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    3. Araceae
    4. Scindapsus
    5. Species
    6. Scindapsus pictus

    Scindapsus pictus

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    Classification Information

    Scientific Name
    Scindapsus pictus
    Family
    Araceae
    Genus
    Scindapsus
    Last Updated
    October 16, 2026

    Origin & Distribution

    Native Region
    Southeastern Bangladesh to western and central Malesia
    Distribution
    Southeastern Bangladesh, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi and the Philippines.
    Habitat
    A root climber of wet tropical forests, growing on tree trunks.

    About pictus

    Scindapsus pictus is a climbing species in the genus Scindapsus (Araceae), native from southeastern Bangladesh to western and central Malesia. It climbs tree trunks with clinging roots, and its stems reach 12 m in the wild. The leaves are somewhat leathery, dark green with silvery white spots or blotches, and up to about 15 by 14 cm. Juvenile plants grow with the leaves pressed flat against the trunk, overlapping like shingles. Var. argyraeus has more extensive silver markings. It is also known as satin pothos or silver pothos, but it belongs to a different genus from Epipremnum. Indoor plants rarely flower. It contains insoluble calcium oxalate, and chewing the plant causes pain and swelling of the mouth, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing, so keep it away from pets and children.

    Care Guide

    LightBright Indirect
    WateringModerate (When Dry)
    Difficulty:
    Beginner

    Care Tips

    Grow in bright, filtered or indirect light and shade it from hot direct sun. Too little light makes the silver markings fade. Water moderately while it is growing and sparingly at other times, keeping the soil moist but well drained. Wet soil causes root rot. Yellowing leaves suggest overwatering, and curling leaves suggest underwatering. It does best at room temperatures of about 18 to 29°C and does not tolerate cold air, so keep it in a warm room in winter. Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly during the growing season. Let it trail from a hanging basket or train it on an upright support, and pinch the stems to keep it tidy. Propagate from stem cuttings. Scale insects, spider mites, mealybugs and thrips can appear.

    Growth Records of pictus

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