Let’s talk pothos! They’re one of the easiest and most popular types of houseplants. Today, you’ll learn all about how to care for your Epipremnum aureum ‘Global Green’ pothos plant.
Global Green is a newer variety of pothos with smaller, heart-shaped leaves and lovely green-on-green variegation. Pothos are fast growing, low maintenance plants and the glorious Global Green is no exception. You’ll love this easy-care beauty!
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Global Green Pothos Plant Care Guide
| Common Names | Global Green pothos |
| Scientific Name | Epripremnum aureum ‘Global Green’ |
| Family | Araceae |
| Size | 3-4 inch leaves, 8-10 foot vines |
| Growth Pattern | Climbing or vining |
| Light | Bright, indirect light |
| Soil | Chunky, well-draining soil |
| Water | Every 7-10 days, when the top 1-2 inches of soil are dry |
| Propagation | Stem propagation (with nodes) in water, soil, or moss |
| Toxicity | Toxic – pothos contain calcium oxalate crystals |
Need a Global Green Pothos for your houseplant collection? Shop for one on Etsy 😍
Background and Natural Habitat
Epipremnum aureum plants (golden pothos) are native to Mo’orea, one of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. However, they’ve spread to tropical and subtropical forests around the world. E. aureum is actually considered an invasive species in many parts of the world, including Hawaii and South Florida.
Global Green isn’t found in the natural environment as it’s a patented cultivar that originated in a Japanese nursery in 2016. The patent describes it’s defining characteristics: mid-sized leaves with green variegation. Global Green pothos leaf centers are yellow-green while the outer edges are a darker olive green. In the USA, Costa Farms has exclusive Global Green pothos propagation rights.
Other Varieties of Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
There are many other types of pothos varieties. The most popular is golden pothos, which you can pick up anytime at your local garden center or big box store. You may also be familiar with neon pothos (not to be confused with neon philodendron), cebu blue pothos, marble queen, n’joy, pearls and jade, manjula… the list goes on!
Global Green Pothos vs Emerald Pothos
Global green and emerald pothos plants are often confused as they have similar sized leaves and green-on-green coloring. Honestly, if you look at the leaves side by side, it takes a second to register that they’re different plants.
Epipremnum Global Green has dark green around the edges of the leaves with lighter lime green in the center. Emerald is the opposite, with light green around the edges and darker green in the middle of the leaves.
Global Green Pothos Care Guide
Thankfully, the whole pothos collection is beginner-friendly. Global Green Epipremnum aureum care is easy. Your plant will thrive in normal household humidity levels and in a variety of lighting conditions (from medium to bright light). Throw in some well-draining soil and water your plant every week or so and you’re good to go!
Global Green Lighting Requirements
Your global green pothos can tolerate low light conditions, but it will love bright indirect sunlight. Costa Farms recommends placing your plant a few feet away from an unshaded east or west-facing window. Mine hangs directly in front of a west-facing window with sheer curtains, so it receives filtered afternoon sunlight.
Beware of direct sunlight as it has the potential to bleach or burn the leaves. If you notice light brown burn spots or the color on your Global Green starts to lighten, move it away from the sun.
On the flipside, lower light conditions may cause your Global Green to lose that vibrant green-on-green variegation, or to start putting out leggy vines with smaller leaves. If you need a bit of extra light, you can always add a grow light or full-spectrum grow light bulb.
Global Green Pothos Watering Schedule
Before watering your global green pothos plant, check the soil with your finger or a moisture meter. If the top 1-2 inches are dry, it’s safe to water. If you’re not sure, I recommend waiting a day or two. Mine needs water about once a week, sometimes longer in the winter.
Too much water can cause yellowing leaves and root rot. If you’re a chronic overwaterer, make sure to use a pot with drainage holes. They’re more forgiving and will allow you to drain off that extra water.
What temperature and humidity are best for Global Green pothos care?
The Global green pothos is a tropical plant, so it loves high temps and high humidity. However, it’ll be perfectly happy in normal household humidity with standard room temperatures (about 65 – 85 degrees Fahrenheit).
If you know your home has dry air or the edges of leaves start to get crispy and brown, add more humidity to your plant care routine with a humidifier by misting the leaves every once in a while.
Like most plants, take care not to place your Global Green pothos under an HVAC vent. The sudden temperature changes and dry air can potentially hurt the plant. Full disclosure: my Global Green is under a vent and doing fine, but who knows what would happen if it was in a better spot. 😅
What’s the best soil for Global Green pothos care?
Global Greens aren’t too picky, and that includes soil. Make sure that whatever soil you use has good drainage (or mix in some extra perlite).
If you’re a houseplant beginner, or don’t have a great nursery nearby, don’t feel like you have to use fancy soil. My Global Green is in a mix of Miracle-Gro potting mix with extra perlite, sphagnum peat moss, and vermiculite. All of my ingredients were purchased from the hardware store.
Fertilizer
Honestly, fresh soil with organic matter (like compost or worm castings) is just as good as fertilizer. Be sure to check your potting soil before you fertilize, as some commercially available soils (like Miracle-Gro) have small balls of slow-release fertilizer.
If you want to accelerate growth, you can fertilize your pothos once a month during the growing season (spring and summer months). Skip fertilization in the wintertime, as your Global Green won’t be doing much growing. Always follow the instructions on the fertilizer package so you don’t burn your pothos’ roots.
I’m horrible at remembering fertilizer, but when I remember I reach for water-soluble fertilizer. It’s so easy to water and fertilize at the same time. Sometimes, I add a few drops of SUPERthrive, which is like a vitamin mix for plants.
Growing Global Green Pothos
Like most tropical plants, your Epiremnum aureum ‘Global Green’ will do most of its growing in the warmer months (spring and summer in the Northern Hemisphere).
Is Global Green pothos a climbing plant?
Yes, pothos are climbing plants. In the natural environment, pothos grow long, climbing vines that climb up trees using aerial roots.
Does Global Green pothos prefer to climb or trail?
Indoors, your easy-care Global Green pothos will be happy with whatever you have to offer. You can train it to climb up a trellis or moss pole, or pot it in a hanging basket and let those long vines trail.
I love the look of long trailing vines, so my Global Green pothos hangs from a curtain rod over in my west-facing office window.
Does Global Green pothos grow fast?
Yep! Global greens are fast growers. The great thing about all that green-on-green variegation is a sh*tload of chlorophyll. This means that Global Greens will grow faster than pothos that have white/cream variegation on their leaves (like N’Joy or Marble Queen).
Take a look at the photo above to see how much my Global Green has grown over the last year. In March 2022, the longest vines were about 12 inches long. Exactly one year later, they’re three feet long. WILD.
How big do Global Green pothos get?
With the proper care and lighting, your indoor Global Green pothos can grow vines that are up to 10 feet long, with leaves between 3-4 inches across.
How do you make your Global Green pothos plant bushy?
Over time, your Global Green pothos can become leggy. Older leaves will naturally die and fall off, which leaves gaps in the vines. If there were periods of time where your Global Green plant didn’t receive proper care, you might have some other empty spots in the vines.
Regular trims and pruning can clean up your Global Green, and encourage bushier growth. If the top of your plant is thin, you can always chop-and-prop to add more volume in the pot.
I typically trim my plants once a year, but my Global Green still looks pretty so I haven’t bothered yet.
Can you grow this pothos outdoors?
If you have a covered patio or a spot that receives bright, indirect sunlight, you can totally move your potted Global Green outdoors. In moderate climates, many people move their pothos plants outside in the summer. Those of you lucky enough to be in a tropical climate can keep your Global Green outside year round.
Outdoor care is similar to indoor care, but if your weather gets super hot, you may need to step up your watering game.
NOTE: if you choose to put your Global Green pothos (or any pothos) plants outside, make sure they’re in pots. Epipremnum aureum are considered invasive in many parts of the world, so you shouldn’t be planting them in your garden.
Can you propagate Global Green pothos?
Global Green is a patented variety of pothos plant, and Costa Farms has exclusive propagation rights for North America. This means that you can propagate to fill out your personal plant, but you can’t propagate to trade or sell cuttings to others.
If you want to chop-and-prop to fill out your plant, you can propagate with stem cuttings that include a node. Growth will be faster if your nodes have a leaf attached, but you may still have success with a “wet stick” (leafless node). I typically use my pruning shears to cut up a vine into pieces with one or two leaves and nodes.
Place your cuttings in soil, water, or damp moss. I’m a huge fan of water propagation because it’s super easy and you can see the roots grow.
If you propagated in soil, you’re done (just care for your plant as usual). If you used water or moss, transfer your Global Green cutting to soil when the roots are at least two inches long or have secondary roots.
How often should you repot your pothos Global Green?
Repotting is an essential part of Global Green pothos care. You’ll need to repot your pothos plant once every one or two years, ideally during the spring/summer months.
Depending on the size of your Global Green plant and its current pot, you may need to repot more or less often. Sometimes with older or larger plants, you can get away with adding some fresh soil (rather than a full repot).
Before you pull out your potting mat, take a look at your Global Green pothos plant’s roots. Are they growing out of the drainage holes? If so, it’s time for a repot. If the roots still have room to grow, you can hold off on repotting.
How do you repot a Global Green pothos?
Once you’re sure you need to repot your Global Green, pick a pot with good drainage that’s one or two inches wider than its current pot. If the pot is too big, your plant will focus more energy on growing out the roots than it will on growing the vines.
Once you have your pot (I love to use nursery pots and with a decorative outer pot), remove the plant from its current pot. Gently knock off any loose old soil, or soak the roots in water to loosen the root ball. You don’t need to shake the roots or unwind them. Pothos roots are smart and will naturally grow to fill out the new pot.
Use fresh, chunky soil with good drainage and fill the bottom of the new pot, add the plant, then fill the top and sides with more soil. Press the soil down around the edges a bit to keep the plant stable, but not so much that the soil loses its aeration or drainage.
Toxicity
Is Global Green pothos toxic?
Yep, Global Green pothos plants are toxic due to the calcium oxalate crystals in their leaves and stems.
Consuming calcium oxalate can cause digestive upset, including pain, swelling, vomiting, and trouble swallowing. Symptom severity depends on how much of the plant was eaten.
Is Global Green pothos toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes, Global Green pothos (and all other pothos plants) are toxic to both dogs and cats. 😢
If your pets like to nibble on leaves, move your plant to a higher spot or choose a pet-friendly plant like the lovely Hoya Tricolor or Krimson Princess.
Even if you trust your pet (or small child), do regular checks and pick up any fallen leaves or plant matter. If your dog, cat, or small child ate part of your Global Green pothos plant, call poison control.
Common Pests and Problems
Global Green pothos plants are pretty easy-to-care-for, so the most common issues you’ll see are brown or yellow leaves (typically due to over or under-watering), droopy leaves (underwatering), and root rot (due to overwatering).
Why are my Global Green pothos leaves turning brown?
It depends what type of brown you’re seeing. If some leaves are crispy brown around the edges, it could be due to a lack of water or a lack of humidity.
Soft brown leaves can also be a sign of root rot, which is caused by too much water suffocating the roots.
Keep in mind that it’s normal for your plant to shed older growth over time, so don’t be surprised if older leaves sometimes turn yellow/brown and fall off.
Why does my Global Green pothos have yellow leaves?
If you notice yellowing on your Global Green pothos leaves, you’re probably underwatering the plant. Yellow leaves may also be due to a lack of soil nutrients, so add some fertilizer or repot with fresh soil.
Why is my Global Green pothos reverting?
When your pothos loses varietation in its leaves, it’s usually due to a lack of light. Though Global Green pothos can survive in lower light conditions, it needs bright indirect light to maintain its green-on-green variegation.
If your Global Green plant started reverting and putting out all-green leaves, move it to a brighter spot and trim it back to the last variegated leaves.
Pests
Take preventative action against pests by conducting regular inspections. Look for signs of common pests like spider mites, mealybugs, and thrips. If you see any (even just one!), quarantine your Global Green pothos and begin pest treatment.
Many people (especially those who’ve struggled with pests in the past) regularly wiping down their plants with neem oil or diluted alcohol, soak mosquito bits in their watering can, or use beneficial mites.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where do you buy Global Green pothos plants online?
My first online shopping stop is always Etsy. Sellers are usually small businesses and buyers often post pics with their reviews, so you can see the condition of the plant when it arrived.
Are Global Green pothos rare?
Kind of! When they hit the market in 2020, Global Greens were rare and everyone was scrambling to find one. I wasn’t able to score my big pot until late-2021. These days, you can sometimes find them at big box stores.
Are Global Green pothos plants expensive?
They’re more expensive than golden pothos, but you can usually find smaller pots of Global Green for $15-20 online. If you see it in stores, expect to pay about $20 for the 8-inch Costa Farms Trending Tropicals pot.
What’s the best pot for Global Green pothos?
Pothos aren’t high maintenance, so any pot with good drainage will work. I use nursery pots paired with decorative planters. It’s super easy to change pots, check roots, and dump off extra water.
Big plants filled with water can be heavy, so I usually reach for plastic pots if the plant will be hanging. If you’re training your Global Green to climb up a moss pole (or stake/trellis), choose a heavier ceramic or cement pot. A heavy pot will help keep a tall, top-heavy plant from tipping over.
What’s the best moss pole or trellis for Global Green pothos?
I use these stackable moss poles for my monstera deliciosa plants. I prefer to keep my Global Green trailing, but you could easily train yours to climb (just keep the moss pole moist).
What are Global Green pothos plant benefits?
Houseplants can add more greenery and coziness to your home decor. Plus, pothos are known to purify toxins from the air.
Who invented Global Green pothos?
Global Greens were developed in a Japanese nursery in 2016. Here’s the cultivar patent if you’d like to learn more.
