Neon Pothos vs Golden Pothos (What’s the Difference?)

Let us clear the confusion regarding Neon Pothos vs Golden Pothos with the help of some points of difference. There are so many plants that show similar properties and it is very obvious that people get easily confused between them. One of those species is Neon pothos and golden pothos.

Quick takeaways:

• Many people get confused with their names but they are different even after belonging to the same family.
• These well-liked pothos types stand out for their low maintenance requirements, heart-shaped foliage, and vining growth patterns.
• There are some points showing the difference between Neon Pothos vs Golden Pothos such as Leaf Shape and Structure, Stems, Lighting and Soil Requirements, Blooming, Growth Rate, etc.

Due to some of these characteristics, people get easily confused between these two, but there are many differences between them.

In this article, we will clear the confusion between these two plants. We will first see some of the similarities between these two so that we get the reason for the confusion and then distinguish them based on some factors. 

Neon Pothos vs Golden Pothos ( What’s the difference)

You have seen some of the similarities above in this article. But we will discuss more of their differences and clear your confusion by taking some of the factors that you can easily remember and using them to distinguish both of them.

Leaf Shape and Structure

Firstly, let us discuss the leaves of these two plants. You can easily make a difference between both of them by just looking at their leaf structure and color. So, this is an important factor. Both of the plants have similar heart-shaped leaves but in neon pothos, they are lobed at the end, and in golden pothos, they have a curved and pointed tip.

The second thing you can see in their leaves is the colors. The leaves of neon pothos feature vivid chartreuse, yellow-green, or acid-green hue. The leaves of the golden pothos, on the other hand, are medium green in hue and speckled with golden yellow. 

Golden pothos has shiny, thick leaves that seem waxy or solid to the touch. Despite being glossy, neon pothos leaves seem leathery and thinner.

Stems

From the name, you can get an idea that Golden pothos has gold-colored stems whereas neon pothos has a neon-green stem. Both have vining stems. If you grow Golden pothos as an indoor plant the stem can grow up to 20-40 feet and on the other hand neon pathos reach up to a maximum of 10 feet when mature.

Blooming

Golden pothos has very few chances of flowering when grown under indoor conditions. The chances of blooming increase in the outdoor atmosphere and sometimes you will be able to see flowers that are encased in spathes with hues ranging from cream-yellow to light green. 

On the other hand, if we talk about Neon pothos, they are generally not grown as a household plant so there are high chances of blooming. They often produce cream-white to green spathe blooms in late spring or early summer.

Lighting and Soil Requirements

The light requirements of these two plants are slightly different. Golden pothos can withstand low lighting better than neon, but with time it will turn solid green and lose its characteristic golden-yellow variegation. 

The soil conditions of Golden Pothos are normal growth medium, provided it is damp and drains effectively. Contrarily, neon pothos favors light, loamy soil that is wet and well-draining.

Growth Rate

The average growth rate of these two plants also makes a difference between them. During the growth season, the golden pothos grows swiftly, increasing its vine length by up to 18 inches every month. Neon pothos typically grows at a pace of 12 inches each month. 

To know more about the plant world, you may also read related articles, Golden Pothos vs Hawaiian Pothos (Actual Differences and Similarities)

We hope that you are now able to make a difference between these two plants easily. The main difference between neon and golden pothos is that neon pothos has practically translucent neon green leaves without any golden yellow variegation. The best part is you can grow these two plants together as they require similar growing conditions and the same care requirements.

Similarities Neon pothos vs Golden pothos

This is important to know because it will give you the reason why people are confused between these two plants. So, we will discuss some basic and similar characteristics of these two plants.

Habitat

Both pothos species develop in a vining pattern as they belong to the same family Epipremnum aureum. They may be taught to trail over window sashes or to follow alongside walls, trellis, and other structures.

Light and water requirements

Both of them have a similar need for water and light by pothos plants which make confusion sometimes. Too much light is not tolerated by both of them so they best grow in bright but indirect lighting conditions. Both love to be grown in moist soil but are prone to root rot easily. So, be careful about their watering. 

Wrap up! 

In this guide, you come to know that there are so many plants that show similar properties and it is very obvious that people get easily confused between them. One of those species is Neon pothos and golden pothos. These well-liked pothos types stand out for their low maintenance requirements, heart-shaped foliage, and vining growth patterns. 

Due to some of these characteristics, people get easily confused between these two, but there are many differences between them. Also, many people get confused with their names but they are different even after belonging to the same family. So, read this guide so that you know about the differences between the neon pothos and the golden pothos. 

Thanks for reading! Happy gardening! 

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