Shangri La Pothos Care - How to Propagate Sleeping Pothos

The evergreen perennial Epipremnum aureum ‘Shangri La’ has fascinating curled foliage. It was developed from the plant Golden Pothos, Epipremnum aureum, which belongs to the Araceae family of aroids.

Pothos ‘Shangri La’ or Devil’s Ivy ‘Shangri La’ are two common names for this plant. Another name for the Shangri La Pothos is Godzilla Pothos, and I guess this name comes from the way the leaves point upward, making it look like the back of Godzilla.

It is a climbing vine that can reach a height of over 1 meter. It produces dark green, oval-shaped leaves that remain curled and wrinkled, giving it a unique appearance.

This cultivar is a low-light tolerant houseplant that requires little maintenance. It can produce cream-yellow to green blooming spikes enclosed by a spathe in cultivation, but this is uncommon.

Shangri La Pothos Sunlight Requirements

Shangri La Pothos likes moderate light; you can sometimes get away with giving it a little bit more light than needed, but you need to be careful not to give it too much of it. This is a tricky balance because too little light will lead the plant to lose its variegation, while too much light will cause the leaves to open out completely, resulting in the loss of their peculiar, shriveled appearance.

To compensate for the lack of chlorophyll in the lighter-colored regions of the leaves, variegated plants require intense light to maintain variegation.

If you live in a low-light environment and want your plant’s variegation to stay alive, invest in a grow lamp to ensure you get the proper amount of light.

Just keep it away from the grow light so that this sleeping pothos does not fully open and remains asleep!

Shangri La Pothos Soil Requirements

One of the most amazing things about pothos is how low-maintenance they are. This also applies to the Shangri-La!

All it needs is a potting mix that drains effectively. All you’ll need is perlite and a normal indoor plant potting mix to make this. Perlite is a puffed volcanic rock that aids with drainage and aeration.

To be honest, I usually just eyeball the ratio; it doesn’t have to be accurate. For a small pot, use around a handful of perlite, increasing the number of handfuls as the pot grows larger.

Shangri La Pothos Water Requirements

When the top two inches of the potting mix are dry, water your pothos. Of course, it prefers not to be completely dry, but neither does it prefer to be kept as moist as other pothos plants.

Vining plants will typically droop if they become too dry. However, because the Shangri La Pothos’ leaves are naturally shriveled, this may be tougher to notice.

Instead of relying on that, use your finger to check the potting mix once a week or so to see how dry it is and if your plant needs to be watered.

You should keep an eye on this since it will not only help you water your plant when it needs it, but it will also prevent you from overwatering it. It’s critical not to overwater your plant. Overwatering can lead to root rot and, eventually, plant death.

Shangri La Pothos Humidity Requirements

Another critical part of caring for your Shangri La Pothos is humidity. It prefers high humidity, just like it prefers high temperatures. This is because it is a tropical plant.

Between 50 and 70 percent humidity is ideal for the plant. It won’t have any problems going slightly higher than that, up to 85% to 90%.

It can also withstand ordinary room humidity without any negative consequences. But only to a certain extent.

As a result, you should keep it somewhere where the humidity is between 40% and 50%. The lowest point was in the high 30s. Otherwise, you’ll notice the margins of its leaves becoming brown as it begins to dry out.

This implies you won’t need to use a humidifier in most circumstances.

However, if you live in a dry area, or if the air is particularly dry during the winter (which is normal), it’s a good idea to take a few steps to increase the humidity levels around the plant.

The most common method is misting. It is, however, time-consuming because you must mist 2 to 3 times per week on a constant basis.

You can also transfer the plant to the bathroom or kitchen, which are the most humid locations in the house because we use water there frequently. Another option is to place the plant in a water tray on top of stones. Finally, you place it in a group with other plants.

Shangri La Pothos Temperature Requirements

Between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature for your Shangri La Pothos. Because of its original location, it is a tropical plant that enjoys mild to warm temperatures.

It can also withstand temperatures above 85 degrees. When the temperature approaches 100 degrees, though, you should provide it with some shade or protection.

50 degrees, on the other hand, is about as low as it can get. Therefore, USDA Zones 10 to 12 are suitable for the plant.

Unfortunately, as a result, it cannot resist the cold, much less the freezing temperatures.

It will suffer harm if left in temperatures below 50 degrees for an extended period of time. And the lower the temperature drops, the more issues it will face.

This is why it is unable to survive snowy winters.

Do I Need Fertilizer for Shangri La Pothos?

A fertilizer is not required for your Shangri La Pothos. It is capable of functioning on its own. You can give it a fresh coating of compost every spring if you desire.

That should suffice to keep it happy and healthy.

However, many home gardeners prefer to use fertilizer to speed up the growth of their plants. While this method is effective, it is vital to avoid overdoing it.

It’s easy to overfertilize the plant because it doesn’t require much.

If you must feed it, do it only in the spring and summer when the plant is actively growing. During the fall and winter, it won’t require this.

Once a month, give it a balanced liquid fertilizer that has been diluted to half strength.

If your soil is of poor quality, feeding is the most successful method. However, when you create your own mix, this is rarely the case.

Shangri La Pothos Pruning

Pruning your Shangri La Pothos is a good idea for a few reasons:

First, to keep the size and shape of your pothos under control, give it a haircut if it’s getting too long or uncontrolled for your satisfaction. To encourage new growth and a fuller plant, cut off the vines above a node.
- Leaves, roots, and aerial roots grow from the nodes, which are little bumps along the stem.
- If you point the vine up towards the ceiling and cut above the node, you are cutting above the node. We want the new growth to happen on the main plant, not on the bit you cut off, so the node will stay on the main plant.
- We cut BELOW the node when propagating because we want the node on the cutting to produce additional roots. I’ll go into more detail about this in the propagation section, but I thought it was worth mentioning here as well.
Lack of light can cause plants to grow leggy, which means they have stretched-out stems with fewer leaves. If your vines are getting too long, trim them off above a node to encourage fresh, bushier growth (as explained above).
Remove any yellow, dead, or fading foliage by plucking it off.

When pruning your pothos, always use a clean, sharp set of scissors.

Repotting your Shangri La Pothos

The Shangri La Pothos is usually found in a tiny container. However, it will outgrow its 6-inch pot over time and will need to be relocated.

However, there is no need to rush.

Instead, wait for indicators that the plant has outgrown its container. Then, you can lift the container and inspect the bottom openings. When roots begin to emerge, it indicates that it is looking for more space.

Similarly, if the plant becomes too pot-pound, it will slow down its growth.

Also, soil dries up rapidly because the roots, which do not wrap around the root ball, absorb the moisture quickly because it is insufficient for the plant.

Only go up 1 to 2 inches in size while repotting. Increases of 6 or 8 inches should be avoided because they will greatly increase soil volume, leaving the plant drowning in moisture when wet.

How to propagate your Sleeping Pothos?

I strongly advise you to propagate your Shangri La Pothos at some time. Unfortunately, it’s an uncommon and quite expensive plant. As a result, you should always maintain a few backups in case something goes wrong with one of them.

You can even give a few out to friends who would appreciate such a unique plant. I’m sure it will be well appreciated.

Stem cuttings are the greatest approach to reproduce the plant.
The cuttings can be rooted in either water or soil. When the plant is growing, the greatest time to propagate it is in the spring or early summer. This allows you to use this time to accelerate the roots and growth process.

This is how you do it:

Take a piece of the stem and chop it off. Choose a stem that is healthy and has at least a few leaves.
To reveal the leaf nodes, remove the lower leaves.

Place the stem cutting (cut side down) in the water if you want to start with water. I prefer to use a glass or glass jar so that I can keep track of the roots’ progress.

You should observe roots forming in 2 to 3 weeks.
You can transplant the cutting to a container with new, well-draining soil once the roots are approximately an inch long.

Prepare a pot and fill it with a fresh, well-draining mix if you want to propagate in soil.

The stem cutting can be dipped in rooting hormone. This step, however, is optional.
The stem cutting should then be planted in the soil.
Keep the soil moist by watering it.
To boost humidity, cover the container with a plastic bag with holes.
Then place the plant in a warm, non-direct light position.
Because soil provides greater resistance than water, the roots will take 3 to 4 weeks to form. After that, however, the roots become stronger and can dig deeper into the earth.

Where to Buy?

You can find an affordable option by visting Etsy, there you can find also cuttings. I get most of my plants from there. You can check out the prices and sellers’ reviews and decide if you want to try this option instead of other places where you will be paying much more.

Shangri La Pothos: Common pests & ilnesses

Pests and illnesses have little effect on the Shangri La Pothos.

That is also an excellent incentive to purchase such hardy plants since they do not require much maintenance and are ideal for novices. However, no plant is 100 percent robust, especially if we neglect it and give it poor care. This pothos is prone to spider mites and pests in that regard.

If caught early enough, they do not harm the plant and can be easily treated with neem oil and insecticidal soap. However, they can suck the sap out of the plant and damage its nutrition and growth if not caught early.

Infections caused by bacteria and fungi can be avoided simply by keeping the plant and its surroundings clean.

Another problem is root rot, which may be avoided by using good soil and managing water content properly.

Is the Shangri La Pothos toxic?

Shangri La Pothos is a somewhat poisonous plant. It is poisonous to eat and can produce tongue irritation if consumed in little amounts, but it can cause calcium oxalate food poisoning and vomiting if consumed in big quantities.

It comprises needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals that can penetrate the mucus membrane. As a result, they can irritate the mouth, tongue, and lips, causing numbness, discomfort, and irritation.

For safety reasons, keep this plant away from children and pets, as they are more likely to eat it by accident.

Poison Control should be contacted if someone ate it by accident. Likewise, contact your veterinarian if your pet ate it.

It is not hazardous to touch, but it may create a rash if your skin is sensitive.

Important

Other types of Pothos plants you may be interested in: Giant Pothos, Harlequin Pothos, Hawaiian Pothos.

Shangri La Pothos FAQ

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