“Pothos” is one of the loosest names in the houseplant trade. It is commonly used for plants from different genera, partly because the name remained popular long after botanists reclassified the plant most people know as golden pothos. Here is how to tell what you are actually buying when a listing says “pothos.”
The Short Version
- Epipremnum is the genus that includes the classic golden pothos, Epipremnum aureum—the plant most people mean when they say “pothos.”
- Scindapsus is a separate genus. Some of its members, especially Scindapsus pictus, are sold under common names such as “satin pothos” even though they are not Epipremnum.
- “Pothos” remained attached to golden pothos after the plant was moved out of the botanical genus Pothos.
- The genus Scindapsus has a genuine tropical Asian distribution, including species documented in the Philippines. The genus Epipremnum also has species native across tropical Asia and the Pacific, including the Philippines—but its most famous member, E. aureum, is treated as native to Mo‘orea in French Polynesia.
- A botanical genus or species name tells you more than the word “pothos” alone, but collector and trade names still require care because they do not always identify an accepted species.
Where the Confusion Comes From
Golden pothos was first published in 1880 as Pothos aureus. It was later classified as Scindapsus aureus and then Rhaphidophora aurea before receiving its current accepted name, Epipremnum aureum. The common name “pothos” stayed with the plant through those taxonomic changes.
That history explains why the name remains useful in ordinary conversation but imprecise in a listing. A plant called “pothos” may be Epipremnum aureum, a different Epipremnum species, or even a member of Scindapsus carrying a common name such as “satin pothos.”
Epipremnum
Epipremnum is the genus most people mean when they use “pothos” for a familiar houseplant. Golden pothos is Epipremnum aureum. Marble Queen, Neon, N’Joy, and several other familiar names are cultivars of E. aureum, not separate species.
The native range of E. aureum is generally treated as Mo‘orea in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. It has since been introduced and naturalized throughout many tropical regions, including parts of Southeast Asia. Its presence in the Philippines or elsewhere in tropical Asia should therefore not automatically be described as evidence that the species originated there.
The genus as a whole has a much broader native distribution across tropical and subtropical Asia and the Pacific. Some Epipremnum species are genuinely native to the Philippines even though E. aureum is not.
Scindapsus
Scindapsus is a separate genus from Epipremnum. The best-known example in the houseplant trade is Scindapsus pictus, often sold as satin pothos, silver pothos, or silver vine. Its named cultivars include ‘Argyraeus’ and ‘Exotica.’
The genus has a genuine tropical Asian distribution, and S. pictus is documented in the Philippines. That does not mean every Scindapsus sold in the collector market is Philippine native. For example, Scindapsus treubii is associated with Peninsular Malaysia, northwestern Borneo, and Java rather than the Philippines. “Dark Form” is a cultivated collector designation for S. treubii, not a separate species or a Philippine-origin label.
Collector names also do not always map neatly onto accepted botanical names. Adarna has carried plants sold under names such as Grey Diamond, Silver Knight Mint, Black Mamba, and Moonlight Galaxy. We have also used the name Scindapsus coriaceus, but we have not confirmed that as a currently accepted species name. In cases like these, the collector name can identify the plant within the trade without establishing its formal species or native range.
How to Tell Them Apart Visually
The familiar forms most often confused in stores—Epipremnum aureum and Scindapsus pictus—usually look and feel different. Juvenile E. aureum commonly has smooth, glossy leaves with yellow, white, cream, or lighter-green marbling. S. pictus commonly has a matte or satin-like surface with silver markings that can appear softly reflective.
That glossy-versus-satin comparison is a useful first clue, but it is not a rule for every species in either genus. Leaf size, shape, texture, and coloration vary across Epipremnum and Scindapsus. When identification matters, use the complete botanical name and examine the stem, petiole, growth habit, and mature leaf characteristics rather than relying on surface texture alone.
Why the Name on the Listing Matters
A listing that says only “pothos” may not tell you which genus—or sometimes even which species—you are buying. That matters because care needs can differ. The widely grown E. aureum is notably tolerant of varied household conditions, while many collector Scindapsus are less forgiving of prolonged wetness and may respond better to stable humidity and an airy growing medium. The exact species and the plant’s current condition remain more useful than assumptions based on the common name alone.
Adarna previously listed these plants by their common names or used a mixture of common and botanical names. We are now more intentional about beginning each listing with the genus, followed by the collector or common name—for example, Scindapsus Grey Diamond. This helps buyers understand what type of plant they are purchasing while also keeping our growing inventory organized consistently. Recent examples include Scindapsus Silver Knight Mint, Scindapsus Black Mamba, Scindapsus Moonlight Galaxy, Scindapsus coriaceus, and Scindapsus treubii ‘Dark Form.’
Genus-first labeling does not claim more certainty than we have. When a plant is known primarily by a collector name and its species identity has not been verified, we preserve that distinction rather than using the name to imply a native range or documented lineage.
If your new Scindapsus or Epipremnum has recently arrived by mail, start with “How to Acclimate a Rare Aroid After Shipping: A 14-Day Decision Guide” for guidance through its first two weeks. For help interpreting terms such as cultivar, sport, NOID, tissue culture, and reversion, see “Rare-Plant Name Decoder.”