Efeutute: care from A-Z

The Golden Efeutute is one of the most famous houseplants. This is not surprising, because the climbing plant from the arum family is not only considered to be particularly easy to care for, it is also one of the plants that significantly improve the indoor climate. It is able to absorb pollutants through the leaves and thus purify the air. Their shapely tendrils also make them an attractive climbing and traffic light plant.

Characteristics

• botanical name: Epipremnum aureum
• Synonyms: Rhaphidophora aurea, Scindapsus aureus, Epipremnum pinnatum, Pothos aureus
• Trivial names: Yellow or Golden Efeutute, Golden tendril, Buntes Herzblatt
• Family: Arum family (Araceae)
• Origin: Asia, Australia
• perennial, evergreen climber
• Leaves: heart-shaped, variegated in different patterns
• Flowers: pistons with an inconspicuous bract
• not hardy
• poisonous

Appearance and stature

Epipremnum aureum is a perennial, evergreen plant that creeps or climbs in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Australia. There it grows as an epiphyte. This means that it will grow on other, larger plants. To do this, it forms so-called aerial roots that hook onto tree trunks and branches when climbing. With this technique, it often reaches heights of over 20 meters in the great outdoors. With appropriate location and care, the Efeutute can also become huge in the house if you just let it grow. The golden tendril is commercially available as a hybrid with different leaf patterns.

• Tricolor: light green, cream colored and dark yellow marbling
• Wilcoxii: variegated green and white
• Marble Queen: creamy white leaves with gray-green spots
• Golden Queen: almost entirely golden yellow leaves

Location

Efeututen prefer a bright place in the room, but the climbing houseplant cannot tolerate direct sunlight. Therefore, make sure that the ornamental foliage plant is not in the blazing midday sun, especially in summer. So that the beautiful leaf drawing can develop perfectly, it must not be too dark. In this case, more leaf green forms and the variegated areas are lost. The more pronounced the light-colored leaf markings, the more light the plant needs. Sufficiently high humidity is also important for healthy growth.

• Light requirement: partially shaded
• bright but without direct sun
• Temperature: 18 to 22 degrees
• Humidity: 50 to 65%
• protected from drafts
• West or east window

Note: If you want to place the golden tendril next to a flower window facing south, protection from the blazing midday sun is necessary.

Substrate

Epipremnum aureum does not need any special potting soil. The plant uses universal substrates for Green plants satisfied who can drain the water well.

• permeable
• sandy
• humus
• lime compatible

Hydroponics

The fairly undemanding Efeutute is a good candidate for hydroponic cultivation. If the plant grows in an office or if you don't have a lot of time and experience with indoor plants, it is a good idea to grow ivy in expanded clay or vermiculite granules. However, since it is difficult to transfer specimens that have once grown in soil to hydroponics, you should fall back on such a culture when buying or growing cuttings in hydroponics make.

By the way: Did you know that the efeutute also grows excellently in the aquarium and at the same time purifies the water? However, only their roots are allowed to hang in the water.

Climbing aid

On the one hand, it is possible to cultivate the pretty decorative foliage plant in a hanging culture, i.e. as a hanging plant. However, it is much more common in stores as a climbing plant. However, if the plant is to grow upright, it needs support. A suitable climbing aid is necessary for this. Since the shoots do not form adherent roots, they have to be tied to a moss stick, for example. You can also guide the long tendrils along a railing or railing.

Toxicity

Efeutute is poisonous in all parts of the plant. It contains calcium oxalate crystals in so-called shooting cells. When broken off or bitten into, the crystals shoot like small projectiles into the mouth and throat mucous membrane and cause local irritation. The juices also contain oxalic acid, which forms salts with magnesium and calcium that are difficult to dissolve in the body, which can lead to a deficit of these minerals. Symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, muscles, heart and the central nervous system are possible when large amounts come into contact or swallowed:

• Skin irritation
• Inflammation
• Digestive tract disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)
• dizziness
• headache
• Arrhythmias, palpitations
• Muscle twitching
• Kidney failure

Therefore only set up the efeutute in such places where they are small children and Pets can not achieve. Fallen leaves or leaked plant sap must be removed immediately.

care

The efeutute is not very demanding of her care. That is why it is also recommended for inexperienced plant lovers. The climbing plant is particularly popular in public buildings and offices because it hardly needs any attention.

to water

Water the climbing plant regularly. The soil should preferably be slightly damp, but dry slightly before the next watering. However, the robust plant cannot tolerate prolonged drought any more than waterlogging. Overwatering can cause the leaves to turn yellow and the stems to rot. The best thing to do is to simply check the bale with your finger to see whether it still contains enough residual moisture.

• March to October: once a week
• more often at high temperatures
• Let the top layer dry in between
• Pour away excess water in the coaster
• November to February: every two weeks
• in a slightly cooler winter

Tip: Spray the golden tendril occasionally (especially in heated rooms in winter) with stale, room-warm water.

Fertilize

During the main growing season, Epipremnum aureum requires moderate amounts of nutrients to develop healthy shoots and leaf mass. Normal liquid fertilizer is suitable for fertilization and is administered via the irrigation water according to the instructions on the pack. During the low-light time in winter, the golden heart leaf grows much more slowly, so that it hardly or not at all has to be fertilized during this time.

• Period: April to August
• once a month
• Liquid fertilizer for green plants
• balanced NPK content
• alternatively: in spring with fertilizer sticks

Repot

Over time, especially in young plants, the root volume increases rapidly, so that the previous pot leads to cramped conditions. Therefore, after the rest phase in winter, take the root ball out of the planter and take a closer look at it. If a dense network of roots can already be seen on the outside and on the base of the ball, a larger pot is advisable. Ideally, this should be about one to two centimeters larger than the old planter. In addition, the earth loses important properties over time, so you should replace them every two to three years.

• Time: spring (February to April)
• Remove as much of the old substrate as possible
• stable planter with drainage holes
• Clay granulate drainage

If a larger pot is not possible, carefully cut off up to 20 percent of the fine roots at the edge of the pot when repotting older plants so that space is again created for fresh substrate. It is important to remove a similar amount of leaf mass at the same time as the root mass is reduced in order to maintain the balance.

Cut

Efeututen can easily grow a meter or more each year. The shoots that have become too long can be cut off without hesitation. This does not harm the plant and at the same time stimulates branching. Simply cut off the tendrils with a clean, sharp knife. The interfaces should be as small as possible so that they can dry off quickly.

• generally possible all year round
• best period: March to April
• shorten generously
• always cut above a leaf base
• Let at least a third of the shoot stand

Note: Be sure to wear gloves when cutting so that you do not come into contact with the sap.

Overwinter

The Efeutute, native to the tropics, is not winter hardy and needs relatively constant warm temperatures all year round. Plants that have spent the summer outside must be returned to the house as soon as the outside temperature drops below 15 degrees. Serious damage can be expected at temperatures below 10 degrees. If the golden tendril has an ideal place in the house, it can stay there all year round. However, a location directly above the warm heater is not ideal. In this case, it is worthwhile to put the ornamental foliage plant in a less heated room or spray them frequently with room temperature water to protect them from pests and diseases protection.

• November to February: 15 to 17 degrees
• bright
• protected from cold drafts
• do not fertilize
• pour cautiously

Multiply

Since ivy rarely produce flowers in potted plants, it is usually not possible to propagate them with seeds. However, it is quite easy to pull cuttings from the shoots that emerge when the houseplant is pruned. When propagating Epipremnum aureum, shoot pieces with two leaves each are sufficient. Cut about two inches below a leaf knot. There are two options for growing cuttings:

1. Growing in substrate

The first way to propagate the ivy via cuttings is to grow them in loose substrate. Cuttings do not tolerate high amounts of nutrients. A mixture of normal potting soil and sand in a ratio of 1 + 1 is therefore ideal. Alternatively, commercially available potting soil is also suitable.

• Pot size: 12 to 15 cm in diameter
• Pour soil loosely into the pot
• Insertion depth: approx. 5 to 10 cm
• The petiole is allowed to go into the ground
• 4 to 5 cuttings per pot
• Press lightly and pour carefully
• Location: warm and bright (without direct sun)

The soil should always be slightly damp, but should be able to dry off a little before the next watering. Too much moisture increases mold growth and thus the risk that the cuttings will die. The first roots will usually have formed in three to four weeks. The formation of roots can be recognized by the fact that the cuttings begin to sprout again. From this point on, you can put the young plants in their final place and treat them like full-grown plants.

1. Cultivation in water

The cuttings of the Golden Efeutute can also be easily pulled into water. Fill a glass with water that is as low in lime as possible and place the cuttings in it. In a bright, warm place, the first roots appear within just a few days. If the water in the glass becomes cloudy, it must be replaced with fresh water. As soon as the roots are about three centimeters long, you can repot the cuttings in loose substrate. Be very careful not to damage or even break off the sensitive roots.

Diseases and pests

In general, the Efeutute is very robust and less susceptible to various diseases. Still, it is possible that problems will arise. However, since these are usually due to incorrect care, the symptoms disappear again when they are corrected.

Waterlogging

Occasionally it can happen that the houseplant has been watered too generously and waterlogging forms. If this is discovered quickly, the drying of the root ball can lead to the udute recovering on its own. If dead leaves or other damage can already be seen, it is necessary to remove the soil and all mushy and rotten roots. Then plant the golden tendril in fresh substrate and refrain from watering for a few days.

Cold damage

In the case of withered, blotchy leaves, the suspicion is that the Efeutute has or has been exposed to drafts or is in a location that is too cool. In this case you should look for a sheltered place for the plant.

Dry damage

Brown leaf tips indicate dryness. On the one hand, this can be the case if too little has been poured. Be sure to check the root ball and pay attention to regular watering. If the bale is damp, insufficient humidity can be the cause of the damage. Spray the plant regularly with lime-free water, especially in the winter months, or move it to a less heated room. However, the temperature should not fall below 15 degrees.

Spider mites

The first sign of an infestation with spider mites or other sucking pests are often yellowish or spotted leaves. Therefore, examine the plant in detail, especially the underside of the leaves and leaf axils, and shower the climbing plant in the shower. The efeutute should then be placed in a cooler, bright place for at least two weeks and sprayed every day with a mixture of water with a little alcohol and detergent. Only if none after another two weeks Pests emerge more, the plant is allowed to return to its original location. Also check all other indoor plants in the area for an infestation.