--- title: Golden Pothos (Money Plant) care guide for the UAE url: https://heavenlyplants.ae/care/golden-pothos updated: 2026-09-14 type: care guide --- # Golden Pothos (Money Plant) care guide for the UAE Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), sold across the UAE as the money plant, is one of the easiest houseplants for AC apartments. Water when the top 2–3cm of soil is dry (roughly weekly in summer, every 10–14 days in an AC room), give it low to bright indirect light, and trim it to keep it full. It also grows for years in a jar of water. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. ## Care at a glance (UAE conditions) - Watering: Water when the top inch of soil is dry. Very forgiving - Light: Low to bright indirect. Grows faster in brighter light - Temperature: 15-30°C - very adaptable - Humidity: Any humidity level works - Soil: Standard potting mix - Feeding: Monthly during the growing season Botanical name: Epipremnum aureum. Mature height 100-200cm. Difficulty: very-easy. Watering every 7-12 days in an air-conditioned room, every 5-8 days outdoors May-September. Not pet-safe: Calcium oxalate crystals — mouth and throat irritation if chewed.. UAE note: Droops visibly when thirsty and recovers within hours, which makes it the best plant to learn UAE watering rhythm on. Also grows indefinitely in a jar of water, sidestepping soil entirely. ## Why pothos is the UAE starter plant Pothos tolerates almost every condition a Dubai home throws at it: cold AC drafts, low light in a hallway, hard tap water, and a missed watering or two. It grows fast in bright light and slowly in dim light, but it rarely dies. That is why we recommend it as a first plant, an office desk plant, and a filler for high shelves where the vines can trail. ## Light Low to bright indirect light. The gold marbling on the leaves is strongest in bright indirect light; in a dim corner the leaves turn a plainer green but the plant keeps going. Avoid direct afternoon sun through glass, which bleaches and scorches the leaves in a UAE summer. ## Watering and hard tap water Push a finger into the soil. If the top 2–3cm is dry, water thoroughly and let it drain; if it is damp, wait. In a 22–24°C air-conditioned room that works out to every 10–14 days; on a bright, warm windowsill in summer it may be weekly. Pothos droops slightly when thirsty and perks up within hours of a drink, so it is hard to get wrong. UAE tap water is hard but pothos copes with it well. If you see brown crispy tips after many months, flush the pot under the tap for a minute to wash out accumulated salts, or switch to filtered water. ## Growing pothos in water Pothos is one of the few houseplants that lives happily in plain water for years. Put a cutting or a whole plant with rinsed roots in a glass jar, top it up as the level drops, and change the water every two to three weeks. Add a few drops of liquid fertiliser once a month. Keep the jar out of direct sun so algae does not build up. ## Pruning and propagation Trim long vines back to just after a leaf node and the plant will branch and thicken from that point. Every trimming is a cutting: place a piece with two or three leaves in water, roots appear in one to three weeks, and you can pot it up or leave it in the jar. Push several rooted cuttings back into the mother pot to make it fuller. ## Common problems and fixes Yellow leaves, especially lower ones, with damp soil: overwatering. Let the soil dry further between waterings. Brown crispy tips: dry AC air or salt build-up from tap water. Flush the soil and move it away from a vent. Small, all-green leaves and slow growth: too little light. Move it nearer a window. Wilting that does not recover after watering: check for root rot and repot into fresh, well-draining soil. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can golden pothos grow in water permanently? Yes. Golden pothos lives for years in a glass jar of plain water. Top up as the level drops, change the water every two to three weeks, add a few drops of liquid fertiliser monthly, and keep the jar out of direct sun to prevent algae. ### Why are my money plant leaves turning yellow? Yellow leaves with damp soil almost always mean overwatering. Let the top 2–3cm of soil dry out before watering again and make sure the pot drains. A single old yellow leaf near the base is normal ageing and nothing to worry about. ### How do I make my pothos bushier? Trim long vines back to just past a leaf node; the plant branches from that point. Root the trimmings in water for one to three weeks, then push the rooted cuttings back into the same pot to fill it out. ### Does golden pothos need direct sunlight in Dubai? No. It prefers low to bright indirect light. Direct afternoon sun through UAE glass bleaches and scorches the leaves. Brighter indirect light gives more gold marbling; dim light gives plainer green leaves but the plant still survives.