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The Pearl Margin

Pearls and Jade Pothos

Epipremnum aureum ‘Pearls and Jade’

A compact trailing vine with green, white and gray-green leaf patterns. Give Pearls and Jade bright indirect light, a draining pot and time for the upper mix to dry between waterings.

Explore the care guide
Botanical illustration

Care at a glance

Light

Bright indirect light, protected from hot direct sun. [8]

Safety

Toxic to cats and dogs. Keep plants and cuttings out of reach. [15]

Know your plant

Pearls and Jade is a cultivar of Epipremnum aureum, in the Araceae family. University of Florida records name its selection UFM12, marketed as Pearls and Jade. [1][4]

Its compact leaves carry irregular green, white and gray-green patches. The pattern differs from leaf to leaf. [3]

Light and placement

Choose a bright position with indirect light. Screen strong window sun with a curtain, and keep the vine away from deep shade. [9]

Poor light slows growth and can reduce the variegated pattern. Adjust the position as seasonal window light changes. [8]

Watering

  1. Feel the upper mix before watering. Let approximately the top 2cm / ¾ inch dry; check the pot rather than following a weekly schedule. [8]

  2. Wet the root ball thoroughly, let excess water escape and empty the saucer or cover pot. [11]

  3. Allow longer intervals when growth slows and the mix takes longer to dry. [10]

Soil and pot choice

Use an open houseplant mix that retains some moisture while draining freely. A peat-free houseplant compost is suitable. [9]

Choose a container proportionate to the root ball, with drainage holes. Check whether fresh medium already contains fertilizer. [12]

Temperature and humidity

Keep the plant in steady indoor warmth, around 18–30°C / 65–86°F, away from cold drafts and radiator heat. [9]

Ordinary household humidity suits epipremnums. Keep the vine away from direct drying heat. [9]

Feeding

Feed every other month during active growth, following the houseplant fertilizer label. Pause feeding during inactive winter growth. [6]

Repotting

  1. Repot in spring when roots crowd the container or emerge through drainage holes. Move one pot size larger. [9]

  2. Set the root ball at its existing level in fresh medium. Water it in and allow excess to drain. [13]

Propagation

  1. Take a healthy stem cutting with a node and attached leaf. Cut just below the leaf joint. [5]

  2. Stand the cutting in water in a bright position. Pot it into freely draining medium after roots develop. [9]

  3. Take cuttings during active spring or summer growth, using clean tools and gloves. [14][9]

Pruning and foliage care

Shorten long stems just above a leaf joint to encourage a fuller vine. [9]

Support each leaf and wipe dust away gently with a soft damp cloth. [6]

Enjoy the variation across new leaves: white, gray-green and green patches form different patterns along the vine. [3]

Problems and checks

Older leaves yellow

Possible causes
  • Watering stress.
Checks to distinguish them
  • Feel the mix and check drainage before adding water.
Low-risk next step
Water a dry root ball and drain it; let excessively wet mix recover before rewatering.
When to seek expert help
Seek horticultural advice for continuing decline or soft roots.
Sources for these checks

Yellow leaves can follow both excessive and insufficient moisture. [5]

Bleached or brown exposed patches

Possible causes
  • Strong direct sun or excessive heat.
Checks to distinguish them
  • Compare damaged leaves with their sun exposure.
Low-risk next step
Filter hot sun and retain bright indirect light.
When to seek expert help
Seek diagnosis if damage spreads after exposure changes.
Sources for these checks

Protect the foliage from hot direct sun. [5]

Cottony clusters or attached bumps

Possible causes
  • Mealybugs or scale.
Checks to distinguish them
  • Inspect leaf undersides and stem joints.
Low-risk next step
Separate the plant and obtain pest identification before selecting treatment.
When to seek expert help
Ask for advice if pests spread or damage new growth.
Sources for these checks

Watch for mealybugs and scale. [6]

Seasonal indoor care

Recheck moisture as winter light declines. Water less often when the mix dries slowly and keep the pot freely draining. [10]

Keep the vine bright through winter while shielding it from cold drafts. [8]

Children and pets

Safety

Pearls and Jade Pothos is toxic to cats and dogs. ASPCA identifies insoluble calcium oxalates in Epipremnum aureum. [15]

Chewing can cause mouth pain or swelling, drooling and difficulty swallowing. Keep plants, fallen leaves and cuttings beyond pets that chew. [15]

For suspected ingestion, promptly contact your veterinarian or ASPCA Poison Control at 888-426-4435. Provide the botanical name. [16]

Pothos can irritate the mouth and skin. Keep it beyond young children, wear gloves when pruning and avoid touching your eyes. [6][17]

For human ingestion in the United States, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Elsewhere, contact your local poison service. Call emergency services for breathing difficulty, seizures, collapse or inability to awaken. [18]

Similar plants

Pearls and Jade has compact leaves patterned in green, white and gray-green. It was developed from a Marble Queen mutation selection. [3]

Exotica has broader heart-shaped leaves with extensive silver markings over green. [19]

Pearls and Jade belongs to Epipremnum; Exotica belongs to Scindapsus. Both are trailing or climbing members of the Araceae family. [1][2][6][7]

Sources

  1. Epipremnum aureum - Plants of the World Online

    Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  2. Scindapsus pictus - Plants of the World Online

    Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  3. New Florida Foliage Plant Cultivar: Pothos Pearls and Jade

    University of Florida IFAS Extension - Richard J. Henny, Jianjun Chen and Terri A. Mellich

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Publisher date: 2011-03

  4. Pearls and Jade UFM12

    Florida Foundation Seed Producers / University of Florida

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  5. Cultural Guidelines for Commercial Production of Interiorscape Epipremnum

    University of Florida IFAS Extension

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Publisher date: 2003-04 · Updated: Reviewed 2018-11; PDF stamp 2024-10

  6. Epipremnum aureum - Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  7. Scindapsus pictus - Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  8. Epipremnum - RHS Plant Guide

    Royal Horticultural Society

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  9. How to grow epipremnum

    Royal Horticultural Society

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  10. Pothos, Epipremmum aureum

    University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension - Susan Mahr; revised by Bruce Spangenberg

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: Last revised 2025

  11. Watering Indoor Plants

    University of Maryland Extension

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: 2023-03-10

  12. Potting and Repotting Indoor Plants

    University of Maryland Extension

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: 2023-03-10

  13. Repotting houseplants

    University of Illinois Extension

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  14. Propagating Houseplants

    Iowa State University Extension and Outreach - Aaron Steil

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: Last reviewed January 2025

  15. Golden Pothos - Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants

    ASPCA Poison Control

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  16. ASPCA Poison Control

    ASPCA Poison Control

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  17. Poisonous and non-poisonous plants: An illustrated list

    National Capital Poison Center

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  18. Get help online or by phone

    National Capital Poison Center

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  19. Scindapsus pictus Exotica

    Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

    Accessed October 5, 2026