How to Grow and Care for Baltic Blue Pothos

The Baltic Blue pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum ‘baltic blue’) has exploded in popularity as a houseplant over the past couple of years and it’s not hard to see why. Like many of its pothos relatives, this plant is fast-growing and easy to care for. What differentiates it from other pothos varieties is its large, deep blue-green leaves that fenestrate as soon as it's well established. The Baltic Blue pothos is closely related to another trendy pothos, the Cebu blue pothos, which are both varieties of Epipremnum pinnatum. Both plants have similarly shaped leaves—although the Baltic Blue pothos is much larger than the Cebu blue, it develops fenestrations earlier, and its leaves are far darker. Similar to all pothos plants, the Baltic Blue pothos is considered toxic to pets and humans if ingested so take caution with this houseplant if you have pets or small children at home.

Baltic Blue Pothos Care

Caring for the Baltic Blue pothos indoors is pretty straightforward. This tropical plant enjoys plenty of light, regular watering, and light fertilizing during the spring and summer. That being said, it is also relatively adaptable and can withstand missing the occasional watering or fertilization if needed. Like many pothos plants, the Baltic Blue pothos will benefit from being staked up a moss pole or trellis, where its leaves will get much larger and more fenestrated. However, if you prefer to leave its long stems hanging, this plant will also do just fine without the use of support.

Light

This pothos does best with plenty of medium to bright indirect light, although it can withstand low light as well if needed. Just be aware that in low light conditions its leaves will stay relatively small and it may not develop fenestrations. It is also more prone to leggy growth if it is not receiving enough light. 

At the same time, the Baltic Blue pothos should not be exposed to harsh direct light as it is susceptible to leaf burn. East- or north-facing windows are ideal locations for this plant, but you can also set it back slightly from a west- or south-facing window so it does not get hit with direct sun rays.

Soil

Choose a soil mix that retains some moisture but is generally well-draining. A combination of equal parts indoor potting soil and perlite is a great choice, but you can also add some orchid bark mix if you have any on hand to make it extra chunky and airy. 

Water

Allow the soil to almost completely dry out between waterings and then water well. If you happen to miss a watering and the soil dries out completely it’s usually not a big deal. You may notice that the leaves begin to droop slightly when the plant is super thirsty but as long as you catch it right away and give it a good drink your Baltic Blue pothos should bounce back. 

When in doubt, it is always better to underwater a Baltic Blue pothos than to overwater it. Like many tropical aroids, this pothos can develop root rot if it is chronically overwatered or left in soggy soil conditions. If you struggle to figure out when to water your plant, using a tool like a moisture meter will help you to determine where the soil moisture is at and whether it is time to water.

Temperature and Humidity

The Baltic Blue pothos makes an ideal houseplant because it thrives in warm temperatures. These tropical houseplants are not cold- or frost-tolerant and should not be kept in temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius) for any extended period of time. 

When it comes to humidity, these plants prefer slightly humid conditions (60% is ideal!) but also grow well in standard household humidity, which tends to be on the drier side. That being said, they will thrive if they are placed in a more humid area of the home, or provided with a small humidifier. 

Fertilizer

Fertilize your Baltic Blue pothos once a month during the active growing season (spring and summer) to encourage strong, healthy growth. Use a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength for the best results. Stop fertilizing during the fall and winter months as the plant enters dormancy.

Propagating Baltic Blue Pothos

Like most pothos, the Baltic Blue pothos can be readily propagated by rooting stem cuttings in water. Propagating is a super fun and easy way to grow new plants or fill out your existing plant by adding new stems to the base of the pot. The best time to propagate Baltic Blue pothos is during spring or summer, but technically you can try propagating at any time of the year if you wish. Here’s how to propagate this pothos by stem cuttings in just a few easy steps. 

1. Using a pair of sharp, clean pruning shears or scissors take stem cuttings from a healthy and mature Baltic Blue pothos plant. Each stem cutting should have at least two to three nodes along the stem, but no more than 5 for the best chance of success. 
2. Remove the bottom one to two leaves from the base of each stem cutting so that the node is exposed along the stem. 
3. Prepare a small container with fresh water and place the cuttings in the water so that the nodes are submerged and the leaves sit above the top of the water.
4. Place the container in a location that receives medium to bright indirect light and refresh the water once a week. After a few weeks you should begin to notice small white roots growing from the nodes along the stem. Once the roots are at least an inch long, the rooted cuttings can be transferred to soil. 
5. Add some well-draining potting mix to one or more small pots and plant the rooted cuttings in the soil, patting it down firmly around the stems to hold them in place. 
6. Water the freshly potting stem cuttings thoroughly and return them to the bright light location. 
7. For the first week, keep the soil evenly moist to help the new roots acclimate to the soil, and then slowly begin allowing the soil to dry out more and more between waterings until you establish a normal watering routine.

Potting and Repotting Baltic Blue Pothos

Under the right conditions, this pothos is fast-growing and can quickly outgrow its potting container. For the most part, however, you should never need to repot this pothos more than once a year—sometimes once every two years depending on its growth. Watch out for signs that your plant has outgrown its potting container like roots growing from the pot’s drainage holes or bulging out the top of the pot. Then, choose a new potting container that is one to two inches larger than its previous container, and ensure that you give your plant plenty of fresh potting soil during repotting. If possible, wait until spring or summer to repot, as repotting during the plant’s active growing season will ensure it has the energy to recover from a disturbance in its growing environment.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Keep an eye out for signs of common houseplant pests like spider mites, thrips, scale, and mealybugs. Baltic Blue pothos are not particularly prone to any of these pests, but if you are already dealing with pest problems in your home then these pests will happily take up residence in this tropical plant. Also watch out for signs of root rot which can occur if your plant is exposed to overwatered conditions.

Common Problems With Baltic Blue Pothos

The Baltic Blue pothos is generally low-maintenance and is not known for being prone to any particular issues when grown indoors. That being said, like all plants there is always the possibility that this pothos may run into a few common problems. Keep an eye out for the following.

Yellow Leaves

As with most houseplants, it’s not uncommon for Baltic Blue pothos to develop yellow leaves at one point or another. Sometimes, it’s not a cause for concern (it may just be an old leaf dying off), whereas other times it can be an indication that something is off in the plant’s growing conditions. If you notice that your plant’s leaves are persistently turning yellow and it is not just limited to the oldest leaves (i.e. new growth is affected too) then it’s time to do some investigating. 

Yellow leaves are often the result of not enough water or light, but can sometimes also be from overwatering or too much light. Some pests, like spider mites and thrips, can also cause yellow leaves. The only way to know what the culprit is for sure is to closely examine your plant’s growing conditions and start testing to see what might be the issue. Once leaves have turned yellow unfortunately there is no way to make them turn green again so these leaves can be cut off if you don’t like their appearance.

Brown Spots on Leaves

Brown spots are usually a result of underwatering or a lack of humidity, but can sometimes also be from leaf burn (i.e. sunburn). Ensure that your plant is not being hit with any intense afternoon sunlight, and also that it is almost completely drying out between waterings. Next, check that it is not too close to a drafty air vent or window which can significantly dry out the air around the plant. If you are concerned about humidity, you can buy small plant humidifiers that can fit right next to your plant on a shelf or windowsill which will help to increase humidity.

Leaves Aren’t Fenestrating

The most common reason that a Baltic Blue pothos’ leaves aren’t fenestrating is that the plant isn’t receiving enough light. In low light conditions this plant will keep its leaves small as a way to conserve energy. Try moving your plant to a brighter location and waiting a couple of months and see if you begin to notice fenestrated growth. Alternately, it may just be that your plant is not mature enough to grow fenestrated leaves yet, in which case all you can do is wait and eventually you will begin to see some fenestrations.