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Manjula is a variegated pothos that Clemson Extension's Home and Garden Information Center lists as Epipremnum aureum 'Manjula'. Clemson describes broad, upright leaves with pointed tips, coloring similar to Pearls and Jade pothos, slower growth than other cultivars and a bushy habit. It belongs to the species the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs.
What Manjula pothos is
Clemson HGIC lists "Manjula Pothos (E. aureum 'Manjula')" among its pothos cultivars. Epipremnum aureum (Linden & André) G.S.Bunting is an accepted species in Kew's Plants of the World Online, which gives its native range as the Society Islands (Mo'orea) and describes it as a climber of the wet tropical biome. NC State Extension's E. aureum page lists nine cultivars, including Marble Queen, Snow Queen, Pearls and Jade and Njoy, but not Manjula. Clemson gives no breeder or origin for Manjula.
Older records may use a different species name. NC State explains that E. aureum "was treated as a cultivar of Epipremnum pinnatum" until botanists recognized the two as separate species, and that "Plants formerly called E. pinnatum 'Aureum' are now correctly called E. aureum." The U.S. plant patent for N'Joy cited below still uses Epipremnum pinnatum.
How to identify Manjula pothos
Clemson's factsheet is the only university source found that describes Manjula. Its entry lists "Similar coloring to the Pearls and Jade pothos," "Broad, upright leaves that have pointed tips," "Slower growing than other cultivars," "Bushy growth habit" and "Will not vine as well as other cultivars." Clemson describes the Pearls and Jade coloring as "Light and dark green speckled leaves with large white spots" (Clemson HGIC).
Light affects the variegation. Clemson says "lower light may cause variegated varieties to lose some of their coloring," and NC State says "Low light can cause loss of variegation," so compare leaves grown in bright light.
Manjula vs. Marble Queen, N'Joy, Pearls and Jade and Snow Queen
Neither extension source compares Manjula directly with Marble Queen, N'Joy or Snow Queen. The table sets each cultivar's own description side by side.
| Cultivar | Leaves | Growth and light | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manjula | Broad, upright, with pointed tips; coloring similar to Pearls and Jade | Slower growing than other cultivars; bushy; does not vine as well | Clemson HGIC |
| Marble Queen | "Striking white or cream variegation," pointed leaves (Clemson); leaves and stems "marbled with white" (NC State) | Requires more light than other varieties; grows faster than Snow Queen (Clemson) | Clemson HGIC, NC State |
| N'Joy | "small, thinner, green leaves with a cream colored variegation" (NC State); "Small, broad, usually ovate leaves" (patent) | "Compact growth with very short internodes" (patent) | NC State, PP19,965 |
| Pearls and Jade | Light and dark green speckled with large white spots; teardrop-shaped, smaller than other cultivars | Requires lots of light to maintain its coloring | Clemson HGIC |
| Snow Queen | "Predominantly white leaves speckled with green," no large green spots (Clemson); "highly variegated green and white leaves" (NC State) | Needs lots of bright, indirect light | Clemson HGIC, NC State |
Manjula vs. Marble Queen
In Clemson's descriptions, both have pointed leaves or leaf tips. Manjula's leaves are broad and upright and its habit slow and bushy, while Marble Queen has "Striking white or cream variegation" and "Requires more light than other varieties." NC State adds that Marble Queen's stems are marbled with white as well as its leaves. For Marble Queen next to Golden and Neon, see golden vs. Marble Queen vs. Neon pothos.
Manjula vs. N'Joy
NC State lists N'Joy as Beautifall 'Njoy', with "small, thinner, green leaves with a cream colored variegation," while Clemson describes Manjula's leaves as broad. N'Joy's plant patent, PP19,965 (granted April 28, 2009, to Ashish Hansoti), says it "was discovered as a naturally occurring branch mutation" among clones of Marble Queen and lists "Compact growth with very short internodes" among its distinguishing traits. The patent calls both N'Joy and Marble Queen Epipremnum pinnatum; NC State lists both under E. aureum.
Manjula vs. Pearls and Jade
Clemson gives the two similar coloring, so leaf shape is the clearer difference in its descriptions: Pearls and Jade has "Teardrop-shaped leaves, smaller than other cultivars," while Manjula has "Broad, upright leaves that have pointed tips."
Manjula vs. Snow Queen
Clemson describes Snow Queen as "Predominantly white leaves speckled with green," with no large green spots. Manjula's coloring, by contrast, resembles Pearls and Jade's light and dark green leaves with large white spots. The Snow Queen pothos guide covers Snow Queen next to Marble Queen.
Growth habit
Clemson is the only source that describes Manjula's habit: slower growing than other cultivars, bushy, and it "Will not vine as well as other cultivars."
The rest is species-level. Clemson describes pothos as "a vining plant that typically wraps around tree trunks in nature," a habit that a moss pole or wooden rod can stand in for at home. NC State says E. aureum in a container "generally retains its juvenile leaf shape," and that with "a support on which to climb and adequate light" it begins to produce large, mature leaves. Neither source says whether Manjula responds the same way.
Care
No university source gives a full care profile for Manjula. The light guidance below covers variegated pothos generally; the rest is species-level guidance for E. aureum or pothos as a group.
| Need | Guidance | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Bright, indirect light; pothos tolerate lower light, but lower light may cause variegated varieties to lose some of their coloring | Clemson HGIC |
| Water | Let the soil dry between waterings, then water thoroughly so water reaches all the roots | Clemson HGIC, NC State |
| Humidity | Prefers 50 to 70%; tolerates the 30 to 60% of an average home; a humidifier can add more | Clemson HGIC |
| Temperature | 60 to 70°F (16 to 21°C) at night and 70 to 85°F (21 to 29°C) during the day; keep away from air-conditioning vents in summer and windowsills and heating vents in winter | Clemson HGIC |
| Soil | An airy, well-draining mix; most plants can be repotted once every year or two | Clemson HGIC |
| Fertilizer | Every other month, except when the plant is dormant in winter | NC State |
Overwatering is the main risk. NC State warns that "Root rot and blackening of the leaf margins can occur with overwatering," and Clemson ties root rot to overwatering or poorly draining soil. See the root rot guide and the main pothos care guide.
Propagation
Clemson says pothos stem cuttings "can be easily rooted when placed in soil or water," and that "they should have at least one node to root properly." NC State lists stem cuttings as the recommended method for E. aureum and notes that "Vines easily root in water." Both are species-level statements. For step-by-step instructions, see how to propagate pothos.
Is Manjula pothos toxic to cats and dogs?
The ASPCA's Golden Pothos and Devils Ivy entries both cover Epipremnum aureum, the species Clemson lists Manjula under. Both list it as toxic to dogs and cats (the Devils Ivy entry adds horses), with insoluble calcium oxalates as the toxic principle. The Golden Pothos entry lists these clinical signs: "Oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing." The entries name the species, not individual cultivars.
If a pet eats any part of the plant, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. For more detail, see are pothos toxic to cats?
Frequently asked
Sources: Clemson HGIC: How to Grow Pothos Indoors, NC State Extension: Epipremnum aureum, NC State Extension: Epipremnum pinnatum, Kew POWO: Epipremnum aureum, U.S. Plant Patent PP19,965 ('NJOY'), ASPCA: Golden Pothos, ASPCA: Devils Ivy, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center