Baltic Blue Pothos vs. Cebu Blue Pothos

Baltic Blue Pothos vs. Cebu Blue Pothos, what are the main differences?

While they are closely genetically related, Baltic blue pothos and Cebu blue pothos are different plants with different features. However, they both feature gorgeous, long leaves with a blue tint. So, it makes sense that some people might get confused at first. Luckily, once you learn the difference between Baltic blue and Cebu blue pothos, you won’t need to look twice to know which is which.

Baltic Blue Pothos vs. Cebu Blue Pothos: What’s the Difference?

The main difference between Baltic blue and Cebu blue pothos is the color of the leaves and how easily they fenestrate (split.) Baltic blue pothos leaves have a deeper, bluer color than the Cebu blue pothos’ silvery leaves. Its leaves also fenestrate much easier and may do so even on young plants or new leaves. So let’s examine the exact differences between these two plants.

Leaf Size

Both Baltic blue pothos and Cebu blue pothos have long, pointed leaves, just like other pothos plants. However, Baltic blue leaves are much larger than Cebu blue leaves. Cebu blue pothos leaves are typically three to four inches long, while Baltic blue pothos leaves grow much larger.

Overall Plant Size

Baltic blue pothos is a massive plant that can grow six feet tall or taller if given appropriate conditions to propagate. Amazingly, Cebu blue pothos grows even larger, with stems reaching eight feet and sometimes even more.

Leaf Texture

The leaves of these two plants also have different textures. Baltic blue pothos leaves are much smoother and shinier than Cebu blue pothos leaves. On the other hand, Cebu blue pothos leaves tend to have a scaly or bumpy texture.

Leaf Fenestrations

Leaf fenestrations or splits are typical for Baltic blue pothos. Mature Baltic blue pothos plants will naturally grow leaf fenestrations if the plant is given enough room to climb and propagate. Cebu blue pothos is capable of leaf fenestration. Still, it’s much rarer for this plant. You’ll need to propagate it appropriately if you want the leaves to fenestrate. Even with impeccable propagation, you may not be able to get your Cebu blue pothos to fenestrate.

Baltic Blue Pothos vs. Cebu Blue Pothos: Growth Patterns

Both Baltic blue pothos and Cebu blue pothos are trailing/climbing plants. However, some anecdotal evidence points to Cebu blue pothos reaching its trailing stage earlier than Baltic blue pothos. Baltic blue pothos tends to grow in more of a mound that trails towards the floor later in its growth pattern.

How to Care for Baltic Blue Pothos

Baltic blue pothos makes an excellent starter plant because it’s effortless to care for. However, it is a large plant. So, while immature plants might make a perfect desk plant, a mature Baltic blue pothos plant won’t make a good desk plant unless you have a massive desk that can fit a six-foot-tall, trailing plant.

Pothos plants typically don’t like direct sunlight, but they do night a brightly lit, albeit indirect lighting ecosystem to thrive. However, too much bright light can bleach the blue coloring out of the leaves. So, keep that in mind when choosing a location for your Baltic Blue Pothos plant.

Baltic blue pothos plants are highly resistant to dryness; they even prefer a slight dryness over consistently moist soil. Therefore, you only need to water your Baltic blue pothos plant about once a week, and you’ll do well to check the soil moisture before watering. While you shouldn’t let the soil dry out completely, a wet potting mix can cause severe stress in Baltic blue pothos plants and early yellowing of the leaves.

The typical humidity in most homes and offices is tolerable for the Baltic blue pothos plant. However, suppose you live in an exceptionally arid climate. In that case, you may want to invest in a humidifier to keep the air a bit more humid for the plant’s health.

You should fertilize your Baltic blue pothos plant about twice a year, roughly the same as you would do for other houseplants. However, if you want to fertilize your plant more often to encourage it to grow faster, you are free to do so. Just don’t use more fertilizer than is recommended in the included instructions for your fertilizer of choice.

You can prune your Baltic blue pothos plants any time of the year without worrying about harming the plant. However, the techniques you use when pruning your plant will vary based on how you want your plant to grow.

If you want your plant to grow laterally, we recommend pinching new growth rather than pruning it. Pinching new plant growth will encourage the growth to continue outwards rather than vertically. If left to its own devices, the plant will naturally begin to vine and trail. It will also climb peat posts if they’re provided for it.

How to Care for Cebu Blue Pothos

Cebu blue pothos is also relatively easy to care for compared to other houseplants. However, it is a relatively rare breed of pothos that you might have trouble finding at your regular nursery. Still, many online retailers sell seeds or whole plants that can be shipped to your home.

Like Baltic blue pothos, Cebu blue pothos does well in medium to high indirect light. However, like golden pothos, it doesn’t do well in the shade. However, Cebu blue pothos leaves burn very quickly. So, keep this one out of direct sunlight as best you can.

Cebu blue pothos does best in well-draining soil. You can use a mixture of one part potting soil, one part orchid bark, and one part perlite to give the plant the ideal amount of drainage. Ensure you don’t overwater the plant by allowing the top one to two inches of soil to dry a bit before watering the plant. About once a week should be ideal for promoting healthy plant growth.

Unlike Baltic blue pothos, which tends to prefer a drier climate, Cebu blue pothos is native to Cebu Island in the Philippines. Thus, you’ll want to provide the plant with extra humidity to encourage vigorous growth. Additionally, fertilizing the plant at least twice a year is encouraged for optimal growth.

Toxicity Warning

One thing to keep in mind is that all Pothos plants are considered toxic to cats, dogs, and humans. This toxicity is because Pothos plants produce oxalate crystals that can cause severe swelling in the mouth and throat if ingested.

Keep Pothos plants out of reach of any pets or children. If you are unsure whether you can keep your family members safe from your Pothos plant, you should consider a safer, non-toxic plant to add to your home.

If your cat has ingested any part of your pothos plant, seek veterinary attention immediately. While most cats recover from Pothos poisoning without too much fuss, ingesting parts of the Pothos plant can be exceptionally dangerous to cats because of the oxalate crystals and the fact that cats can’t correctly digest plant material.

Final Thoughts

Baltic blue pothos and Cebu blue pothos are gorgeous plants that look lovely whether grown on the floor or in a hanging pot. Luckily, they’re easy to care for, making them excellent beginner plants for anyone who has a home that’s safe for them.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Firn/Shutterstock.com