With the gold vine anyone can create a small jungle garden in their own home, many have had this fresh green garland at home. The Epipremnum Aureum, as its Latin name is, is closely related to the climbing Philodendron species and can be confused with the Philodendron Scandens. The plant is extremely suitable as a hanging plant and will produce meter-long stems from a high bookcase. The plant is easy to maintain and once it is in possession it can be propagated and propagated as desired.
Taxonomic classification and occurrence in nature
Epipremnum Aureum is the official name, but other Latin names used are Scindapsus Aureus and Rhapidophora Aurea. The genus Epipremnum and the species Aureum belong to the family Araceae (which also includes the genus Philodendron) and to the subfamily Monsteroideae (which also includes the plant Monstera Deliciosa). Originally from the French Polynesian island of Moorea near Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean, the plant has since been widely distributed in tropical regions such as Australia, Southeast Asia, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Hawaii. In tropical forests, the plant can grow very high, 20 meters is possible, the leaves can also become large, as much as 100 cm long and 45 cm wide in adult plants. Leaves of young plants are noticeably smaller, no larger than 20 cm. The stems can grow up to 4 cm thick, something that is rarely achieved with indoor plants.
Golden vine as a houseplant
As a houseplant, great heights can be reached, just like in nature, but of course that height is generally limited by the dimensions of the room. Usually the golden vine is tied up by means of a stick or moss stick and with a height of 60 to 120 cm it is suitable for use as a container plant on the ground. The leathery leaves will usually remain small at about 10 cm indoors, but in older specimens the leaves can become quite large, about 20 cm and sometimes more. The plant is loved for its very green glossy leaves with vivid mottled patterns and the growth rate. The easy care also contributes to the popularity; the Epipremnum Aureum is probably the easiest houseplant there is.
Air purifier
The plant is a very good air purifier and is able to absorb toxins from the air. Incidentally, the plant itself is also toxic because it contains the poisonous calcium oxalate, this substance is common in indoor plants and no less than 200 plant families. With pets, for example, one must always be careful not to eat it, but the plant is not as poisonous as the infamous Dieffenbachia.
Hanging plant and jungle garden
The plant does very well as a hanging plant, a perfect place is a high bookcase, on the mantelpiece of a fireplace (not in use) or simply on the ceiling. A kind of jungle garden can then be created in the living room. The planters do not have to be large for this species, 12 cm and later possibly 15 or 20 cm is large enough. This plant can also be combined very well with other plants in the same container. Examples are combinations with a Dieffenbachia (a genus that also belongs to the Araceae family) or the well-known whip plant. The golden tendril reacts strongly to light, with more light the yellow-white patterns will increase, with shade it will mainly produce even green leaves. The growth rate is at least 30 to 45 cm per year. Variants of the gold rank are the light colored “marble queen”. with green spots on mainly yellow-white leaves, and the ?? Golden Queen ?? which is yellow gold in color.
Take a plastic or wooden stick and wrap a thick layer of peat moss around it. Tie this with plastic rope by wrapping the rope in an oblique direction around it, then the rope must be wrapped around it again in the opposite direction to create a cross-shaped shape. By binding a lot of sphagnum moss, especially at the bottom, the stick can be firmly set in the soil. Use some stones or pebbles for this so that the moss stick is properly clamped.
Maintenance and care
The gold vine should not be given too much water, the soil should quickly become dry again between waterings, so moist soil is fine, but soaking wet soil should be avoided. A good way to prevent the plant from getting too much water is to place the pot on a saucer, if too much water is accidentally given, the excess water can be thrown away immediately. The plant should really be kept out of drafts, drafts can quickly lead to leaf death. Repotting may be done every other year, not more often, choose a good drainage layer in the new pot with special brown clay-made drainage or hydro granules, these granules retain moisture and also ensure airiness in the pot. This fast-growing plant can be pruned once a year in the spring, so cuttings can be taken immediately. The plant likes light but should not be placed in the midday sun. Flowers will not appear in living rooms. We must remember that it is a tropical plant, so the more tropical conditions are simulated the better, so occasional spraying on hot days will do the plant good. During the active growth period from spring to autumn, some liquid fertilizer may be given once every 14 days.
Cuttings and propagation
The cuttings of this plant is even easier than many other climbing plants, with a glass of water you can already take a small top cuttings, but intermediate parts of a stem can just as well be used as cuttings. You simply remove the lower leaves of a stem or top cutting, for example 20-30 cm in length, and place it in a glass of water. A little bit of liquid fertilizer will ensure that the cutting gets enough nutrients. Do not place the cutting in full sun, but in a quiet shade. When three or four cuttings are taken immediately, you can immediately place several plants in a pot. The best time to take cuttings is spring. When the roots have appeared 2-3 cm long, the cuttings can be put in the soil and the collection of Epipremnum can be expanded.
Sickness, pests and everything that can go wrong
Experience shows that this plant cannot withstand drafts and cold temperatures. Especially in single-glazed areas with a fresh westerly wind, the draft can be strong and the temperature in winter can drop well below 15 degrees. In that case, it is important to ensure room temperatures of 18 to 22 degrees and certainly not colder than 15 degrees in winter. It is also best to place the plant a lot further away from the window if there is a draft. If the soil is too exhausted, the plant will stop growing, even in the spring. Repotting to a pot with fresh soil will certainly help. These plants have virtually no problems with diseases and pests, only spider mites can sometimes be a problem. If the leaves are too small, too little light can be the cause, it goes without saying that a brighter spot must be found.