Are Hosta Plant Part of the Philodendron Family
Know your plants: how to tell the difference between a philodendron and a pothos
Philodendron hederaceum var. oxycardium (L) and Epipremnum aureum (R)
If you've read my web log before or perused my Instagram, y'all might be enlightened that I'k very passionate about taxonomy and found identification! Ane of the about common mistakes I see beginner plant parents make is conflating a heart foliage philodendron (botanical name Philodendron hederaceum var. oxycardium) and a pothos (Epipremnum aureum). [I'm going to refer to each by their common proper noun because it's simply easier.] It'south truthful that they look like upon first glance, merely when y'all look a little closer, there are a world of differences! It's also true that the two plants accept relatively the same care, although I discover the philodendron to be less drought tolerant and in demand of more than bright light in order to grow well. Nonetheless, I wanted to go over the differences and similarities so that you can be confident in your plant indentifcation. Expect more in a serial of "Know Your Plants" posts!
Offset, let'south look at how the philodendron and pothos are similar: Both P. hederaceum var. oxycardium and E. aureum are in the same family Araceae and are both climbers in the wild. They volition naturally grow up the sides of copse and other plants, buildings, telephone poles... whatever they can cling to with their aerial roots and travel up on. In the abode, they're each often displayed in hanging baskets and as abaft plants, fifty-fifty though many people give them trellises or moss poles to climb as well. The philodendron and pothos both take green, glossy leaves (except for the variegated and neon cultivars) that are a similar heart shape and tend to grow about the aforementioned size in the home (usually around the size of an developed's palm). That'south about where the similarities cease, and so allow'south breakdown how to spot the all the differences between these two pop houseplants!
Leaf SHAPE + TEXTURE
Pothos leaf up shut.
Philodendron foliage upward close. See the differences?
A few tell-tale differences between pothos and philodendrons are the overall shape and texture of the leaves. A pothos (acme photo) has leaves with a thicker, waxy feel and slightly raised/bumpy texture to the leaves. In that location is also an obviously indented midrib and the shape tends to look something like a gardening spade. A philodendron, on the other hand (lesser photo), has thinner leaves with a smoothen texture - when yous glide your fingers across the leaf blade, you won't feel the texture like you lot do with a pothos. The philodendron leaf shape is also more centre-like, with a prominent sinus (the space betwixt the two rounded lobes where the leaf meets the petiole) and a more than dramatically tailed apex (the bespeak of the leafage). Pothos leaves tin sometimes exist a scrap more asymmetrical than philodendron leaves, also.
GROWTH Addiction + NEW FOLIAGE
A new pothos foliage unfurling. Notation the lack of cataphyll.
See those papery, off-white sheaths? Those are cataphylls!
Other ways to distinguish the ii plants are past looking at how it grows (aka growth addiction). A pothos leaf extends and unfurls from a electric current leafage. A philodendron leafage extends on a bit of vine in a cataphyll, which is a thin, waxy, opaque sheath. A cataphyll is essentially a small, modified foliage and will continue to photosynthesize until it becomes brown and papery, and falls off on information technology's own. Cataphylls are a distinct attribute of philodendrons, so if yous're having trouble discerning between leaf shapes that we talked most to a higher place, this is a get-to feature to look for. I take also plant that new leaves on a philodendron have a pink or brownish tint, and will darken to its true color with a bit of maturity. Pothos leaves unfurl simply a lighter shade than the rest of the plant!
AIR ROOTS + STEMS
Aerial roots that are more than chubby. Note at that place is
Cheque out those aerial roots and cataphylls!
Considering I'm a super detailed and meticulous person when it comes to plants (I'm definitely not like that in all aspects of my life!), I'one thousand going to betoken out a few more than features to look for! Stems on pothos are thicker than that of a philodendron, and are relatively the same color as the leaves. Philodendron stems are often a green-ish chocolate-brown, and fresh, extended stems nearly the bottom are an orangey-brown (run into photo above). Pothos and philodendrons both take aerial (air) roots that are used to climb and absorb nutrients and moisture from the air. Pothos aerial roots are thick nubs, with just ane root extending from a node. Philodendron aerial roots are tin can grow in groups (sometimes 2 to 6) and are sparse and spindly.
Okay, can you tell the divergence now?! If you look at both of these photos, can y'all see the distinct unlike features? When identifying a constitute, it's all-time to await at a wide view of the found as a whole and then "zoom in" to look at all the different parts and how they fit together. In one case you lot know how to ID a plant, it becomes a snap!
Are Hosta Plant Part of the Philodendron Family
Source: https://www.stamenandstemblog.com/blog/pothos-vs-philodendron
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