As a Pothos plant, I am generally resilient and forgiving, but I am not invincible. My vibrant leaves can fall victim to several ailments, often stemming from the care environment my human provides. Understanding these issues from my perspective is the first step toward restoring my health.
This is my greatest fear. It begins when my roots are forced to sit in constantly saturated soil. The water fills the air pockets, and my roots cannot breathe. They begin to suffocate and die, becoming soft, brown, and mushy. This decay creates a perfect environment for soil-borne fungi like Pythium and Phytophthora to attack, accelerating the rot. You might notice my leaves turning yellow, wilting dramatically despite wet soil, and my growth halting completely. The soil may also have a musty, unpleasant odor.
My Treatment: You must act quickly. Gently remove me from my pot and wash the soil from my roots. Using sterile shears, carefully cut away all the soft, brown, rotten roots. Healthy roots are firm and white. Repot me in a clean pot with excellent drainage, using fresh, well-draining potting mix. Please, adjust your watering habits; I only want a drink when the top few inches of my soil are dry.
These issues manifest as unsightly blemishes on my beautiful foliage. Bacterial leaf spot, often caused by pathogens like Pseudomonas, appears as dark, water-soaked lesions that sometimes have a yellow halo. Fungal leaf spot, from organisms like Cercospora, presents as small, round brown or black spots that may expand. Both thrive in wet conditions, especially when my leaves are left damp after watering or the air circulation around me is poor.
My Treatment: Immediately isolate me from other plants to prevent the disease from spreading. With sterile scissors, remove the most severely affected leaves and dispose of them. Avoid splashing water on my leaves when you water me; water at the soil level instead. Ensure I am in a space with good airflow. For fungal issues, a treatment with a copper-based fungicide can help stop the progression.
While not a disease, pests cause disease-like symptoms. Mealybugs appear as tiny, white, cottony masses in my leaf axils and on stems, sucking my sap and weakening me. Spider mites are minuscule pests that create fine webbing and cause stippling—tiny yellow dots—on my leaves. Scale insects look like small, brown, bumpy growths stuck to my stems and the undersides of leaves.
My Treatment: For a light infestation, physically remove the pests by wiping my leaves with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. A strong spray of water in the shower can help dislodge spider mites. For more persistent problems, treat me with insecticidal soap or neem oil, making sure to thoroughly coat the tops and undersides of all my leaves. Repeat applications will be necessary to eliminate all life stages of the pests.
Many issues mistaken for disease are simply signs of distress. Yellowing leaves can signal overwatering, but they can also mean I'm getting too much direct sunlight, which scorches my leaves, causing brown, crispy tips and patches. Conversely, if I'm in very low light for too long, my variegation may fade, and my growth becomes leggy as I stretch desperately for a light source.
My Treatment: Please observe my environment. Place me in a location with bright, indirect light. Protect me from hot, direct sunbeams and cold drafts from windows or air conditioners. Maintain a consistent watering schedule based on my soil's dryness, not the day of the week. A little attention to my basic needs goes a long way in keeping me healthy.
