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INDOORPLANTCARE
Pruning · Pothos

How to Prune a Pothos

Every 2–3 months for active growth; anytime to shape. Best time: Spring or summer for vigorous regrowth; tolerates pruning year-round.

Frequency
Every 2–3 months for active growth; anytime to shape
Best season
Spring or summer for vigorous regrowth; tolerates pruning year-round
Tools
Sharp scissors or pruners; isopropyl alcohol for sterilization
Aftercare
Resume normal watering. The plant will push new growth from cut nodes within 2-3 weeks in good light. Cuttings root reliably in plain tap water on a windowsill.

Where to cut on a Pothos

Cut 1/4 inch above any node along the vine. Each pothos node has both a leaf and a dormant aerial root, so any node-cut produces both new vine growth and a viable cutting.

Step-by-step

  1. 1
    Identify vines you want to shorten — usually the longest, leggiest ones with sparse leaves at the base.
  2. 2
    Sterilize your tool with isopropyl alcohol.
  3. 3
    Cut 1/4 inch above a node, on a 45-degree angle.
  4. 4
    For a fuller plant: cut multiple vines back to within a few nodes of the soil. The plant will produce 2-3 new shoots from each cut node.
  5. 5
    For propagation: each removed segment with at least 2 nodes will root in water within 1-2 weeks.
  6. 6
    Remove any bare vines (no leaves) entirely — they will not regrow leaves and waste the plant's energy.

Why prune a Pothos

  • Encourages branching at every cut node — the easiest way to make a pothos look full
  • Reverses "legginess" (long bare vines with leaves only at the tips)
  • Generates dozens of free cuttings per session
  • Removes variegation reversion (solid green growth on a marble queen or n-joy reverts to all green if not pruned out)

What ruins a Pothos when pruning

  • Leaving bare vine segments — they will not produce new leaves no matter how long you wait
  • Pruning a pothos that is already stressed (yellowing from overwatering) — fix the underlying issue first
  • Cutting too close to the node — leaves the node vulnerable to drying out

Botanical reference: NC State Extension — Epipremnum aureum

For full Pothos care, see the Pothos care guide. To repot the same plant, see how to repot a Pothos.