Complete Satin Pothos Care Guide: How To Grow Scindapsus Pictus

The Scindapsus Pictus, popularly known as satin pothos is a really great house plant to have. It’s beautiful big heart-shaped dark green leaves with silver flecks make it a really beautiful plant. It’s super easy to care for and I would totally suggest it for any new plant owners.

When properly cared for Satin Pothos, they are hardy and relatively very low maintenance plant. Today in this article, we’re going to be talking about complete satin pothos care guide. This is one plant I definitely recommend picking up again and again.

What  is a Satin Pothos / A little About Satin Pothos

Scindapsus Pictus the satin pothos or as it’s sometimes called the silver philodendron but Scindapsus Pictus is neither Pothos nor philodendron.

However they are all cousins and belong to the same genus. The word pictus means painted in Latin and you can see why pictus was added to its name from the way the leaves looked dappled in splashed markings like it’s been painted. 

This plant originates from Asia, areas like Bangladesh and Indonesia and it has a few different ways of growing. You can keep it in a hanging basket and have it drape and vine or you can grow it on a moss pole and let its shingle. In the wild, you can typically find it shingling which basically means it grows flat against the surface like shingles 

Satin Pothos Care & Info Guide

Satin Pothos Light Requirements

Satin pothos like most pothos do well in a wide range of lighting. You can put it in an area that receives a lot of sun or in a darker corner that only receives ambient lighting and it will still grow. But satin pothos is really like bright but indirect light. Make sure it’s indirect because direct sunlight can really squirt the leaves and get sunburned and be really unhappy.  Also if it’s not getting enough light some of the variations on the leaves (silver flecks) would start going away.

I keep this play in a northeast-facing window about three feet away and I think it’s getting just the right amount of light there and it’s grown so much since I’ve had it. Mind you it’ll grow slower in an area of lower light but that’s the same for all low light tolerant plants.

Watering Satin Pothos

As far as watering you’re going to water it based on the light it gets. If this plant is in a brighter location it’s going to need more water and if it’s held back in an area where it gets only ambient light about once a week will do.

For satin pothos you want to make sure that the topsoil gets totally dry before you water it again. This will ensure that you’re not overwatering the plant because if you over water the plants, the leaves will get yellow and eventually you’ll get root rot and die. which is not what we want for houseplants 

I water it probably about once a week or so in the summer and in the winter I always check the soil and make sure it’s dry and then I water.

Satin Pothos Temperature Requirements

When it comes to temperature the satin pothos really likes average to warm probably about 18-29°C/65-85°F. If temperatures drop to 60°F and below then your satin Pothos foliage will suffer damage. If your indoor conditions are typically comfortable for you, it’s more than likely comfortable for your lovely Satin Pothos.

Satin Pothos Humidity Requirements

These plants like a lot of humidity but one of the great things about them is that higher humidity isn’t required for it to grow. It’s an incredibly versatile plant and one of the easier pothos plants to grow. This plant loves it when you give it extra moisture through maybe a pebble tray or misting the leaves. I mist the plant probably about once a week just a light misting over the whole thing. Above 40% humidity will provide the best growing environment for your lovely satin pothos.

Best Soil for Satin Pothos

As with most tropicals this plant prefers to be in a well-draining soil. I have mine in a mix of potting soil, orchid bark and perlite to give it adequate drainage. It doesn’t like to have wet feet and you’ll be able to tell if you’re watering it too much if the leaves are turning yellow and dying.

Fertilizer for Satin Pothos

In spring and summer, the satin pothos really loves it when you fertilize it about once a month because this will promote new growth prospects more quickly but make sure you don’t do it in the winter and autumn. Because those times of the year are when the plant is a little bit more dormant and it’s not trying to put out new growth. So the best time to fertilize it is definitely the spring and summer.

If you’re going with a chemical fertilizer you can use a diluted mixture that’s higher in nitrogen which will promote color in the leaves. 

I use an organic fertilizer on all of my plants. I typically fertilize every two weeks but if you’re using a chemical fertilizer that’s heavier you might want to do it maybe every three or four weeks. The satin pothos isn’t too fussy when it comes to the fertilizer. It gets as long as it gets something to help promote its prolific growth.

Satin Pothos Propagation

Propagating Satin Pothos is the same as propagating any sort of pothos or vining philodendron. Propagation of the satin pothos is super easy. All you need to do is cut about four to six inches from the end of a vine just below a leaf node and then you can put the cuttings in water or sphagnum moss and wait for them to push out roots. Throughout the summer I was propagating a number of satin pothos cuttings using both methods

Be very careful if you do propagate it in water. The longer you wait once the roots start forming the harder it is to transmit the soil because they’ll go into shock and die. So if you do decide to propagate the satin pothos in the water you have two options. You can either leave in water which is perfectly fine and it’ll live and continue to grow and just be a nice water plant. Or you could transplant it fairly quickly into the soil when the roots get about an inch or two centimetres in length and then it’ll transmit to the soil butter instead of going into shock.

I will say that I’ve found they root slower than traditional pothos if you’re rooting them in water. Try throwing in a golden or neon pothos cutting just so the growing enzymes in those pathos can help your cuttings grow a little faster.

Satin Pothos Pruning

Your Satin pothos will benefit from occasional pruning, which helps her to branch out and become fuller. In spring your plant starts actively growing and that is the best time of year to do major pruning. You can clean up the plant by snipping off any damaged or dead leaves so that your plant looks fresh. You can wipe the dust from your satin pothos leaves once every week or every two weeks with a soft, damp cloth. This task keeps the leaves attractive and shiny.

Satin Pothos Pest & Problems

I’ve never had any pest problems with my satin pothos even when I get fungus gnats from my heavy-handed watering. They don’t seem to bother the satin pothos. I’ve had nats in my golden pothos occasionally but never here. I don’t know what it is about this plant. It’s just one of those plants that do incredibly well across the board.

Satin Pothos Toxicity

I suppose if this plant is going to have one fault, it would have to be that it is toxic. The little calcium oxalate crystals in this plant can burn your mouth and even your hands if you have delicate skin and handle the leaves too roughly for an extended period of time.

It’s best to keep it away from curious pets and kids and try not to get the sap on you when taking cuttings. If you do though don’t worry it’s no big deal just make sure to wash your hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Are My Satin Pothos Leaves Turning Yellow?

The most common cause of satin pothos yellow leaves is improper soil moisture or in particular, you can say overwatering. Only water your Satin Pothos when the top 2-3 inches of the soil in the pot is dry.

Why Are My Satin Pothos Leaves Turning Brown?

Brown leaves on your Satin Pothos can be the result of two different reasons. If your plant is situated in full direct sun and receives too bright of light the foliage can burn and turn brown. And another, if your isn’t getting enough humidity then the leaves can turn brown.

How often should I water satin pothos?

There is no specific routine for watering your satin pothos. You need to water your pothos enough to keep the soil moist but be careful to not wet or saturated. It’s best to water when the top 2-3 inches of the soil is dry. Watering frequency varies like a brighter location it’s going to need more water also in inter its going to need less water. So always check the soil.

Is satin pothos toxic to pets?

Yes! satin pothos is toxic to cats and dogs also mildly toxic to humans. If ingested by a dog or cat, this plant may irritate their mouth, lips, and tongue. Your pet may also experience an increase in vomiting, salivation and/or difficulty swallowing.

Why Are My Satin Pothos Leaves Curling?

Satin pothos roots can’t survive for long in saturated soil and overwatering leads to waterlogged soil. Once your satin pothos roots start rotting, all the nutrients and water needed by your satin pothos to survive are unable to reach to the plant leaves and stems. This causes your pothos to curl in an attempt to retain water.

Here are all about complete satin pothos care guide. If I miss anything or you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comment section below.