Comparing Silver satin pothos and Scindapsus is a very confusing matter. The similar appearance of a wide variety of Scindapsus and members of the pothos group is not the only reason for confusion.
The mix-up lies in the names that many Scindapsus members carry. For instance, the Scindapsus Pictus is often called “silver photos” despite not being a member of the Pothos clan.
So, we are discussing two different plants that get mistaken for one another almost all the time. This article will break down all their differences if you are interested in either or both plants. This way, you can quickly identify them.
Table of Contents
What is a Silver Satin Pothos?
Silver Satin Pothos is a part of the Epipremnum plant group or genus. So basically, any authentic pothos plant belongs to the Epipremnum group.
Silver satin pothos is a vine plant that naturally grows in tropical or subtropical regions in Asian countries. This plant is best known for its long stem and cordate leaves, like a few philodendrons.
In its natural habitat, this plant climbs the trunks of nearby trees. So, when you grow it indoors, you can provide it with totem support or let it trail in a hanging basket. This beautiful plant has a medium green color with light greyish or silvery variegation.
What is a Scindapsus plant?
Scindapsus itself is not a plant. This name refers to an entire genus of many similar and lovely exotic plants. The natural home of the Scindapsus plant genus is in southeastern Asian countries.
This plant group has a collection of trendy ornamental houseplants that are extremely easy to maintain. The Scindapsus Pictus is the most well-known plant in this genus.
Its original name is not the Scindapsus Pictus, but it is often called “Satin Pothos. This plant is a perennial evergreen tropical beauty like the original silver satin Epipremnum pothos. It is also a natural climber with variegated leaves. These leaves are lobed, which gives the Scindapsus its lush beauty.
What are the Differences between the Silver Satin Pothos and Scindapsus?
Silver satin pothos and Scindapsus Pictus are different plants despite the apparent similarities in appearance and common names. The plants have different shapes and sizes. Also, they vary in their growth and care needs.
1. Leaf shape
The leaves of both plants are green and beautiful. However, their shapes play a defining role in comparing Silver satin pothos and Scindapsus. The leaves of silver satin pothos are cordate. So, they always look like a drawing of a heart.
On the other hand, the Scindapsus leaves are more ovate than heart-shaped. This ovate shape is more noticeable when the Scindapsus plant is still juvenile. As this plant heads towards maturity, the leaves become cordate as well.
2. Leaf texture
This is another reliable point in setting these two plants apart. The leaves of silver satin pothos feature a glossy appearance. This is not the case with Scindapsus Pictus plants. They are usually matt without any gloss.
3. Leaf color
The leaves of silver satin pothos have light to medium color, while Scindapsus leaves reflect a deep green shade. So, if you give both leaves an in-depth look, you can easily recognize the difference.
4. Variegation
Both plants have beautifully variegated leaves. However, the shades of these variegated spots or blotches vary from one plant to another. The most common variegation color in Silver Satin Pothos plants is white or silverish. However, many of these plants come with light yellowish variegations. Scindapsus Pictus leaves, on the other hand, feature light greyish-green variegations.
5. Plant size
Both plants are natural climbers, but their mature size varies. Generally, these averages are achieved when the indoor atmosphere is ideal for the needs of both plants. The size of a fully grown silver satin pothos plant can reach around 0.9 meters when grown indoors.
However, it goes way beyond this number when grown outdoors. It can exceed 3 meters in the jungles. As for the Scindapsus Pictus plant, it can grow to reach 1.5 meters tall.
6. Growth speed
Scindapsus Pictus falls into the category of slowly growing plants. You can wait a few years to see if your Scindapsus Pictus matures. However, improving its growing conditions can speed up the process somehow.
This is not the case with the silver satin pothos. It grows relatively faster. In summer and spring, the pothos plant grows between 30 and 45 cm each month.
This monthly growth rate is not among the fastest out there. Philodendrons, like Florida ghosts, are true fast growers. But generally, your pothos beats any Scindapsus in terms of growth speed.
7. Blooming
Another considerable difference when you compare silver satin pothos and Scindapsus is their flowers. Generally, both plants produce flowers in their natural habitat. But their flowers won’t be as visible indoors as in the forests.
The Scindapsus has inflorescences that contain a selection of small flowers attached to its spathes. These blooms are green in color.
On the other hand, the silver satin pothos has small flowers that rarely appear in an indoor atmosphere. The color of pothos flowers is white. Both plants bloom during the summer and spring.
8. Natural light needs
Both plants are used to growing under bright indirect light. They depend on the surrounding large trees to block the direct light. So, they will do a great job when the sunlight is all over the room, but a curtain can break its intensity somehow.
That being said, Scindapsus won’t thrive in a room with minimal levels of sunlight. On the other hand, Silver satin pothos can survive poor lighting conditions.
Silver Satin Pothos vs Scindapsus: are they the same?
No, silver satin pothos and Scindapsus are not the same plants. These are different plants from different genera. Scindapsus is an independent genus with a large selection of houseplants, such as Scindapsus Pictus, Silver splash, and Argyraeus.
Scindapsus Pictus is often mistaken for the Silver satin pothos. It is even called Silver pothos. But this does not mean they are the same plant.
Both plants share some similarities that lead to confusion. However, they show a few differences that help compare Silver satin pothos and Scindapsus. First, pothos leaves are always cordate, while only a mature Scindapsus has the same leaf shape. The leaves of the young Scindapsus Pictus are ovate.
The leaves of the Scindapsus Pictus are matt and darker in color. They feature light greyish-variegated blotches. Leaves of silver satin pothos are smoother, glossier, and lighter in color. Their variegation is silverish, but sometimes it can be yellowish.
Scindapsus Pictus grows taller than silver satin pothos, primarily when grown indoors. But the pothos plant will grow faster than the Scindapsus Pictus, mainly if all growing conditions are provided. Also, both plants do not usually show their flowers when kept indoors.
But on rare occasions, you might find small green flowers on the fluorescence of the Scindapsus Pictus. The flowers of the silver satin pothos are white.
As for growing conditions, the Scindapsus Pictus seems to be a bit more demanding than the pothos. For instance, it won’t survive when the light is not bright enough indoors. Under low light, silver satin pothos does a better job.
