Pothos vs. Philodendron: What’s the Difference?

There are several key differences between pothos, sometimes called devil’s ivy, and vining philodendron types that can help you tell them apart.

These include taxonomy, leaf shape and texture, aerial roots and petioles, growth habits, new leaves, and growing conditions.

Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the process of organizing living things like plants into distinct families, genera, and species. It’s how plants get their botanical names.

Both pothos and philodendron belong to the aroid family (Araceae) along with other popular houseplants like monstera, alocasia, and peace lily.

However, pothos and philodendrons fall into different genera. Pothos belongs to the Epipremnum genus, and philodendron belongs to the Philodendron genus.

Leaf Shape and Texture

One of the easiest ways to tell pothos and philodendrons apart is by their leaves. Many philodendrons, including the aptly named heartleaf philodendron, have thinner, distinctly heart-shaped leaves with a softer texture. Pothos leaves are thicker and waxier.

The different shapes are especially noticeable at the point where the petiole (leaf stem) connects to the base of each leaf.

While the base of a pothos leaf is relatively straight, the base of a philodendron leaf curves inwards like the top of a heart.

Aerial Roots and Petioles

You’ll also find differences in the aerial roots and petioles of pothos versus philodendrons. Both species have aggressive aerial roots that allow them to climb up a moss pole, trellis, or other support.

However, pothos (pictured right) only grow one large aerial root per node, while philodendrons (pictured left) can have several smaller aerial roots per node.

Petioles are the small stems that connect the leaves to the main stem of the plant.

On pothos plants, the petioles indent towards the stem they connect to, while philodendron petioles are fully rounded. Philodendron petioles also tend to be thinner than those of pothos.

Growth Habits and New Leaves

Another way to tell the difference between pothos versus philodendrons is to look for cataphylls.

When new leaves grow on a trailing philodendron, they emerge from these structures, which look like small leaves that protect the new leaf as it grows.

Cataphylls usually remain on the plant after a new leaf has unfurled, eventually drying up and falling off. New leaves on pothos plants simply grow and unfurl from the previous leaf.

Growing Differences

Pothos and philodendrons have very similar needs when it comes to light, soil, water, and temperature, and both are considered low-maintenance houseplants.

However, there are a couple of minor differences in their care. Philodendrons can tolerate low light better than pothos.

Pothos prefer somewhat higher temperatures than philodendrons, and they’re also more tolerant of drought conditions.

Both types of plants are easy to propagate from stem cuttings, but philodendrons can also produce offsets, or baby plants, that can be divided from the mother plant.

Another houseplant species that’s often confused with both pothos and philodendrons is Scindapsus pictus.

This aroid goes by the common name satin pothos, but it’s not actually a species of pothos at all. This plant is known for its vining growth habit and shimmery silver patches across its leaves that make it easy to identify, but it has very similar growth requirements to both pothos and philodendrons.

Many varieties of pothos and trailing philodendrons look very similar to one another, and it can be easy to get confused.

Use the guidelines outlined here to help you to identify any species of these attractive, easy-growing vining plants with ease.