N’Joy Pothos or Pothos N’Joy or sometimes Enjoy Pothos. Whatever way you spell it, this Pothos has an intense green color with cream to yellow variegation. It’s effortless to grow and will thrive in just about any home or office.
Another name for Pothos is devil’s ivy, simply because it is so hard to kill! This plant isn’t sensitive or delicate. Caring for one is easy, even for a beginner.
What is the correct name of this plant anyway? The US patent says Pothos NJoy.
So, how do you care for Pothos N’Joy?
Pothos N’Joy Care
Here are the basic steps to caring for a Pothos N’Joy, which we will go over in much more detail in this article.
- Soil: Well-draining potting mix
- Pot: Adequate drainage is essential. Use a moss pole for best results.
- Light: bright, indirect light to partial shade.
- Water: Water when the soil is dry down to about 1″ inch deep
- Humidity: 60% humidity is ideal
- Pruning: Requires very little pruning
Soil
The best soil for Pothos N’Joy is any well-draining potting mix. Add some perlite for extra drainage.
A combination of quality potting mix and perlite will give you both the water retention and drainage that this plant needs to stay happy and healthy.
Some houseplant enthusiasts also mix in a coco coir base with orchid bark, earthworm castings, and pumice.
Pot
Most importantly, you’ll want a pot with good drainage for your Pothos N’Joy. Not only does this give you more wiggle room with your watering, but you won’t have a plant sitting in wet soil – which is always bad.
Pothos N’Joy looks excellent in a pot or a hanging basket. However, because Pothos is a climbing plant (using aerial roots to climb), it will thrive to its full potential when it’s allowed to do what it does naturally, which is climbing.
Therefore, it does really well when given a totem (aka moss pole). Totems are fantastic for climbing plants because they mimic the trees in the plant’s natural habitat. The totem/moss pole supports the plant, and you’ll often be rewarded with even bigger foliage.
Read our detailed guide: Moss Pole for Plants | What They Are and Why You Need One
Choose a pot that is only 1 to 2 inches bigger than the plant’s root ball and not much deeper than it either.
Terra cotta pots work particularly well for Pothos. Because terra cotta is porous, it allows water to evaporate and air to enter the soil.
How to Repot Pothos N’Joy
You’ll know it’s time to repot your Pothos Njoy if you see roots coming out of the drainage holes, if growth has slowed down significantly, or if your plant looks generally unhappy. If any of those things are true, your plant is probably rootbound.
To confirm if it’s rootbound, turn the plant on its side and carefully pull it partway out of the pot so you can see the roots. If the roots are wrapped in a big coil that you can easily see on the outside of the soil, then your plant is rootbound. As you check your plant, be careful not to damage the small root ball.
Choose a new pot that is one size up from your current pot and ensure good drainage.
Repotting every year or so in fresh potting soil prevents the plant from becoming rootbound—a pot packed with roots stunts growth and prevents proper soil drainage.
- Gently remove your plant from its pot.
- Shake off excess soil. Check the roots for any signs of damage, such as rot.
- Half-fill your pot with fresh potting mix
- Place your plant back into the pot at the same depth it was before.
- Fill with potting mix and gently press down.
- Water thoroughly and put in a sunny location.
Sun/Light Requirements
This Pothos has similar care requirements to the rest of the Pothos family. It prefers bright to medium, indirect light.
The right amount of light will help your N’Joy thrive. Direct sunlight will damage the leaves. Not enough sunlight will cause the variegation to fade.
How can you tell whether your Pothos Njoy getting enough light? It’s easy to tell by looking at the leaves. Leaves that aren’t getting enough light will lose their creamy/white patterns (variegation) and turn to primarily green.
The plants turn green because it helps them take in more light. The white/cream parts of the plant don’t produce chlorophyll, which plants need to make food. To reverse this condition, relocate your plant to an area with more lighting.
Do not let your N’Joy sit in direct light, or else its leaves can burn.
Pothos N’Joy will grow well under a fluorescent light source, making it an excellent choice for offices.
Pro Tip: Because Pothos plants grow toward the light, you should rotate your plant often. Turning it wherever you water it makes it easy to remember.
How to Water Pothos N’Joy
How often should I water my Pothos N’Joy? Pothos N’joy plant is not very picky when it comes to underwatering, but never overwater. The best time to water is when the soil is dry down to about 1″ inch deep. Water less in the winter.
Be very careful not to overwater any Pothos because They can easily suffer root rot.
What Moisture Level Should Pothos N’Joy Be?
Pothos plants will droop when they need water. Drooping is your plant’s way of letting your know it is thirsty! If you use a moisture meter for your plants, you’ll know your Pothos is ready to be watered when the soil reaches a reading of 2-3.
Humidity
Since the N’Joy Pothos is a tropical plant, it does well with extra humidity. Ideally, your humidity level will be between 50% and 90%. Since you probably don’t want to live in a rainforest, we recommend shooting for a humidity level of 60% around your plant.
We have two fantastic articles detailing humidifiers for plants:
Best Humidifier for Plants
How to Use a Humidifier for Plants
Pro Tip: An inexpensive hygrometer is a wise investment in testing the humidity level in your home and adjusting it accordingly for your plants.
Pruning
Pothos N’Joy requires very little pruning and maintenance. Prune back when it becomes leggy or to keep your plant the desired size.
This plant is a slow grower (like Marble Queen Pothos) but is a compact grower (like Majula Pothos). The Njoy has short leaf internodes, giving you a much fuller, bushier plant than other Pothos varieties.
To trim back leggy vines, use a clean pair of scissors to cut just above a node. Removing the leggy vines encourages new growth. To cut above a node means the node is NOT included on the part you cut off. This is important because new growth comes from the node.
How to Propagate Pothos N’Joy
You can propagate your N’Joy Pothos in water or potting mix. Both are easy to do. We will explain our preferred method, which is in water.
- Find nicely variegated leaves. Make sure the steams and foliage look healthy.
- Cut the stem below the node, far enough down so that the stem you are cutting has at least four leaves on it. Cutting below a node means that you include the node on the cutting. New roots sprout from the node, so it’s super important that you include the node.
- Place the cutting distilled water until roots form. Tap water might be OK unless your tap water is heavily chlorinated.
You should see roots start to develop within the first week or two. Wait at least three weeks before transferring your cutting to a potting mix. We recommend waiting until the roots are around three inches long.
How to Solve Common Pothod N’Joy Issues
Turning Yellow
If your Pothos N’Joy is turning yellow, you are probably overwatering. Yellow leaves can also be caused by underwatering, too much light, or too little light.
The first thing to rule out is overwatering. Stick your finger into the potting mix or use a moisture meter. Does the soil feel soggy or just generally too damp? Adjust your watering routine – water less often.
If watering doesn’t appear to be the problem, assess the amount of light your plant is getting. Pothos do not like direct sunlight.
Yellow leaves could also signify that your plant is ready to get rid of old leaves and grow new leaves. Try pruning off the yellow leaves.
In the worst-case scenario, yellow leaves can be a sign of root rot from being consistently overwatered. Ensure you have a pot with drainage holes, well-draining soil, and never let your plant sit in excess water.
Brown, Crispy Leaves
With a Pothos plant, brown and crispy leaves are most commonly caused by too much direct light. However, too much or too little water, too much fertilizer, or low humidity can also cause brown leaves.
Start by moving your plant out of direct light. If it was not in direct sunlight, but the leaves are still brown and crispy, the next thing is to check its moisture.
Stick your finger in the potting mix or use a moisture meter. If the soil feels too wet, adjust your watering routine – water less frequently.
Pothos plants don’t require a lot of fertilizer, so start using less if you use a lot of fertilizer.
Finally, check humidity levels. N’joy Pothos prefer a humidity above 50%. If your air is really dry, add a plant humidifier.
Brown Spots
Brown spots are a sign of overwatering. If you see brown spots, scale back your watering. You should also check the roots to see if they are OK. Long stretches of overwatering will lead to root rot.
Questions and Answers: Pothos N’Joy
How Do I Make my NJoy Pothos More White?
The more light you give it, the more prominent the white variegation will be.
Variegated plants require more sunlight than solid green plants because they don’t have as much chlorophyll to absorb the sun.
Pro tip: More light equals more white.
Does N’Joy Pothos Grow Fast?
Like all Pothos, N’Joy plants are fast growers. They are one of the fastest-growing houseplants. Your plant can grow a couple of feet each year in the right growing conditions.
In general, the more variegated the plant, the slower it will grow. So if your Pothos N’Joy has a lot of the beautiful white and green patterns that it should, it will not grow as quickly.
Are Njoy Pothos Toxic to Cats?
According to the ASPCA, all Pothos (including the Pothos Njoy) are toxic to cats, dogs, and other pets. Calcium oxalate crystals that occur within all parts of this plant make it toxic.
The plant can also cause skin irritation in humans. If you have sensitive skin and think you might have a reaction, we recommend wearing gloves.
Can Njoy Pothos Have Speckles?
Yes. Occasionally your N’Joy will have some green speckles in the white.
What is Pothos N’Joy Scientific Name?
The NJoy pothos or N’Joy pothos goes by the botanical name of Epipremnum aureum’ NJoy’.
Other Popular Pothos Varieties
Marble Queen Pothos
N’Joy Pothos is a cultivar that originates from the Marble Queen Pothos. Marble Queen is known for its heavily variegated leaves that look like speckles of cream, light green, and dark green.
NJoy Pothos differs from the parent Marble Queen pothos as submitted to the US Patent Office:
- Small, broad, usually ovate leaves. Some tendency to produce even broader, deltate leaves.
- Compact growth with very short internodes.
- Bright, distinct variegation pattern.
- A characteristic patch of green color, of varying shape and size on either side of the midrib.
- Green variegation on cream to white background with many shades of green on a single leaf.
- Stems relatively strong, darker green in overall appearance.
Read our detailed Marble Queen Pothos care guide.
Pothos N’Joy vs. Pearls and Jade Pothos
Is Pothos N’Joy the same as Pearls and Jade? No. While they have identical care requirements and needs, they are two different plants. They are both vining foliage plants with large, heart-shaped leaves. N’Joy has dappled dark and light green variegation and an outer cream ring. Pearls and Jade Pothos has more extensive areas of cream against a dark green leaf.
Read our detailed Pearls and Jade Pothos Care Guide.
Pothos N’Joy vs. Glacier Pothos
Pothos N Joy has larger leaves with more pointed tips. Glacier Pothos leaves are smaller, less oval, and less sharp at the end. N Joy Pothos has more green color. Glacier Pothos is dominated by white.
Where to Buy Pothos N’Joy
You can easily find N’Joy Pothos cuttings and plants on Etsy.
Final Thoughts on Pothos N’Joy
If you’re looking for a hard-to-kill but still gorgeous plant for your home or office, this is it!
Some items we discuss that will help you care for this unique plant and keep it growing strong:
Good luck growing your Pothos N’Joy and making it part of your cozy, fresh, and green home!
Learn about other pothos varieties:
