Do Pothos Like To Be Misted? (Pothos Humidity Guide)

Pothos plants are famous for their bright, heart-shaped leaves and stunning vines. They thrive in high humidity, and misting is a great way to increase it. But do Pothos plants like misting? Let’s see.

Although Pothos enjoys misting, the effects are only temporary. Besides, the leftover droplets in the leaves attract pests and pathogens. Instead, try alternatives like installing humidifiers, using pebble trays, grouping, or putting the plant near aquariums. 

Confused about misting Pothos plants? This article explains if Pothos benefits from misting when and how often to mist, and alternative ways to increase humidity.

Does Pothos like to be misted? 

Misting has evolved from a secret tip to an everyday practice for all houseplants, including Pothos. 

But numerous gardeners have questions like, is misting effective or just a myth? 

The myth we are talking about is Pothos’s love for high humidity levels as it belongs to the tropical regions. 

At least 50-60% humidity levels should be maintained indoors for Pothos. 

Misting adds some moisture to the air, increasing humidity to some extent. 

However, misting is not essential because it is a temporary fix for low humidity levels. 

Besides, water droplets accumulating on the leaves attract pests and pathogens.  

Hence, misting to increase humidity is more of a myth than having positive effects on your Pothos. 

Occasional misting is fine, but depending only on misting is a mistake. 

Another thing I want to mention is hydration. 

Some of my readers asked me whether misting can help maintain hydration for Pothos. 

Misting helps with hydration is a misconception. 

While it does help for some houseplants, Pothos is not one of them. 

They need deep watering to let the moisture reach the roots. 

Pothos absorb water from the soils and roots better than the leaves to stay hydrated. 

If the air around dries out, it becomes difficult for Pothos to absorb nutrients and moisture from the soil. 

Misting adds moisture to the air and makes water and nutrient uptake easier. 

If you want to make misting effective, mist the surroundings of your Pothos except for the leaves and soil. 

Pros and cons of misting Pothos 

Several houseplant enthusiasts debate whether Pothos likes misting. 

Initially, I was also confused about whether to mist my Pothos or other tropical houseplants. 

I used to get a lot of DMs and emails from readers about whether to mist Pothos or other houseplants. 

Since I was unsure then, I always suggested everyone use humidifiers. I also used one. 

But, after several discussions and watching videos, I have encountered some pros and cons of misting. 

Understanding these pros and cons can help you decide whether Pothos will like to be misted. 

Let’s have a look: 

Pros of misting Pothos

Misting the Pothos can give the plant a few advantages if you do it correctly. 

Here are a few of them: 

Misting controls the humidity level for Pothos 

Misting can increase the humidity levels around Pothos to some extent.

Since Pothos belong to tropical regions, they thrive best under high humidity levels. 

By misting, you can temporarily boost the humidity and help the plant grow in a dry environment.

Misting can help remove dust from the Pothos leaves 

Except for humidity, misting helps in removing dust from the leaves. 

Dust accumulating on the leaves can block the stomata and inhibit photosynthesis. 

Over time, the plant becomes unhealthy and attracts bugs. 

A gentle misting will wash and remove the dust from the leaves, keep your plant healthy, and prevent infestations. 

Misting can prevent pests from residing in your Pothos 

While misting can sometimes attract pests, proper misting can keep pests away from your Pothos. 

Misting the Pothos leaves creates an unsuitable condition for specific pests that prefer dry conditions on the dusty leaves. 

To reduce the chances of infestations caused by misting, mist your Pothos with a neem oil solution. 

Neem oil solution will prevent pests and pathogens, keeping Pothos healthy. 

Cons of misting Pothos 

There are a few demerits of misting Pothos; for these cons, Pothos don’t like to be misted. 

Let’s see what these cons are:  

Misting the Pothos temporarily solves the humidity issue 

While misting can help increase the humidity around your Pothos during dry air, the solution is temporary. 

After a few hours, the extra moisture you have given to Pothos by misting will dry out, and humidity levels will drop. 

Water droplets gather on the Pothos leaves

When you mist, water droplets accumulate on the Pothos leaves. 

If the leaves stay wet for too long, they attract pests and pathogens that love moist conditions. 

Water-quality issues with misting Pothos 

While misting, using the right water type is very essential. 

While Pothos is not picky about water, tap water containing harsh minerals is harmful. 

The minerals accumulate on the leaves, create a white cast, block the stomata, and inhibit photosynthesis. 

Excessive misting can harm Pothos. 

How to mist Pothos correctly? 

To receive the benefits of misting, you should correctly mist your Pothos. 

Proper misting can also help you overcome the misting cons. 

When to mist Pothos? 

Misting can increase humidity to some extent if the air becomes dry. 

However, you should know the best time to mist and make the reason for misting, which is increasing humidity, effective. 

Keep a hygrometer in your room if humidity has been your real issue consistently. 

Whenever the humidity goes below 40%, mist your Pothos. 

Avoid misting your Pothos during the hottest time of the day. 

The heat can cause the water droplets on the leaves from mist spray to burn the leaves and damage them. 

Early morning or late evening are ideal times to mist Pothos. 

How often should you mist Pothos? 

Generally, you can mist your Pothos once a week. 

But it can depend on various factors. 

During the summer, when the temperature crosses 90°F, and the environment becomes extremely dry, mist your Pothos every 2-3 days. 

In other seasons, you can mist Pothos once a week. 

You can also mist the Pothos every 2-3 days in winter when it gets freezing and dry. 

Humidity can add an insulating effect. Hence, misting to increase humidity levels can keep your plant warm for some time. 

How to mist Pothos? 

Use lukewarm water for misting Pothos. Extremely hot or cold water can shock the Pothos plants. 

Get a spray bottle, fill it with water, and spray your plant. 

Choose a spray bottle with an adjustable nozzle. 

It should release a fine mist that disperses evenly across your Pothos with any accumulation. 

Use a clean spray to prevent cross-contamination from household chemicals and cleaning agents. 

Make sure to mist the surroundings of your Pothos more than the leaves or soil. 

You need to add moisture to the air and not the leaves. 

Misting the leaves can keep them wet and lead to pest and disease infestation. 

Misting the soil is useless because water doesn’t reach the roots. 

By the end of the day, check the Pothos. 

If any leaves remain wet, clean them and pat them dry with a soft towel. 

Humidity requirement of Pothos

Now, let’s discuss the humidity requirements of Pothos, as misting aims to increase humidity. 

Plants will have leaf pores or stomata on the leaf surfaces that are invisible to the eye. The same is true with Pothos. 

These stomata open for air exchange and release of water vapor. 

It is called transpiration. 

Pothos love 70-80% humidity. 

Since such high levels are uncomfortable indoors, at least 50-60% humidity should be provided. 

Pothos lose excessive moisture through the stomata when the humidity levels are low.  

To reduce moisture loss, the leaves will keep their stomata close. 

It further affects air exchange and photosynthesis, causing stunted growth and damaging plant health. 

Hence, maintaining correct humidity is very important. 

Misting helps increase humidity but stays effective only for a few hours. 

Below are some common signs signifying that Pothos needs more humidity levels: 

Signs of low humidity in Pothos 

• Pothos leaves are dropping: Due to low humidity, the surrounding air gets dry, and the leaves lose their moisture and fall off on their own.  
• Pothos leaves are curling: The evaporation rate increases when the humidity gets low. The leaves curl to hold the remaining moisture in the leaves and lose them slowly. 
• Pothos leaves are becoming dry and crispy: As the leaves lose moisture due to the low humidity, they become dry and crispy.  
• Pothos leaves are browning at the tips and edges: When you don’t adjust the humidity over time, the leaves become brown at the tips and edges. 

If you notice any of these signs in your Pothos despite misting, misting is not working. 

To increase the humidity, you need other effective methods. Please keep reading to learn them. 

Alternative methods to increase humidity for Pothos 

While misting can help increase the humidity around Pothos, it is only for a short time. 

For more effective methods to increase humidity, you should approach other alternatives. 

Below are some options that will help in maintaining the desired humidity level for Pothos: 

Install a humidifier for Pothos 

A humidifier is a tool that helps preserve 50-60% humidity levels near Pothos. 

A humidifier can also prevent moisture stress by keeping the soil from fast drying, which can cause yellowing or premature leaf drop due to low humidity levels. 

A humidifier is an excellent choice if you have multiple tropical plants in one room. 

One humidifier will work for all. 

Keeping pebble trays under the Pothos pot 

Another method is using pebble trays. 

Fill a tray with water and some pebbles, and put your Pothos pot over it. 

You cannot keep the pot directly over the water tray, as that can lead to overwatering and root rot. 

So, the pebbles will act as a barrier. 

As the water evaporates, it will add extra humidity to your plant.

Check the tray. As the water level reduces, add water. 

The only issue with this method is that you might have to use more than one tray if you have multiple Pothos. 

Keeping Pothos close to aquariums 

If you have aquariums in your house, keep your Pothos near them. 

As the water evaporates from the aquarium, it will add moisture to the air. 

Open aquariums evaporate the water faster and increase excessive humidity. 

Hence, keeping them closed will maintain the desired humidity levels. 

Adding a small indoor greenhouse for Pothos 

Add a small indoor greenhouse in your house to create an ideal environment for Pothos. 

The small greenhouse will trap the moisture inside ensure Pothos receives adequate humidity levels, and keep the plant happy.

Moreover, the indoor greenhouse will also provide a controlled room where you can protect your Pothos from temperature fluctuations and drafts. 

Adding a moss pole near Pothos 

Keep a moss pole close to your Pothos. 

The pole will provide and maintain suitable humidity levels for prolonged periods around Pothos. 

The moss pole can retain moisture and release it very slowly, creating a perfect humid environment. 

The method is excellent if you live in dry areas or if winters in your area get extremely cold and dry.  

Additionally, moss poles can help in developing aerial roots, increasing stability and health growth, creating an ideal habitat for Pothos just like their native land, and adding aesthetic value. 

Grouping Pothos with other plants 

If you have multiple tropical plants like Pothos, keep them close to each other, together. 

When you keep multiple plants together, they release moisture through transpiration. 

The moisture will naturally increase the humidity around your Pothos and remain effective for a long time. 

Group tropical plants with Pothos because they benefit the best from high humidity.  

While grouping, ensure good air circulation around the plants. Don’t let the leaves touch each other. 

Keeping Pothos in the bathroom 

Keeping Pothos in the bathroom is also great for increasing humidity levels. 

Bathrooms can provide good humidity levels due to the steamy showers. 

With every steamy hot shower, your Pothos will receive good humidity for prolonged periods, especially during winter. 

Remember two things while keeping Pothos in the bathroom: 

• Make sure your Pothos receives bright indirect sunlight. Keep it close to the windows. 
• Maintain a reasonable distance between your shower and the plant, around 8-10 ft. When water splashes too much on your Pothos, it can lead to high humidity, root rot, and other diseases due to excessive moisture levels.  

Note: While trying to improve the humidity levels for Pothos, don’t increase it too much. Check the humidity level to confirm the issue and then increase it. Excessive high humidity can give rise to diseases. Also, ensure good airflow to keep the humidity in check. Open the window or run a fan nearby to avoid excessive humidity buildup. 

Final thoughts 

Misting can increase the humidity levels for Pothos to some extent. 

But the effect doesn’t stay for a very long time. 

Besides, if leaves stay wet and accumulate moisture for too long, it can invite pests and diseases. 

If this happens, Pothos won’t like misting. 

However, Pothos will like to be misted if done correctly. 

Mist the plants in the early morning or evening, mist once a week, use the spray bottle with an adjustable nozzle that sprays the water evenly and disperses across the plant and use filtered lukewarm water for misting. 

Misting also helps in cleaning the dust on the leaves and preventing infestations. 

Add some neem oil to the water and spray it to keep pests and diseases away. 

Since misting is a temporary fix for adjusting humidity levels, opt for more effective methods, like installing humidifiers, keeping pebble trays under the pot, placing Pothos near aquariums, adding a small greenhouse, adding moss poles, grouping plants, and keeping Pothos near a bathroom. 

While increasing humidity, ensure that the humidity levels are low around your Pothos. 

Excessive high humidity can invite pathogens and stress the plant. 

Ensure good air circulation by maintaining distance between the plants, running a fan, and opening windows. 

It will maintain the desired humidity level without letting it increase too much. 

---

Reference: Pothos Wikipedia