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Epipremnum pinnatum
Also called Native monstera, Tongavine, Variegated Philodendron, Dragon Tail, Golden Pothos, Pothos, Taro Vine
Centipede tongavine is a tropical climbing aroid, grown mainly as a houseplant for its split, decorative leaves. Keep the soil lightly moist but let the top few centimetres dry between waterings, and give it a pole or lattice to climb.
Epipremnum pinnatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae. It has many common names, including centipede tongavine, taro vine, silver vine and dragon-tail plant. In the Philippines, it is known in Tagalog as tibatib.
Epipremnum pinnatum starts life on the ground and climbs up trees in its natural forest environment, transitioning to an epiphytic lifestyle over time. It exhibits foliage dimorphism, where juvenile leaves look different from mature leaves of the same plant.
The plant has been kept as a houseplant or garden plant for ornamental purposes. Its leaves possess an aesthetic value, and the plant can be hardy in most indoor conditions. In a flower pot, or at a smaller size, its growth is similar to many vining plants, following a drooping, creeping pattern. Aerial roots will dot the stem. Instead of letting the plant hang, some gardeners prefer to add a small lattice or climbing pole for the plant, which would allow it to climb into a more visually interesting shape.
In a pot, the plant needs water retaining, porous soil. Many commercially available houseplant or tropical garden soil mixes will suffice. The plant is not entirely drought resistant, and needs the soil it's rooted in to be watered weekly, or more frequently in a bigger pot. So long, as the soil is allowed to partially or fully dry a couple inches down between waterings. It helps to provide good drainage to the pot, as standing water can damage the plant's roots.
The plant has a broad native Old World distribution. Native range extends from Northern Australia through Malaysia and Indochina into southern China, Taiwan, Japan, and as far as Melanesia. The species has also become naturalised in the West Indies.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Epipremnum pinnatum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
