Satin Pothos Plant Care Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus. This plant has silvery splashes and dots against its dark green foliage. The plant will grab attention in the living space. If treated well, the Satin Pothos plant is a hardy and maintenance-free plant.
Satin Pothos plant profile
The Satin Pothos plant is a tropical plant with rather big, heart-shaped leaves. They are dark-green.
Have the look like has been splashed painted with silvery gray, providing them a satin sheen. It has a compact growth habit for a beautiful hanging basket plant.
The Satin Pothos plant can be a perennial outdoor plant in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11. For zones outside 10 and 11, the plant can be used in containers, pots, and borders in the summer.
Common name
The plant has a common name Satin Pothos and Silver Vine. The scientific name is Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus.
The plant is a native to Southeast Asia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and the Philippines.
Growth and size
The Satin Pothos plant can reach up to 3 feet or 90 cm or more. The width of the plant can be 18″ wide.
The growth rate is fast. The plant grows one foot in the months between December and May.
Usage
The Satin Pothos plant is wonderful to be grown in the home. You can grow it in hanging baskets. Or grow them horizontally along a tabletop or mantle.
You can place them int the living room or other living spaces. A beautiful plant for decor.
It also makes a great gift for your families and friends.
How to grow
Light requirement
The Satin Pothos plant prefers to be in bright, indirect light all year. Do not place the plant in direct sunlight that will cause the leaves scorched.
The leaves might lose its variegation if it does not receive enough light. If you want to place them near a window, you must block the direct sunlight with curtain sheer.
If you decide to place the plant in a spot without enough light, the plant will not have healthy growth. Even though the Satin Pothos plant can tolerate low light conditions, the plant’s foliage will start to lose the silvery markings.
You can relocate the Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus plant outdoors during the spring months and summer months. Make sure you don’t place it in a harsh sunny area or the foliage will be scorched.
Find a partial shade or full shade area and place them properly.
It is recommended to relocate the Satin Pothis indoors during winter months.
Soil
The best soil for the Satin Pothos plant is a rich well-drain soil mixture. The plant prefers moist soil.
The plant will eventually die because of the root rot. This is because the plant not grows well in heavy soils that keep water and remain soggy too long.
You can purchase all-purpose houseplant soil which is suitable. You can also make the soil by mixing peat moss, potting soil, and perlite.
Any time you discover that the potting mix does not drain well enough, add more peat moss or add more perlite. You can also aerate the soil. Adding peat moss or perlite will improve aeration and drainage to the soil.
Temperature
The best temperature condition for the Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus plant is a warm environment for its better growth progress. The preferable average to warm temperatures of 65-85°F (18-29°C) for ideal healthy growth.
Unfortunately, the foliage will be harm when the plant is placed in temperature below 60°F (15°C). That is just the way it is for a plant that prefers warmer temperatures.
You must also avoid the plant of being exposed to cold drafts. Sudden temperature changes will also disrupt the healthy growth of the plant.
You can place the plant in a rather stable temperature indoor. It would be comfortable for the plant and it will encourage healthy growth.
Humidity
The best humidity environment for the Satin Pothos plant is an environment similar to where it is a native. Since it is a native to tropical countries, so it thrives in humid tropical climates.
The humid condition of the tropical area must be replicated for the Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus plant to grow well.
Those areas like the Borneo or Sumatera (Indonesia), has the average annual relative humidity is 64%. The area has an average monthly relative humidity ranges from 59% in July to 69% in October.
So to have a healthy plant, you must maintain above 40% humidity. That would replicate its origin or the best growing environment for the Satin Pothos plant.
You can choose one of two methods to improve indoor humidity.
The first one is to put the Satin Pothos plant on a pebble tray. The humidity will increase by the time water evaporates around the plant.
The easiest and fastest way to increase humidity is by using a humidifier. Place the humidifier close to the Satin Pothos plant to increase humidity levels locally.
You can place the plant in a bathroom since the humidity is always very high in the bathroom. The level could reach around 68%.
Because the bathroom has constant use of water, this will create a humid environment for the plant.
The most significant sign of the plant gets a low humidity level is brown leaf tips. To maintain a stable humidity level, you might want to use a digital hygrometer to keep the Satin Pothos plant being healthy.
Pot
Since the Satin Pothos plant likes moist soil, it requires a good drainage pot. The best pot for the Sating Pothos plant is made from plastic or terracotta that has draining holes.
Water must flow out of the pot well enough so that the water will not sit for long. The soil will not get wet or soggy.
How to care
Fertilizer
The best fertilizer for the Satin Pothos plant is to use a water-soluble or liquid houseplant. Apply just 1/2 strength of its directed by the instruction label.
The best time to fertilize the Sating Pothos plant is in spring months and summer months. Feed the plant monthly during those growing season.
In winter, stop fertilizing until spring. You have several options for fertilizers to use.
You can also use slow-release granules fertilizer. These fertilizers will provide a slow-release working period for as long as three months. The nutrients will slowly break down in the soil every time the plant is watered.
You can use potting soil or potting mixes that contains a slow-release fertilizer. After you planted the Satin Pothos plant, you do not have to feed the plant for several months.
In the long run, if you notice the Satin Pothos plant begins losing its color, you may apply the water-soluble houseplant fertilizer blend at half-strength.
One problem that might occur is the foliage turned to brown or burned foliage. This is a sign of the soil contains salts build up.
The only way to fix this problem is to first to check the salt level in the soil. To determine the type of problem in the soil, collect a soil sample and test them.
The best indicator of the salt problem is a detailed salinity analysis. The test measures water-soluble levels of the soil, the pH level, and electrical conductivity (EC).
Flush the soil with water every four months to wash away the salts from the soil.
Take the plant to an outside hose. Let the water to run slowly through the soil for about 10 minutes. Wait until the water drains completely. Then bring it to the original place.
Watering
The best way to water the Satin Pothos plant is to keep the soil moist. To avoid the potential death of the plant and unhealthy growth, do not overwater the plant.
The Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus plant thrives well when the soil is allowed to dry out between waterings. To discover how dry is the soil, use your finger and dip only into the top two inches of the soil. See to make sure that that topsoil is dry or still moist.
If you notice that the leaves are yellow, this is the sign of the plant receive too much water. Overwatering can also cause root rot.
If by any chance, the leaves are turning brown or wilting, this could be the sign of the plant does not receive enough water.
To fix this, water the plant more often.
Do not let the Satin Pothos plant to stand in water. Not if the water is used for propagation or a cutting started in water.
Satin Pothos plant can grow in water, but they prefer to grow in one medium from the start.
So a Satin Pothos plant started in the soil will thrive best if continued to grow in soil. The Satin Pothos plant started in the water will thrive best if continued to grow in water.
Apply water until it runs from the bottom drain holes. Use regular tap water would be just fine. Rainwater can also be used to irrigate the Satin Pothos plant.
Pruning the Satin Pothos plant
The Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus plant does not need much pruning. The only purpose to cut or trim the plant is because it is growing too long.
The other purpose would be to make it fuller or to propagate from cuttings to make new additional plants.
Pruning can also be beneficial for cutting off any damaged or dead leaves. The best time to prune the Satin Pothos plant is during its growing period in the spring months (March to June).
You have to make sure to use pruning shears or scissors or knives that are sharp and sterilize. Wipe those pruning tools off with alcohol thoroughly. By sterilizing the tools, you will not get a potential pest infestation or get diseases.
Repotting
The best time to re-pot the Satin Pothos plant during its growing periods or in the spring months and summer months.
You may have to go up a size from 4″ to 6″ pot size. Especially when the Satin Pothos plant has long trails. For a 6″ Satin Pothos plant, it is rather large and can be extremely pot bound. You need to re-pot the plant to a 10″ pot.
It is recommended to re-pot the plant once in 2 or 3 years.
How to propagate Satin Pothos plant
The best way to propagate the Satin Pothos plant is by stem cuttings. As you prune any long stems, you can pot them up for getting new plants.
You can pot new stem and can turn them into a great gift idea friends and other families.
Prepare a jar of water or a clear glass vase with water. Cut the stem to at least a 4-inch long. Put them in the jar or vase for rooting. Make sure to change the water every week. Or if you repot into the soil, keep the soil moist.
Use a potting mix with peat moss.
Wait for one month or one and a half month, roots should start forming on the stem cuttings. Treat and care for the new Satin Pothos plant cuttings like the mother plant.
Pests and problems
There is not known serious disease problems with the Satin Pothos plant. The most common problem is root rot.
This was caused by overwater and the plant sit in the water for too long. Root rot can turn the stem turn to mushy and black. The foliage will also turn to black.
When root rot is a problem, water the plant only when the top inch or two of soil becomes dry.
If the soil is too soggy, remove the plant from its pot and repot them. Repot with a rich potting mix and well drain pot. Remove all mushy and black stems.
The most common pests are scale and spider mites. If you use pruning tools that are not sterilized, the pests might be migrated to the plant. They can also be migrated from other plants.
Both pests can kill the Satin Pothos plant.
Treat them by spraying all parts of the plant with an insecticidal soap spray or Neem oil. Follow the instruction label when applying.
