Some plants are just love at first sight, like Scindapsus Pictus was mine. It simply catches your eyes immediately, right? Since the moment I first saw it, I simply had to have it. Not only it’s so unique with its silver variegation, but it’s also super low maintenance. Here are some tips to grow your Scindapsus healthy and happy.
There are only a couple of things that can really hurt your Scindapsus, that is otherwise unkillable – overwatering and pests.
Scindapsus Pictus watering needs
Scindapsus plants don’t like soggy, constantly wet soil.
That’s why it’s important to pot your Scindapsus in well draining soil, that won’t retain water for long periods of time and let it dry out between watering.
Make sure the soil has almost dried out before watering it.
If you notice its leaves started to curl inward – that’s a sign your plant is really thirsty.
If you let it go by without water for longer, its leaves will start to curl in order to retain as much moisture as possible. So if you see curly leaves on your Scindapsus, water it thoroughly.
I’ve bought two Scindapsus vines at the same time. One is really happy and thriving, and as I am looking at it right now, it has five feet long vines.
The other one had trouble from the beginning. And that trouble was overwatering. Well, overwatering in the context of – compact soil that just doesn’t want to dry out. That led to stem rot and the plant was simply going nowhere.
So I decided to repot it. The plant at that moment had just a couple of roots, that’s why I took a smaller pot than the one it was previously potted in. I potted it in a light, airy potting mix in which I added some pumice as well. When I was done, I thoroughly watered it and left it to dry out before watering it again.
Since then it made a full recovery.
It’s still small, but it produced a couple of new leaves and I’m so happy about that.
One more thing I’d like to emphasize is to choose a pot with drainage holes. That way, when you water your Scindapsus, all excess water can drain through those holes.
If all that water were to be left in the pot, it would be just a matter of time when roots would start to rot.
Letting the soil dry out between watering is the key to a happy Scindapsus Pictus.
You may experience that leaves are curled inward but the soil is far from dry. In this case, you need to check out the roots and stems that are in the soil because it’s possible something started to rot.
The appearance of the leaves is the same, because the plant can’t absorb water. That’s because it’s roots are unable to absorb water (root rot) or there’s an obstacle in the stem itself (stem rot), and thus it really lacks water although the soil is wet.
Every once in a while you can bring it to the shower and wash away any dust that may accumulated on the leaves.
How much light does Scindapsus Pictus need?
Scindapsus is really not a picky plant. It will be OK almost anywhere in your house (excluding lightless places, of course).
It loves bright indirect light and it will grow most optimally in those light conditions. In this conditions, its leaves will grow closer together giving it a more compact look. It will also start to produce bigger leaves.
On the opposite side, if you leave it in a medium lit space, you’ll notice that leaves will grow further apart and smaller.
The great thing about Scindapsus is that you can keep it near any window – north, east, south or west. You’ll just going to have to adjust the plant accordingly. What I mean by that is the following.
If you want to keep it near a north facing window – place it as close to the window as possible so that the plant can get as much light as possible. The less light it receives, the less often you’ll need to water it, too. Keep that in mind, to avoid overwatering.
If you place it in front of a south facing window – be sure to protect it from direct sun rays. While they may not damage it in winter, sun rays are pretty harsh during summer and they can easily damage its leaves.
The best solution I found for this are light white curtains that turn those direct sun rays into bright indirect light that my plants just adore.
Do you need to fertilize Scindapsus Pictus?
Like any other plant, after being in the same soil for some time, the plant will consume most of the nutrients so we’ll need to add them in form of a fertilizer.
I personally use a complete liquid fertilizer (diluted in water) for almost all of my leafy, green houseplants.
As fertilizers vary from brand to brand, be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging so you know how much fertilizer you need to use.
It’s better to use less, that to over fertilize your plants.
When do you need to fertilize it? During the growing season when the plant is actively growing. I fertilize mine from March until November – once a month.
Is Scindapsus Pictus a Pothos?
Scindapsus Pictus is also commonly called Satin Pothos or Silver Satin Pothos, while Epipremnum Aureum (golden Pothos) is also referred to as Pothos. So, is it a Pothos? Are they the same plant? What’s the deal here?
Scindapsus Pictus (Silver Satin Pothos) 
Epipremnum Aureum (Golden Pothos)
Both Scindapsus Pictus and Epipremnum Aureum are from the same plant family Araceae, but they are not in the same genus.
Scindapsus is a Scindapsus, Epipremnum is an Epipremnum. None of them is a variety of the other.
They are both vining plants, they both have basically the same care requirements, but they are not the same plant.
If you want to know more about Epipremnum Aureum and how you can easily propagate it, check out – How to care for Epipremnum Aureum | Pothos care & propagation tips.
Is Scindapsus Pictus poisonous to pets?
Scindapsus Pictus is toxic if ingested. If your pets like to play with it, it’s best if you place it out of their reach.