When you’re shopping for a Pothos, you’ll notice they come in a ton of different leaf colors, but that’s not the only way they’re versatile. You can let these beauties climb upward or let them trail down—and honestly, when it comes to the hanging look, you can get pretty creative with your decor.
Growth Habit
The Pothos (botanically known as *Epipremnum aureum*) is a natural-born climber. In the wild, it hitches a ride up tree trunks, and as an indoor plant, it loves to scale moss poles or trellises. Those herbaceous vines can easily reach several feet in length.
Hanging Pothos
Since this leafy favorite needs a little help to climb, it will simply grow along the ground if it doesn’t have a climbing aid. Those vines are going to grow long no matter what! This “creeping” habit is exactly why the Pothos works so perfectly as a hanging plant.
Because of those long, flowing vines, you can display a Pothos in all sorts of cool ways:
- Draping elegantly off a plant stand or a side table
- Cascading from a floor vase (this works great for cuttings you’ve started yourself)
- Tucked into a classic hanging basket or macrame hanger
- Spilling off a high bookshelf
- Creating a “living carpet” effect
If you want to get really fancy, you can even train the vines to wrap around a ceiling light fixture like a green lampshade. Or, try placing a long planter box on a high wooden beam or shelf near the ceiling for a lush, jungle canopy vibe.
Growth Rate
If your Pothos is happy with its location and getting the right care, you can expect it to grow about 12 to 20 inches per year. Whether you consider that “fast” or “slow” is up to you, but if you’re planning to use it as a living room divider, just keep in mind it’ll take a few years to fully fill out that space.
For smaller setups, like on a desk or a plant pedestal, those vines might actually get *too* long before you know it. If that happens, don’t sweat it—just prune the vines back to your desired length. Early spring is the best time for a haircut, but honestly, you can snip them back any time of year.
Light and Care
When it comes to light and general maintenance, it doesn’t matter if your Pothos is climbing or hanging—the needs are the same. Just make sure that wherever you hang it, it’s still easy for you to reach so you can keep up with regular watering and fertilizing.
