Problem with Pathos

[Jane]

I have a large Pathos hanging in my home. I've had it for several years, always in the same place. In fact I've had Pathos plants hanging in that spot for 20 years. Usually they do very well for 5 or

6 years and then I have to dump them. I think they need to be repotted but the spot cannot take anything larger.

The one I have now is only a couple of years old. All of a sudden the leaves are wilting and losing their beautiful green and white colors. The green is become faded and in general the plant looks sick.

I've taken a close look and do not see anything on or under the leaves such as ayphids. I also checked for spider mites and can't find anything. This is the first Pathos I've had where the entire plant is going at the same time.

What diseases and pests are these plants prone to? It does not need to be repotted.

Help!

thanks

[David E. Ross]

It sounds like you might be either under-watering or over-watering it. The symptoms are the same for both.

pathos: the quality or power in an actual life experience or in literature, music, speech, or other forms of expression, of evoking a feeling of pity or compassion.

pothos: the vine Epipremnum pinnatum, often used as a house plant.

[Jangchub]

In addition, pothos is a climbing vine. Do you have it climbing or is it hanging? Sometimes positional asphyxia occurs!

[Jane]

Yes, but the thing is I've been growing Pathos for many years. Same place, same size, same watering habits. I know that the leaves tend to droop when the plant needs water, and they turn yellow with too much water. This is the first time the entire plant went from full and beautiful to skimpy and droopy within a few days. It's definitely got a problem.

[Pennyaline]

Well folks, it seems that it is indeed pathos we're dealing with here.

[Jangchub]

It's not Pathos, it's Pothos and I have no clues why it's not doing well.

[enigma]

Jangchub wrote in news: [e-mail]:

i have pothos in my tortoise cages. same plants have been in each cage for going on 8 years, neither has been repotted, although i do sometimes have to take Mortis' plant out for a 'vacation' when he gets to munching on it too badly. Horus & Sheila's plant has vined around the cage & rooted into the substrate, because they're smaller & not as voracious eaters as Mortis. i water them once/week or when they're very dry. i keep the substrate in the cages moist & it's quite warm in there as well (tropical rainforest edge tortoises). i mist the dust off the leaves when i water the substrate. they do get quite a bit of light. i have 2 ReptiSun 5.0 bulbs on the cages, one is a spot lamp for basking. perhaps the OPs pothos has spider mites, overwatered, not enough light... or maybe it needs a tortoise companion ;) lee

[Jane]

Sorry about spelling the name wrong. When I searched for "pathos plant" in Google I got so many hits that I assumed it was correct.

Having said that, I still don't know what the problem with the plant is. Guess it must be me...........

[Bill]

For many years a lab technician we had these words of wisdom.

"When every there is a problem it can usually be traced back to the loose nut in from of the machine." :))

Got any plant folks nearby that you deal with? Ask if they could take a look. Nothing like another pair of fresh eyes.

Bill who used to run a international newsletter called @Ethos in a previous life.

[Persephone]

Hadn't been following the thread in detail.

Did anybody suggest repotting with fresh soil? In a pot not vastly larger than the existing one. I realize you said it does not need to be repotted -- I assume you were talking root-wise, but maybe a chance of scene -- and soil?

Couldn't hurt.

Persephone Persephone