Silver Splash Pothos Care - Growing Scindapsus Pictus ‘Exotica’ Houseplant

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin

The Silver Splash Pothos is also called Scindapsus Pictus ‘Exotica’ or the Scindapsus Silver Splash. Thus, it is not technically a pothos (Epipremnum aureum). Instead, it is a Scindapsus Pictus.

Obviously, the look very much alike with similar vining features and leaf forms. And, the reason for this is because the to genus are closely related, like cousins.

That said the Silver Splash Pothos is a cultivar of the Scindapsus Pictus. As such, it is not exactly the same as the satin pothos either.

Instead, your Silver Splash Pothos has dark green leaves that are lance-shaped. Its foliage are also larger and have more variegations.

Although the variegations are not as wide and prominent those you see in pothos plants. Instead, they have silver-white markings that don’t contrast too much from the dark green leaf background.

The plant itself can grow up to 10 feet tall when given a moss pole or something similar to climb on. Indoors, it is more limited in size to about 3 to 4 feet. Thus, making it more manageable as a houseplant.

Table of Contents

Silver Splash Pothos Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Silver Splash Pothos enjoys moderate to bright non-direct light. And, it will experience its best growth when it gets the latter. It also has the ability to tolerate low light.

But because it features gorgeous silver-gray splotches it is not able to stay in locations with insufficient lighting. If left there, it will lose these markings as the plant adjusts to absorb more light by turning its leaves more solid green.

That’s because solid green leaves have the ability to absorb more light. They are also involved in photosynthesis.

On the other hand, variegation and patterns do not have the same capability.

Similarly, direct light or too much exposure to the sun’s rays will cause the plant to lose its marbling. But this time it is because the intensity of the light will scorch its leaves.

Thus, an east facing window is an ideal spot for the plant indoors. It offers long hours of sunlight. And, the morning sun is gentle enough not to damage the plant’s leaves.

West and south facing windows work well too. But, you should protect the plant from the afternoon sun. You can do so by placing sheer curtains. Or, you can keep your Silver Splash Pothos at least 3 to 6 feet from the window.

Outdoors, partial shade all year round is a good idea if you don’t experience snow in the winter. If your area experiences frost, you’ll need to take the plant indoors once the weather gets colder in the fall.

Temperature

Since the Silver Splash Pothos hails from Southeast Asia, it is accustomed to moderate to warm weather. It also has the ability to tolerate very hot conditions which that part of the world experiences during summer.

This makes the plant grow best when temperature is kept between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If possible, keep the levels consistent all year round as it is not fond of fluctuations.

the plant also has the ability to tolerate heat up to 95 degrees or so without any problems. Although, the higher the temperature goes, the more its growth is affected.

Fortunately, its ideal range is what most household temperatures have. That’s because we humans also enjoy these levels.

That said, you do want to be wary about the cold. Your Silver Splash Pothos will not tolerate conditions that are below 60 degrees. Once things hit 55 degrees, it will begin to suffer damage.

The plant is hardy to USDA Zones 10 to 12, which means if you live below zone 10 you want to be ready to bring the plant indoors once the climate starts getting colder around mid to late fall. And, take it indoors before levels get to 60 degrees or less.

Humidity

Similarly, the native habitat of your Silver Splash Pothos makes it prefer humid conditions. Ideally, you need to keep humidity above 40% for optimum growth.

The plant is used to humidity running between 50% and 70% so it won’t have any problems with more moisture in the air.

However, we typically only see those kinds of levels in tropical countries.

Here in the U.S., average household humidity generally runs from 30% to 50%. In drier regions even lower than 30%. This can pose a problem for the plant unless you employ some humidity increase measures to keep it happy.

You also want to be extra wary of wintertime when the air gets very dry. The same is true is certain hot summers.

To make sure that you know how much humidity fluctuates in your home, I recommend getting a digital hygrometer.

It is also a good idea to observe the plant as it will give you cluse. If humidity is too low, you’ll likely see its leaf tips turn brown. Although there are other reasons for this, humidity is one factor that can cause it.

Thus, you do need to eliminate the potential causes one by one.

Watering Silver Splash Pothos

When it comes to watering your Silver Splash Pothos, you want to favor dry rather than wet.

That’s because the plant is better able to tolerate dry spells than it is wet or soggy soil. With the former, although lack of water will cause it to become dull and make its leaves look dry, the plant will quickly bounce back once you water it.

From experience, it only takes between 24 to 48 hours for the Silver Splash Pothos to perk right back up from lack of water once you give it enough moisture.

However, the same cannot be said for too much water.

This is more problematic for the plant. And, if you consistently let its roots sit in water for long periods of time, it will eventually develop root rot or fungal problems.

This is why it is a bad idea to keep the plant in an overly large container where the volume of the soil takes up so much more space than the plant’s roots.

So what does this all mean for you?

Ideally, allow the top soil to dry out between waterings. I like to wait under at least the first 2 inches of soil from the top is dry before I water again.

This will prevent you from overwatering by adding moisture too frequently.

The easiest way to check for soil dryness is to just stick your finger into the soil down to a depth of 2 inches (your index finger’s 2^nd knuckle).

Another option is to use moisture meter.

Soil for Silver Splash Pothos

With soil, your Silver Splash Pothos does best with well-draining soil. It also appreciates soil that’s rich in organic matter which will help the plant grow faster and produce more foliage.

You want to steer clear of heavy soil or those that tend to retain lots of moisture. This increases the risk of it being soggy or waterlogged even if you don’t overwater the plant since the soil will hold on to that moisture instead of letting it pass through.

On the other hand well-draining soil allows excess moisture to escape. Yet, it holds onto enough water to keep the plant hydrated.

The best part is the Scindapsus Pictus Exotica is not picky about soil. Thus, a good houseplant potting mix that’s light and airy works very well.

If you use regular potting mix, observe how the plant does. If needed add perlite or pet depending on its response.

I’ve also used a combination of the three – potting mix, peat and perlite which works very well for this plant.

As long as you have the following 3 characteristics, you’ll be fine:

Well-draining
Nutrient rich
Drainage holes in the bottom of the pot

Fertilizer

Your Silver Splash Pothos can grow well without fertilizer. The only time plant food is necessary is if you have poor soil. And, this is seldom the case with houseplants since you’ll be able to choose the kind of soil to use yourself.

But, that’s not always the case for your garden. You’re pretty much stuck with the soil that comes with your home. That’s when fertilizer is most useful for your Scindapsus Pictus Exotica.

That said, many growers will still use fertilizer to try and optimize the plant’s growth.

If you choose to do so, be wary of overfeeding which produces negative effects as fertilizer are commercial products that contain chemicals (organic fertilizer have much less though). And, these chemicals leave salt residue, which accumulate in the soil over time.

Once the fertilizer salts get to a certain level, they can harm your plant. Obviously, the more fertilizer you use and the more often you apply, the faster this accumulation of salts happen.

Thus, it is a good idea to flush the soil once every few months by letting gentle running water from a sink soak the soil. This process allows the running water to carry away all the excess minerals and salts that have accumulated in the soil.

Make sure to let the root ball drain completely after before taking it back inside.

Going back to feeding, a good feeding schedule for your Scindapsus Pictus Exotica would be once a month during spring and summer (the plant’s growing season). You can apply a balanced, liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength.

And, make sure to water the soil when you apply fertilizer.

You don’t need to feed it during the winter as the plant will rest.

Pruning

As with many of the other caring guidelines for your Silver Splash Pothos, pruning is another low maintenance item on the list.

This makes the plant fairly easy to care for as it lets you neglect it a bit in many categories. Thus, you can focus on the things that can cause potential issues, which is moisture.

The rest take a back seat with not adverse effects for your plant.

The Silver Splash Pothos is a vining plant with fairly small but numerous leaves. As the vines get longer and the plant gets bushier, it will get denser and floppy looking.

This is actually a good look for the plant both in a container on the tabletop or in a hanging basket. But, since the plant can grow to 10 feet long, you may need to prune it occasionally.

That said, it only gets to this length outdoors when the conditions are similar to its native habitat. Indoors and in a container, it will likely max out at around 3 to 4 feet or so. Sometimes a bit more but nowhere near the 10 feet. As such, you may not need to prune it especially from a hanging basket.

On the other hand, you may want to keep it neat and tidy on table or countertops as the plant will sprawl and cover la wider diameter as it gets bigger.

So, pruning is mostly cosmetic with the focus being on size and shaping the plant.

The other aspect is trimming away any unhealthy leaves and stems. This includes damaged ones and those that are discolored.

Silver Splash Pothos Propagation

The easiest way to propagate your Silver Splash Pothos is through stem cuttings. Thus, don’t discard the long stems that you’ve pruned since they can be used to grow more plants.

The coolest thing about stem cutting is you get clones of the parent plant. So, the look will be the same with no unpleasant surprised later on.

The best time to do so is during spring or early summer.

Here’s how to propagate Silver Splash Pothos from stem cuttings at home.

Take a 4 inch stem that’s healthy. You want to pick one with at least a few leaves on it.
Remove the leaves at the bottom of the stem to expose the leaf nodes. There are where the roots will eventually grow from.

You can propagate the cuttings in water or in soil. Both methods yield good success rates. So, it is really up to you on which you prefer and feel more comfortable doing.

To propagate Silver Splash Pothos in water:

Place the stem cutting into a glass or jar. I like using glass because it is transparent. This way, you can see the roots growing every day.
Keep the jar under bright, non-direct sun in a warm spot.
It will take about 2 or so weeks for the roots to develop.
Wait until the roots get to about an inch long. Then move the cutting into soil. You can likewise leave it there for a bit longer. But, eventually you’ll need to move it to a pot with soil.

To propagate Silver Splash Pothos in soil:

Have a small pot ready and fill it with fresh, well-draining potting mix.
Then plant the stem cutting into the soil.
You can dip the end of the stem cutting in rooting hormone before planting. But this is not necessary.
Water the soil and keep it moist.
Leave the pot in a warm location with bright, non-direct sunlight.

Rooting in soil takes longer than rooting in water. So, expect to wait about 3 to 4 weeks for the plant to do so.

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How to Repot Silver Splash Pothos

You’ll only need to repot your Silver Splash Pothos every 1 to 2 years. And, the best time to do so is during the start of its growing season which happens in spring.

This allows the plant to get acclimated to its new home. Then begin to start growing and producing new foliage again.

When repotting your Scindapsus Pictus Exotica, here are a few other things to keep in mind.

Avoid going up too many pot sizes. For small plants like this, you can go up 1 to 2 inches. For larger plants, it is about 2 to 3 inches wider in diameter.
Make sure the new pot has drainage holes. This ensures that the water drained by the soil doesn’t pool at the bottom of the container. Instead, leaks out of the pot.
Refresh the potting mix. Take this chance to replace the spent potting mix with fresh, well-draining soil. This has more nutrients and looser and airer.
Move the moss pole. The plant is a climber. So, if you keep it in a container, it will grow best when given something to climb onto. This is not applicable for hanging baskets. But, with a container, make sure to move the moss stick with the root ball from the old container.

Toxicity

Your Silver Splash Pothos contains insoluble calcium oxalates. These don’t pose any harm when inside the plant. But, once ingested and mixes with the fluids in your body it becomes a problem.

As such, touching the plant is not a problem. But, consuming, chewing or ingesting leaves or stems is.

While rarely deadly, the amount that’s ingested relative to the size of the person or animal affects how strong the side effects are.

The problem is it can irritate the mouth, throat and entire digestive tract causing vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and other unpleasant problems.

Pests and Diseases

Silver Splash Pothos does not experience serious pest or disease problems. And, with proper care, there is a chance you’ll never have to deal with either issue during the life of the plant.

However, it can be prone to root rot if overwatered. Thus, you want to pay special attention to how much you water and how often you water.

Soggy, wet or waterlogged soil are always threats for root rot and fungal problems. This can cause the plant’s stems to turn black and become soft and mushy.

On the other hand, spider mites and scale can occur on occasion. They both can be treated by using insecticidal soap spray or neem oil.

Silver Splash Pothos Care – Growing Scindapsus Pictus ‘Exotica’ Houseplant