Manjula Pothos: Discover This Beautiful Houseplant

Pothos plants are quite popular as houseplants and for good reason. These lovely plants have beautiful foliage and grow like weeds into long, climbing stems. Just as well, there are many popular varieties of pothos that have different colors, patterns, growth characteristics, and variegations. One particularly beautiful variety or cultivar of pothos is the Manjula pothos.

In this guide, we’ll give you all the info you need about the Manjula pothos, from its origin to its characteristics to its care requirements.

What is a Manjula Pothos?

The University of Florida created the Manjula pothos as a patented pothos cultivar. While this variety was created at a university, most pothos plants originate from the Solomon Islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Despite being designated as a separate cultivar, the Manjula pothos has traits very similar to the N’Joy and Pearls and Jade pothos cultivars. Epipremnum aureum ‘HANSOTI14’ or Epipremnum aureum ‘Manjula’ are the two classifications that the Manjula is labeled under. This plant is a perennial vining plant and a member of the Araceae family. Although many grow much larger outdoors under the correct conditions, Manjula pothos may easily reach six feet long and three feet wide.

The Manjula pothos is a cultivar of pothos that has huge, heart-shaped leaves with magnificent white, green, and cream variegation, making it one of the most beautiful pothos cultivars available. This pothos is more difficult to find than other varieties because of its rarity. In general, this variety can grow in USDA hardiness zones 11 through 12 and requires loamy, wet, well-draining, acidic soil to grow properly indoors and outdoors. The Manjula variety also has a moderate growth rate. This variety, like all pothos plants, is toxic to cats and dogs and should be kept away from pets when grown indoors.

How to Grow and Care for a Manjula Pothos

Like other pothos plants, the Manjula pothos is pretty easy to care for. That being said, it does have some requirements you’ll have to adhere to if you want your Manjula to grow large, keep its unique coloring, and live for a long time.

Manjula Pothos Sunlight Needs

Thankfully, the Manjula pothos can endure most lighting situations, so plant parents with small or few windows need not worry. However, as is common with tropical vines, indirect light is preferred over direct light. This plant can withstand a lot of heat, but direct sunlight might burn the leaves, so avoid placing it directly in a window that gets too much sun.

Given that the plant requires more bright light than other species of pothos to photosynthesize due to its white leaves that lack chlorophyll, indirect but extremely bright light should be the target. This plant’s variegated leaves may lose part of their beautiful creamy-white hue in extremely low light. If you can’t give it enough natural light, you may always place it under a grow light. Many horticulturists and hobbyists do this in the wintertime.

Manjula Pothos Watering Needs

Make sure your container is able to drain water properly to maintain the health of your Manjula. The simplest method to achieve this with a houseplant is to make sure it is planted in a container with multiple drainage holes. By opting for such pots, any extra water will drain out the bottom and prevent root rot in your plant.

Plant parents should be careful not to plant or keep this specific pothos variety in dry soil for an extended period of time because it isn’t particularly drought resistant. When the soil seems less damp to the touch, as determined by probing it with your finger, be sure to water consistently and evenly. If your plant is in a terrarium, you can ensure it won’t get root rot by placing a drainage layer before your substrate. Clay balls and leca are common options for this drainage layer. By purchasing the proper substrate mix, you can ensure that your plant receives adequate, uniform hydration.

Manjula Pothos Soil and Fertilizer Needs

Use a substrate with very good water retention and excellent drainage for this particular plant. By doing this, you can be sure that your Manjula pothos has access to moisture without sitting in too much water. Just as well, purchasing a high-quality mix is essential to a terrarium’s efficacy. Therefore, it is advised to use a mixture high in coco coir, orchid bark, and perlite or vermiculite, regardless of whether or not you are keeping your Manjula pothos as a houseplant or terrarium plant. Additionally, using this type of soil will allow for ample root aeration for your plant.

While constant feeding in the spring and summer helps to maintain healthy growth and variegation, Manjula pothos plants do not require routine fertilization. For optimal results, use a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month throughout the growing season. Stop fertilizing during the winter.

Manjula Pothos Temperature and Humidity Needs

The Manjula pothos is an extremely temperature-tolerant plant, more so than many other pothos varieties. According to horticulturists, the Manjula can endure temperatures as low as 43 degrees F without suffering harm and as high as 104 degrees F with some form of shade provided. Even though this plant can withstand extremes on either end of the spectrum, it will undoubtedly struggle to survive. Anywhere between 50 to 95 degrees F would suffice for the Manjula pothos, and this range is rather easy to maintain indoors.

The Manjula enjoys high humidity, much like the entire pothos family of tropical plants, so if you needed any more reason to put it in a terrarium, here you have it! As the Manjula pothos has traditionally been cultivated in warm and humid places like southeast Asia, you may anticipate your own plant to prefer humidity levels somewhere between 60% and 90%. The likelihood that aerial roots will sprout also increases with adequate humidity.

Do Manjula Plants Produce Flowers?

As a houseplant, the Manjula pothos does not blossom. Pothos leaves stay small to medium in size when maintained indoors. The leaves may get rather big if maintained outside in a tropical environment, but they only usually flower in the wild.

Should I Prune My Manjula Pothos Plant?

Pruning is an important part of Manjula pothos maintenance. These vines can be taught to climb a trellis or moss pole or grow cascading leaves in a hanging basket. They even function well as tabletop plants. However, they can grow out of control if not regularly pruned.

Pothos vines climb and organically trail. In the wild, these robust vines may reach heights of 60 feet and grow enormous leaves. They are actually able to engulf whole forests! Keep your pothos in a container if you live in a tropical area to prevent the plant from spreading. Once they develop roots in the ground, it will be difficult to remove these from your yard.

Your Manjula will behave considerably better indoors and training and pruning it is easy. Manjula vines may grow up to six feet long indoors. Trim the excess at any leaf node on the stem if you don’t want it to be that long. These plants may be pruned using small sterilized hand pruners or precise scissors.

Your Manjula has to be connected to the pole or trellis you want it to climb in order for it to ascend. Once it starts, it will mature with little difficulty and will understand where it needs to grow. Pothos vines cling to an attaching post like ivy species do, but they do not grow into it. If they can lie on the structure, you may just drape them over it and let the vine grow along it. The vine will stay where you want it as long as it has somewhere to grip.

Common Manjula Care Problems

Manjula pothos plants are susceptible to a number of health problems, the most common of which are brown spots. Brown patches on Manjula pothos might be a sign of overfertilization, excessively direct sunlight, poor humidity, overwatering, and root issues. Pests may also harm leaves, leaving brown or “burnt” patches on them.

Overwatering is the main cause of Manjula pothos care issues. If you notice dark patches and browning of the leaves, overwatering is likely to blame, which will directly lead to root rot if not quickly remedied. Maintain a consistent watering regimen for your pothos to prevent overwatering and only water after checking to see if the soil is dry at the roots.

Brown leaf tips are the most typical sign of low humidity as well. You should put a pebble tray with water under your plant and place the Manjula nearby or directly on top of it if the leaf tips are starting to turn brown. Using humidifiers and arranging plants in groups will both help to properly increase humidity. The Manjula pothos likes a humidity level of at least 50%, though 40% humidity is usually sufficient indoors.

Your Manjula’s leaves may also develop dark spots as a result of overfertilization. Fertilizer-derived salts may build up in the leaves and burn them. On the leaves, this causes unsightly dark stains. Fertilize pothos plants sparingly and don’t go overboard. To get rid of accumulated salts in the soil, water the plant from the top for a few minutes until water briefly starts to leak out of the drain hole at the bottom of the pot. Allow the pot to rest in your sink until it has totally drained out. The salts in your soil should be balanced after one thorough flush, though two flushes may be necessary.

An essential component of caring for Manjula pothos is proper sunlight exposure. The Manjula cultivar struggles under direct sunshine that is hot and intense. The leaves of your Manjula may be getting burnt if left in such conditions. Observe how much sunlight your plant receives directly. If the sun is too hot and shines directly on the leaves for a long period of time each day, the leaves will almost always eventually burn. If you have a strong western or southern sun exposure, you might need to move the pot back out of the way of the sun.

Pests can also become an issue with pothos plants. Observe your indoor plants for typical pests including mites, mealybugs, scale, and aphids. As soon as you spot an infestation, treat it with neem oil or insecticidal soap. Regular pest checks will help you identify possible infestations early, making them a lot easier to treat and get rid of quickly.

The Manjula is a truly lovely variety of pothos that can add a unique aesthetic flair to any indoor space. Why not grow your own Manjula pothos today? They certainly don’t take much work!

Want to learn more about the eye-catching pothos houseplant? Check out our in-depth guide to everything you need to know about pothos!

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