Devil’s Ivy care is close to the easiest job in indoor plants: medium light, a sparing drink once the mix is almost dry, and a shelf or hook to trail from. The catch is that it is toxic if chewed, so it needs to hang out of a pet’s reach. Below: light, water, pet safety and pruning.
| Care need | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Light | Medium light, can tolerate shade |
| Water | Water sparingly, soil to be almost dry |
| Pets | Not pet friendly — toxic if chewed (RSPCA Australia) |
| Difficulty | Easy-going |
Easy-going, because it copes with a corner other plants sulk in and would rather dry out than sit wet. Forgetting it for a fortnight is closer to correct than fussing over it.
How much light does Devil’s Ivy need?
Medium light, and it can tolerate shade. That is the genuinely useful thing about this plant: a hallway, a north-facing room several metres back from the window, a bathroom with frosted glass. Most of our range would go leggy and pale in all three.
Shade tolerance is not the same as no light. Our Marble Queen and Snow Queen cards both say bright indirect light keeps their variegation bold, and the gold in a Devil’s Ivy behaves the same way. In a dark corner the new leaves come out plain green and smaller.
Direct sun is the other end of the mistake. An hour of summer afternoon sun through northern or western glass bleaches the leaves to a yellow that does not colour back up. For bolder variegation in a brighter spot, read Marble Queen Pothos care.
How often should you water Devil’s Ivy?
Water sparingly, letting the mix get almost dry before the next drink. It is a drier grower than most of our range, so push a finger in to the second knuckle and water only when there is no dampness at all.
Spring and summer, September to February. The plant is growing, so check weekly and water once the mix has gone almost dry, until it runs from the drainage holes.
Autumn and winter, March to August. Growth stalls and the mix stays damp much longer. Every two to three weeks is a realistic check, and often the answer is not yet.
Overwatering is the one thing that reliably kills a Devil’s Ivy, and it looks deceptively like thirst. Leaves go limp and yellow near the base, the stems turn soft, and the instinct is to water again. Tip it out and look: healthy roots are firm and pale, rotting ones brown and soft.
Is Devil’s Ivy safe for cats and dogs?
No. Devil’s Ivy is toxic if chewed, and the trailing habit makes that a problem, because a vine dangling off a shelf is an invitation to a cat.
RSPCA Australia covers plants and pets in its knowledgebase, and the ASPCA lists Epipremnum aureum under Golden Pothos as toxic to cats and dogs. If a pet has chewed a leaf, call your vet or the Animal Poisons Centre.
Hanging it high is a partial fix, since the whole point is that the vines get long. In a house with a determined cat, Spider Plant care covers a trailing plant with the same easy temperament, and Chlorophytum comosum is listed non-toxic by the ASPCA.
What potting mix and feeding does Devil’s Ivy want?
A standard indoor potting mix is fine, in a pot with drainage. Because it likes to dry out, avoid anything that holds water like a sponge, and never leave the pot in a full saucer. A Jardin Terrazzo Pot in black takes the nursery pot straight in.
Feed from September to February and stop for winter. It grows fast enough in warm weather that a monthly feed shows up in the leaf size within a few weeks.
Repot in spring, September to November, once roots have filled the pot, and go up one size only.
Should you let it trail or train it to climb?
Both work. Trailing from a hook or a high shelf is the look most people want, and an Arden natural rope macrame hanger gets it out of reach of a curious dog at the same time.
Left to trail, the vines get long and the top of the pot goes bare. The fix is pruning, not more light.
Cut any stem back to just above a leaf node and the plant branches from that point. Do it in spring or summer while it is growing, and stand the offcuts in a glass of water. They root in a few weeks, and three tucked back into the parent pot is how a thin plant becomes a full one.
Common Devil’s Ivy problems
- Long bare stems with leaves only at the ends. Not enough light, and no pruning. Move it brighter and cut the stems back above a node.
- Yellow leaves low down, soft stem bases. Overwatering, or a mix that stays damp. Let it dry almost through before the next drink and check the pot drains.
- Brown crispy leaf tips. Very dry air, or fertiliser salts in the mix. Flush the pot through with water and skip the next feed.
Where our Devil’s Ivy comes from
Devil’s Ivy is dispatched from our Queensland nursery in its nursery pot, so the plant you see is the plant you get.
“Devil by name, angel to look after — I’ll trail happily in low light and forgive almost any forgetfulness.” — from our Devil’s Ivy care card
Every plant arrives with a printed care card, packed in low-waste, plastic-free packaging and covered by our 30-day plant guarantee, which covers a plant that arrives in poor shape rather than one left in a dark cupboard.
Shop Devil’s Ivy.
Devil’s Ivy care FAQs
Is Devil’s Ivy the same plant as Golden Pothos?
Yes. Devil’s Ivy and Golden Pothos are two common names for Epipremnum aureum, and Australian shoppers search for Devil’s Ivy far more often. Marble Queen, Snow Queen and Neon are named varieties of the same species, differing in leaf markings rather than in care.
How do you make Devil’s Ivy fuller instead of stringy?
Prune it and replant the cuttings. Cut each long stem back to just above a leaf node in spring or summer, and the plant branches from that cut. Root the offcuts in water for a few weeks, then push three or four into the top of the parent pot.
Can Devil’s Ivy grow in a bathroom with no window?
Not with no window at all. It handles shade better than almost anything else we sell, but it still needs some daylight to keep making leaves. A bathroom with frosted or high glass works well, and the humidity from the shower is a bonus rather than a requirement.
The Good Plant Co nursery team · Last updated 12 September 2026
Part of The Indoor Plant Care Library.