Cebu Blue Pothos Care

All about the pretty silver-blue Cebu Blue Pothos!

Light

Cebu Blue thrives on bright indirect light. However, the Cebu Blue is not as tolerant of low-light conditions as some other Pothos varieties can be. Northern facing windows give your plant the bright light it needs without the risk of scorching the leaves.

Morning sun in an eastern-facing window would also be ideal since it won’t expose it to the intense afternoon sunlight. If you want to grow a Cebu Blue outdoors, do so under a tree or shade as direct light will ruin its delicate leaves.

It’s certainly possible to grow your Cebu Blue by a south- or west-facing window that gets loads of sun. Just make sure to monitor the plant for signs of stress or scorching. At my old house, I had my plant hanging between south- and west-facing windows. However, the windows had sheer curtains and then later filtering shades. I had no issues—that’s the first photo below on the left.

I have also had smaller Cebu Blues in my Ikea greenhouse cabinet under grow lights (second photo below on the right). If you’re new to grow lights, check out the guide I wrote all about using grow lights with your houseplants—including the different kinds of grow lights and which ones I use. 

Now I have my big trailing Cebu Blue hanging in the living room (third photo below on the bottom). It honestly doesn’t get a ton of light. Morning sun—but it isn’t even close the window (living room pic below). And it’s still doing pretty good. Some leggy growth that I prune, but we’ll talk about that in a bit.

Water

Water the soil thoroughly, then allow the top few inches of soil to dry out before watering again. This plant is very forgiving if you forget to water it once or twice, but it’s not as forgiving with overwatering. Stick to a basic, consistent watering schedule and your plant will grow just fine.

If your Cebu Blue leaves are turning yellow, it can be because of underwatering. If it’s because of underwatering, the leaves will be wilted and might even be a bit crispy. The soil will also be dry and probably caked, shrinking away from the sides of your planter. And it will likely be the oldest leaves near the soil line yellowing.

If the leaves are yellowing because of overwatering, they probably won’t have those dry, crispy spots. They’ll lose color, fade, and die off anywhere on the plant. The soil will also be heavier and soggier, which could choke the roots and kill the plant.

Keep in mind that the newer leaves on a Cebu Blue Pothos are often much lighter in color—even a greenish-yellow. They are also very shiny. Once they mature a few weeks, they begin to take on the blue hue and texture most commonly associated with Cebu Blues.

Soil

Any quality, well-draining indoor potting mix will do just fine. And a good soil really helps to prevent over- and under-watering. Like all tropical vines, its roots are susceptible to root rot, so you’ll want the best possible drainage.

Want more? Check out my Global Green Pothos Care guide, my tips for Snow Queen Pothos, and my Neon Pothos Guide!

Temperature

Your home’s indoor temperature will be perfectly suitable for a Cebu Blue. They aren’t very picky, but you’ll want to avoid extreme changes in temperature and keep it away from drafty windows, doors, and vents.

The 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit range is ideal. However, I’ve grown the plant outdoors in the shade through hot Maryland summers. When the temperatures climb into the 90s day after day, you’ll likely need to water the plant more and monitor for signs of stress.

It is not cold or frost hardy. Growth will begin slowing and the plant may go dormant when temperatures drop below 60 degrees. However, the plant can generally withstand a few nighttime cold snaps down into the 50s (see a Cebu below summering on my covered patio).

Humidity

This plant prefers moderate to high humidity—remember, they are native to tropical conditions. However, they are generally tolerant and normal household humidity levels. Mine has been okay in my super dry living room with no humidifier. However, in dry environments, the leaves may turn brown or become crispy.

You’ll really see the plant flourish if you increase humidity levels to mimic its natural environment. The easiest ways of doing that are using a pebble tray, growing it near other plants, or misting the foliage each morning. Though the best way to maintain humidity levels is definitely by adding a humidifier.

Growth & pruning

Cebu Blue grows quickly in the right conditions. Your Cebu Blue could grow several feet in only one growing season—woo hoo! When grown indoors, its growth is likely to top out at about 10 feet long. My big plant is about 5-6 feet long.

It could be much longer, though. I regularly prune the stems to encourage fullness and nip out leggy growth. So let’s talk pruning. Once the plant reaches a certain length, you may notice it gets a bit leggier. But pothos respond well to pruning and pinching. Many people are afraid of cutting their plants. I love cutting my plants!

Not only does it encourage fullness, it often leads to healthy new growth. If you notice a leggy area, simply snip it off just below a growth point. You’ll eventually notice new growth sprouting from this growth point.

The new growth will grow at a bit of an angle. This stem branching can create a bushier plant over time. But it does take time and patience! Make sure you’re also giving your plant plenty of bright, indirect light, warm temperatures, and ideal humidity to encourage healthy new growth.

Fenestrations

Fenestration is a term used to describe the natural holes or openings that occur in the leaves of some varieties of pothos. This plant is marked by two distinct phases: the young phase and the mature phase. During the young phase, leaves are thin, oblong, and have a silver-ish blue hue that shimmers in the right light. It’s the look almost always associated with Cebu Blues.

Cebu Blue plants can remain in their young phase forever, really. If they are grown as trailing plants, like many are, they will not fenestrate. Their leaves could vary from light green to bluish green.

The plant’s mature phase is when it grows fenestrated leaves like the ones pictures below. You can help your plant mature by giving it a moss pole. The leaves will get larger—extremely large, eventually—and turn into a greenish color.

Fenestrations will typically begin to occur when the plant is in an environment closest to its natural habitat. The moss pole mimics a large tree trunk. Also make sure to give it plenty of bright indirect light and high-quality, well-draining soil to avoid overwatering. And humidity.

Recently I was visiting the U.S. Botanic Garden with my daughter. I literally stopped in my tracks when I realized that a nearly three-story-tall plant was a Cebu Blue Pothos! The part of the plant near the bottom of the pole looks just like mine.

But as the plant climbed, you can see how the leaves begin developing fenestrations. At first, just some holes and splits. But as it got taller and taller, the leaves morphed into very large, deeply fenestrated shapes. Here are a few pictures I took—I had to go to the top floor of the atrium to take the last ones! Truly amazing to see in person.

Propagation

Cebu Blue is about as easy to propagate as it is to care for. I have a whole tutorial post on How to Propagate Cebu Blue Pothos, but I’ll provide an overview here as well.

To get started, snip a stem with at least two nodes (where the leaf attaches to the stem, or look for the little nubs on the stems). This is where roots will sprout from. If you trim a leggy stem, these growth points may be already exposed.

1. Propagating in soil

Place the cutting with one node 2 inches deep in moist, well-draining soil. You can also dip the cut end of the piece in rooting hormone before you plant it to help speed up root development, too. Keep the humidity high by covering with a plastic bag and keeping it in a warm spot. Roots should develop in 3-4 weeks.

2. Propagating in water

You can also easily root cuttings in water. Generally plants experience a bit of shock when they are rooted in water and transplanted to soil, but I’ve found that pothos are some of the most forgiving when moving from water to soil.

To propagate a cutting in water, simply put it in a jar or vase of water and be patient. Refresh the water weekly or so and monitor root development. Once it has some roots, transfer it to soil. I love water rooting for some plants because you can watch the roots grow!

3. Propagating in moss

I have also rooted Cebu Blue in a sphagnum moss mixture. Here are two examples. Both are in mixtures of damp moss, perlite chunks, and a bit of worm castings for nutrients. I keep these in a propagation box with a lid. (It’s just a clear storage container that you keep the lid on to keep humidity high.)

Toxicity

According to the Queensland Government, all Epipremnum varieties, including Aureum and Pinnatum (which Cebu Blue is a type of), are toxic. All parts of the plant contain calcium oxalate crystals.

If chewed or eaten, they can cause pain or a burning sensation and swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, and throat. The sap may cause contact dermatitis and eye irritation. Always keep plants away from curious pets and kids, and wear gloves when pruning or repotting your plants.

Baltic vs. Cebu Blue

While shopping for a Cebu Blue, you might also encounter a Baltic Blue. Both the Baltic Blue and Cebu Blue are cultivars of the Epipremnum Pinnatum. I have a Baltic Blue Pothos Care guide you can check out, but I’ve also included a pic of the plant’s foliage below.

The main difference between the two is the color of their leaves. Baltic Blue pothos has more intense, brighter, and glossier green color while Cebu Blue pothos has a more muted, subdued blue-green-silver color.

Additionally, Baltic Blue has a more compact growth habit than Cebu Blue, which tends to be more trailing. I’ve also noticed that Baltic Blue seems to fenestrate with age, even without something to climb.

Pin my guide!