. If time is limited for you to care for your pothos, then you can add fertilizer twice a month and not worry about it.
Additional Tips For Success
Water Type for Snow Queen Pothos
It is important to take water type into consideration for your snow queen. The main concern should be the chlorine that is in most domestic water sources. Although a little bit of chlorine will not be a problem for pothos, as time goes by, the chlorine amount will increase and eventually cause the leaves pores to become clogged.
In order for issues to be avoided, it is best to utilize water that is sterile or rainwater, to ensure there are no chemicals. If using tap water is unavoidable, then it should be used sparingly until a more suitable source is found.
Your Plants Growth
The snow queen also grows at a slower rate, which can be explained by the huge amount of white color. Because of the white color, the plant lacks chlorophyll and thus is not able to grow as fast. Due to the decreased amount of chlorophyll to grow, the snow queen makes an ideal house plant.
Despite their slow growth, the snow queen is also capable of growing vines and producing leaves that are heart-shaped. Being vines enables them to also grow upward on trees and anything near them.
If you have surfaces such as a wall or poles in your yard, your snow queen can be trained to grow up and around them. The snow queen is also capable of forming a multitude of vines that can hang from pots.
By providing complete care to your snow queen, you will eventually see it become more than 10 feet in length and with a huge amount of bush to it. Although it may be considered as an invasive plant with easy propagation, you will see a fast growth when it is made up of more than one plant.
Your Plants Pot
The type of pot you use for your snow queen can be any kind. Simply clay pots are perfect for these types. Your pothos will also love having its roots compact or even close to be bound up. You only need to ensure that the pot diameter is just an inch bigger than the root of your snow queen.
Once your plant grows large or has its roots coming out the bottom, you may wish to re-pot the plant into a large area. Just remember not to move them to such a large pot that is spreads out too much.
You need to ensure that the pot you use has adequate drainage so that it does not remain wet for a long period of time. Place a plate under the pot to ensure you don’t get the rest of the area wet when watering or water outdoors and bring in when dry.
What does root bound mean and why do some plants thrive with bound roots?
Root bound means that the roots of a plant have become so tightly packed together that they can no longer function properly. This usually happens when a plant is grown in a pot that is too small for it.
Some plants, such as the snow queen pothos, actually thrive when their roots are slightly root bound. This is because it encourages the plant to produce more roots, which in turn allows the plant to absorb more nutrients and water. Excess roots also mean they can really dig into one area and have a high chance of survival.
Pruning your Snow Queen
You should not worry about keeping your snow queen pruned. However, if your pothos becomes leggy, then pruning will help prevent this.
To keep the shape of your snow queen nice and bushy, remove a stem located beneath nodes using pruning shears. The nodes will encourage new growth to come from each stem. When a node is left, it will develop new roots to create a new snow queen.
Avoid Adding Too Much or Too Little Water
Regardless of the type of pothos species you have, there will never be a need for a lot of water. This means you should water it sparingly and allow it to become a little dry.
Your pothos should not have a saturation of water, so you need to avoid watering it every day and check that the pot has an adequate amount of drainage capability.
As it was mentioned, check the soil to ensure that it is close to completely dry and ensure that it is watered only when necessary. If the leaves begin to yellow, then your plant has been getting water too often and if it begins to brown and wilt, then it will need more water.
Excessive Fertilizing
Generally speaking, you will endanger your pothos more by giving it too much fertilizer than not supplying any at all. By over fertilizing, the leaves will begin to curl and yellow.
When fertilizing, ensure that you follow the instructions of the fertilizer manufacturer. When too much fertilizer is provided, ensure to flush the soil with copious amounts of water. Once flushing is done, avoid fertilizing so that the leaves can return to their healthy appearance.
Excessive or Too Little Sunlight
Because of the leaves’ multicolor appearance, the amount of sunlight needed is a little more than usual. This is because the white color in the leaves does not create the energy that a completely green leaf would.
When the coloring begins to fade and becomes green then this will mean that there is very little sunlight being provided. This will require you to provide a sunnier area so that the snow queen can regain its proper colors. You should notice a difference in a couple of weeks.
By having excessive sunlight, the leaves will become yellow. You will then need to have it in an area that has a decreased amount of sunlight. If anything, your snow queen may benefit in more than one spot depending on the amount of sunlight available.
Fluctuating Temperatures
When your climate experiences fluctuating temperatures, the snow queen may experience leaf discoloration or curling of the leaves.
If a furnace or AC vent is near your snow queen, then it may become stressed by the time a new season comes around. If stress occurs, then you can just move the plant to another area.
Snow Queen Potting
When your snow queen is potted, it will not usually need to be repotted. This is due to it loving to have its roots bound. In fact, the benefits are great when the roots are bound and the pot is filled completely.
When repotting is conducted, it will be done to replenish nutrients within the soil and for aeration to be conducted. If the current pot still has soil that is loose, then repotting will not be needed.
Pests that Affect the Snow Queen
The pests that affect the snow queen the most involve thrips and mealybugs. They can be controlled by spraying them with an insecticide mixed with soap and water.
You can also give the leaves a good layer of neem oil as well wiping them using water on a weekly basis to ensure that they remain as healthy and bug-free as possible.
Propagation for Snow queen Pothos
To propagate this plant, cut a piece with at least one node and place it in a glass filled with water. Then, place the glass in an area that has direct sunlight.
Within days there will be visible roots and growth will begin. You can then transfer your new snow queen plant to your desired pot and have it filled with soil. If the pot is small, that is even better because they love being root bound.
Ensure that it remains in the small pot until the roots have no more space. Once space has run out you can repot it in a bigger pot size. Do not feel like you need to pot only a single plant as multiple plants growing together is also a good thing.
Tricks to Ensure the Care of the Snow Queen
When you need to maintain humidity, you can include the use of a humidifier to maintain the proper humidity. By having a humidifier nearby and on constantly, your plant will love you even more. In the winter, set the humidifier so that it is increased
You can place a plastic covering over the plant cuttings so that they remain humid, although it may not be necessary. Just ensure that the plant does not become saturated. If the leaves remain too wet for long then they may develop a disease known as leaf spot. These will appear dark in color and have halos that are yellow surrounding them.
Preventing root rot can be done by watering less often and if the rot becomes a major cause for damage, then incorporating a fungicide will be necessary in order to be reversed in time. The rot can also be avoided by watering less often
The pothos thrive when it is dry regardless of how much humidity is introduced.
Repotting is not often necessary as the bound roots are what makes them a unique plant species. If you do need to re-pot, then you may witness your snow queen struggling at first. SO it is best to wait until the roots are nice and tight before repotting is accomplished.
No matter how much space is available, it is best to wait until there is absolutely no space left to grow.As you repot, make sure that it is bigger than the previous pot so that there will be an ample amount of new growth in the new pot.
Potting multiple plants together can be accomplished with no problem. This will provide a unique display as multiple plants grow within each other. If you want, you can also mix in some other plant types along with your pothos. When mixing with other plant types, ensure that the required care is all the same.
Frequently Asked Questions Concerning the Snow Queen Pothos
Q: Where can the Snow Queen Pothos Be Purchased?
A: There are no necessary trips required to purchase the snow queen. In fact, they can be obtained at any local garden store. They are so common that you may even see them growing outside in the wild. You will not be paying a lot either as they will be less than $10.
Q: Is pruning of the snow queen necessary?
A: Your snow queen may need to have leaves removed that have become yellow or dead by pruning. Pruning will also help prevent your plant from becoming leggy. Your snow queen will eventually become bushy while maintaining the length of the vines. By pinching the stems, your snow queen will not become thin. After pinching, you can repot them with the existing plant to make a fuller arrangement.
Q: What exactly does it mean by leggy?
A: When legginess sets in, it is when vine growth continues but with a smaller amount of leaves at the same time. It is also referred to as being spindly in nature. In order to prevent this, you will need to give it a nice pruning. You can also insert a stake so that it can grow straight up.
One cause for your snow queen to become leggy is because it has a decreased amount of sun as compared to a staked snow queen.
What it boils down to is the preference you have and the fact that one method is no better than the next. Besides this, you can also prevent them from getting leggy by having the plant in a sunny spot. Just ensure to avoid shocking the plant by moving them around too much and cause the leaves to burn.
The amount of light should be bright but not in a direct sense and when the area is brighter than normal, then you can adjust the area slowly until the plant has become acclimatized. This method is used the same as if you were to harden a plant prior to it being planted outside on its own.
Q: Is the Snow Queen toxic to humans or animals?
A: The snow queen is a toxic plant to both humans and animals. The plant should be kept out of the reach of children and animals as much as possible.
Q: Can the Snow Queen be Planted Outside if the Climate is Colder?
A: You can plant the snow queen outside, but you should expect them to die as soon as frost comes along. In order to allow the plant to continue growing throughout the winter, you should have some cuttings so that they can be planted in the warmth of the indoors.
When the weather begins to warm up, you can replant them outside in the spring. Ensure that the plant has been hardened before it is replanted on a permanent basis. If it is not hardened, then shock may ensue and cause it to die. If your climate does not experience frost, then you can always expect to enjoy a thriving plant throughout the year without having to replant.
Q: Are Snow Queen a fast growing species?
A: If you want a fast growing pothos plant, then a pothos will be the one to have. Although this variety is not quite as fast as other pothos due to its white coloring. With the right amount of fertilizer, water, and sunlight will enable your snow queen to grow tremendously each month.
Q: Is Misting the Snow Queen Necessary?
A: Because of the need for humidity, a little mist will not hurt it. No matter though, you should be weary that misting should not replace the need for humidity. In fact, when the water is excessive, it can cause fungus to grow, which can lead to gnats being attracted to it.
In areas that are humid outdoors may not need you to supply any extra humidity at all.
Q: Which is the fastest growing Pothos Species?
A: The fastest growing pothos is the Marble queen or the Satin Pothos. It can grow up to 10 inches in a single year. These plants are known for their vining habit and can reach lengths of 20 feet or more. The leaves of these plants are variegated with shades of green, white, and yellow.
Conclusion
The snow queen pothos is a beautiful and easy to care for plant that can add interest to any home. The plant is tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions and does not require much in the way of maintenance. With its variegated leaves and fast growth rate, the snow queen pothos is a great choice for anyone looking for a stylish and low-maintenance plant.
