Pothos, which is sometimes referred to as Devil’s Ivy, is either Epipremnum pinnatum or Epipremnum aureum. There are many different types of pothos. These include Pearl and Jade pothos, Neon pothos, and Marble Queen and Manjula pothos. All pothos plants grow beautifully in hanging baskets and they are all great air cleansers.
Do you know the difference between Marble Queen pothos and Manjula pothos? These two varieties of pothos are often mistaken for one another. So, if you don’t know the difference, don’t feel bad. They have many similarities, but there are differences that we will describe.
What is Manjula Pothos?
Manjula pothos is an Epipremnum plant that was bred in Mumbai India by Ashish Hansoti and patented in 2016. Its invention was part of a planned breeding program that aimed to produce Epipremnum pinnatum plants with improved forms, interesting leaf shapes, and brighter leaf variegations.
It features typical pothos heart-shaped leaves, but individual leaves are different in terms of variegations. They all feature shades of white, cream, silver, and light green, but many leaves have quite large green patches.
Officially identified as Epipremnum pinnatum HANSOT114, it is characterized by its compact growth pattern that is slow and controlled. Its leaves are broad and triangular but oval in shape, botanically described as “medium-sized and broad ovate to broad deltate.”
It is very similar to NJOY pothos, also Epipremnum pinnatum, and also invented by Hansoti.
What is Marble Queen?
Epipremnum aureum Marble Queen is a common type of pothos that was developed from the Golden pothos. It isn’t patented.
Like all pothos plants, it features heart-shaped leaves and is very easy to grow. Marble Queen pothos has variegated leaves that are often a cream color rather than solid green.
The reason it’s called Marble Queen is because of the marble-like patterns that form on its leaves. These variegations are distinctly different from those that form on Manjula pothos leaves.
Both these varieties of pothos are widely available. If for some reason you can’t find them in your local garden center, you can order online.
How do you tell the difference between manjula pothos and marble queen?
There are many different varieties of pothos, some similar, but others with quite major differences. For instance, Golden pothos, Epipremnum aureum has easily recognizable green and yellow heart-shaped leaves while Cebu Blue pothos, Epipremnum pinnatum has silvery-blue foliage and lacks variegations.
Jessenia pothos, also Epipremnum aureum, is similar to Marble Queen but darker and not as streaky. Marble Queen leaves are more cream-colored than Golden pothos, but a lot greener than the leaves of Snow Queen, another example of Epipremnum aureum.
So you will see that pothos plants are either Epipremnum aureum or Epipremnum pinnatum, with the exception of Satin pothos which is Scindapsus pictus. But then, Satin pothos isn’t a pothos at all!
Bearing in mind that Manjula is Epipremnum pinnatum and Marble Queen is Epipremnum aureum, let’s look at some of the recognizable distinctions between these two types of Epipremnum.
Epipremnum Pinnatum vs Epipremnum Aureum
Epipremnum is the genus of these two plant species, both of which belong to the Araceae family. Knowing the differences between them will help you know what to look for when comparing Marble Queen with Manjula.
E. pinnatum has a distinctive netted sheath that you won’t find in E. aureum. Pinholes in the leaf lamina or membrane of E. pinnatum commonly have pinholes along the mid-rib of the leaf. These are rare in E. aureum, which is a more robust, faster-growing plant.
Their physical differences are easier to identify when plants are mature. So, now let’s compare Manjula pothos with Marble Queen pothos.
Leaf
Costa Farms in Miami, Florida offer a wide selection of pothos plants. They describe the leaves of Manjula and Marble Queen pothos as well as those of Golden pothos, Neon pothos, Jessenia pothos, Pearl and Jade pothos, and Global Green, Baltic Blue, and Cebu Blue pothos.
The leaves of Manjula are typically quite different from one another. Unlike Marble Queen, they have wavy edges and don’t lay flat. And there are other differences.
Shape & Size
Both have heart-shaped leaves although Manjula leaves are wider and generally not as long. The size of Marble Queen leaves is more similar to Golden pothos.
Texture
The leaves of both are glossy and waxy.
Variegations
Both types of pothos are highly variegated. Manjula commonly has green variegations while white
Marble Queen leaves are heavily streaked with creamy-white with fairly crisp. Manjula, on the other hand, features splashes of white, cream, and silver hues.
Growth & Size
Manjula and Snow Queen are the slowest growing types of pothos. Marble Queen grows a lot faster than Majula, but they eventually grow to more or less the same height and size.
Manjula Pothos and Marble Queen Care
Majula pothos and Marble Queen are both Epipremnum and, as such, grow well indoors. They will tolerate low light but prefer bright light that doesn’t come directly from the sun.
Manjula and Marble Queen pothos are trailing plants and they look great in hanging baskets. But you can also train them up a moss pole to shape the pothos plants.
Pothos start to grow “roots” that they use to attach themselves to the moss pole.
Where Not to Grow Pothos
Pothos that haven’t been “invented” by man grows naturally in tropical forests. In smaller garden environments with the right conditions, it can become invasive.
It is worth noting that since 1999, pothos has been listed as a Category II invasive on the Florida Exotic Plant Pest Council.
Yet, perhaps ironically, many different varieties of pothos are widely available in garden centers in Florida. Additionally, the University of Florida’s Central Florida Research and Education Center describes pothos as “one of Florida’s major foliage crops.”
It’s remarkably easy to grow, but if you do decide to grow it, it’s best to keep it in a pot. If it isn’t controlled in a garden landscape, it can easily escape to natural areas. In Florida, it’s been known to twine itself up trees, developing 3 x 2-foot leaves on amazingly thick vines that grow up to 50-feet long.
Soil
Pothos likes soil with a neutral pH that is between 6.0 and 6.5. It must drain well.
Ideally, use a good potting mix and add some perlite to improve drainage. If you opt for hanging baskets, line them with sphagnum moss or coconut coir.
You can use other containers, too. Just be sure that there is enough space for the root ball to grow. You don’t want it to get waterlogged.
Temperature & Humidity
Pothos will grow well in a wide range of environments. Try to keep the temperature between 65℉ and 85℉.
They like the air to be a bit humid. If your indoor environment is very dry, use a plant humidifier. Alternatively, you can put your pots on small trays filled with pebbles and water – as long as you can keep the container level.
Light
Pothos thrive in medium to high light conditions, although they will grow just about anywhere that doesn’t get direct sunlight. Bright light tends to increase the variegations in pothos leaves.
Fertilizer
If you grow your pothos in good quality potting soil, you won’t need to feed them very often. When you do, use an organic fertilizer with equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
It is usually safer to use a liquid fertilizer so that you know exactly how much you are feeding. Too much will do more harm than good, and the leaves will begin to turn yellow and curl.
Also, be sure to only fertilize during the growing season. Never fertilize in the fall or winter when the plant is dormant.
Water
Pothos needs water but not a lot of it. If their roots sit in water, they will be very likely to develop root rot.
A good rule of thumb is to let the soil dry out in between watering the plants. Then drench them thoroughly.
Pests
The most common pests that attack pothos are scale and mealybugs. Spider mites can also be a problem.
The best line of defense is prevention. If you spot any of these bugs on the leaves of your pothos plants, remove them by wiping gently with insecticidal soap or even diluted washing-up liquid.
Conclusion
This article describes some of the similarities and differences between Manjula and Marble Queen pothos. Both are popular house plants in North America and both were bred deliberately in laboratories.
When attempting to tell the difference between these two types of pothos, it is helpful to look at them together. Try to choose plants (or pictures of plants) that are more or less the same age.
The leaves of Manjula and Marble Queen give the biggest, most accurate clues, especially their coloring and differences in variegations.
But when it comes to caring for these and other types of pothos, there’s really no difference. What’s good for one is just as good (or bad) for the other.
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