The Shangri La Pothos is a unique evergreen perennial plant with striking curled foliage. Bred from the world-famous Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), the Shangri La is truly an exceptional houseplant for beginners!
This guide will introduce you to this beautiful plant and show you how to grow it indoors. We’ve included tips on how to care for your Shangri La Pothos, including light, water, and soil requirements.
in this article:
About Shangri La Pothos
The Shangri La Pothos is the favorite of experienced and new gardeners alike. Planted in hanging baskets or tumbling over wide pots, this decorative evergreen vine produces cascades of leaves that curl around each other at their tips into a spiral shape reminiscent of a twisted rope.
Prized primarily for its standout leaves, the Shangri La leaves curve inwards, resembling spinach when fully grown. These leaves are borne individually on thin stems that bend under the weight of the leaves.
Related: Satin Pothos: Growing and Care Guide
Shangri La is a beautiful addition to any indoor or outdoor space. It is a highly adaptable plant that can thrive in low light and enjoys a wide range of temperatures.
Shangri La Pothos Care
Caring for it is incredibly easy: place the plant in a bright area, water when the soil feels dry, and enjoy its lush green leaves!
Light
This pothos plant thrives in indirect or filtered sunlight, especially if you place it near a window with curtains or blinds that filter out some of the sun’s rays.
It can grow in low light conditions, but optimal growth requires at least some light.
Soil
Shangri La Pothos plants are not picky about the type of soil they grow in. They will tolerate almost any potting mix if the soil is well-draining. The plant will also grow well in a container with compost-rich soil.
Water
These Pothos plants need to be watered quite regularly, but not too much. If the soil is dry and the leaves become limp and wrinkled, this is a sign that you should water your plant.
The best way to determine when to water your pothos plant is by feeling the soil with your finger. It needs some water if it feels dry down at least 2 inches!
Avoid overwatering your pothos plant, which can cause roots to rot and become unhealthy.
Related: How Often to Water Pothos
Temperature and Humidity
Shangri La Pothos plants are tropical plants that need warmer temperatures and high humidity to thrive. The ideal temperature range for this pothos is between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If your home doesn’t have this level of warmth, you may need to supplement the temperature with a humidifier or another device designed to increase moisture levels in the air.
The ideal humidity range is between 50 and 70%.
Fertilizer
Shangri La Pothos plants are very low-maintenance and don’t require much fertilizer. However, if you want to fertilize your pothos plant, use liquid fertilizer monthly from spring through fall.
Avoid fertilizing in the winter because the plant goes into dormancy during this period.
Pruning
Shangri La Pothos can be pruned to control their shape, size, and growth rate. To do this, pin the tips of new stems with your fingers or cut them off with a small pair of scissors. This will encourage the plant to grow bushy and full.
Potting and Repotting Shangri La Pothos
Shangri La Pothos plants are very easy to report, so you can do this whenever you like. Generally, repot your pothos once every two years or when it gets too big for their current container. If the root ball is tightly packed with no air spaces visible between the roots and soil, it’s time to repot.
Spring or summer are the best times to repot your pothos.
Prepare
How to Repot (Step-by-Step)
- Remove the plant from its current container by loosening the soil around the roots with your fingers.
- Cut off any dead leaves and stems with shears or pruning scissors.
- Place your pothos in the new pot and fill it with soil mixture as described above (or use your own homemade mixture).
- Water the plant well and place it in the same spot you did before.
Propagating Shangri La Pothos by Cuttings (Step-by-Step)
The easiest way to propagate pothos is by taking cuttings. This will give you a new plant almost identical to your original. It’s also very easy—all you need is a few inches of stem and some water!
- Take a cutting from the plant using sharp shears or pruning scissors. You can take stem cuttings from any part of your pothos, but it’s best to choose young stems with new growth at the end.
- Remove all leaves except for one or two small ones at the end (this will help support the stem as it grows).
- Dip the stem cutting into rooting hormone and then plant it into a small pot filled with potting soil.
- Water it and place it in a sunny location out of direct sunlight.
- Keep the soil slightly moist but not soaking wet. The cutting will likely root within a few weeks.
Related: How to Propagate Pothos Plants
Blooms
Shangri La pothos rarely blooms, especially not indoors. These plants are primarily grown for their foliage.
Toxicity
Shangri La Pothos is toxic to dogs, cats, and humans. It contains insoluble oxalate chemicals in its leaves and stems that cause severe irritation to the throat if ingested. And, in rare cases, death. Keep away from pets and children.
NOTE: This page is not intended as a substitute for veterinary advice. The toxicity of an ingested substance varies depending on the amount ingested, the animal’s weight, and its sensitivity to specific allergens. Contact your veterinarian or local animal poison control center immediately if you think your pet may have ingested a toxic substance.
Common Pests
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are tiny white insects that live on stems and leaves. You can spot them by their cottony appearance or grayish-white powdery spots on your plant’s leaves. Mealybugs will suck sap from the plant, causing discoloration and leaf wilting.
Scale Insects
Scale insects are small, brown, or black, circular insects that attach themselves to the leaves and stems of your pothos plant. They suck the sap from the leaves and can severely damage them, causing yellowing or curling. Remove scales by hand with rubbing alcohol.
Spider Mites
They are very tiny and hard to see but are usually first detected by their webbing on the leaves. Use an organic insecticide like neem oil or pyrethrin in your soil before planting.
Aphids
Aphids are pear-shaped and are 1/16th of an inch long. They feed on pothos plants by sucking sap from the stems with their needle-like mouthparts.
AVOID
- Overwatering
- Placing under harsh sunlight
- Using poorly drained potting mediums
- Fertilizing during dormancy
Common Problems
Yellowing Leaves
Yellowing leaves can be caused by a lack of water, over-fertilizing, too much nitrogen in the soil, or a fungal disease called root rot. To fix these issues, ensure you’re watering your plants deeply but infrequently and check for overwatering, such as wilting leaves or roots turning black underneath.
Brown Leaves
Browning leaves can be a symptom of too little water. To fix this problem, ensure you’re watering your plants enough and check for signs of underwatering. You may also see browning leaves if the ambient humidity is too low. Try placing a humidifier in your home and misting plants with water daily to increase humidity.
Leggy Growth
Leggy growth is when a plant has long, thin stems with few leaves. This can be caused by too little light. To fix this problem, move your pothos to a sunnier location or increase the light it receives. If you have several plants in one area and all seem leggy, try scattering additional bulbs throughout the room.
