Among widely loved variations of Pothos, Marble Queen and Golden Pothos are the most popular ones. It is a tropical plant that looks stunning in indoor settings. But that’s not something new, is it?
All the varieties share the same traits; however, they are pretty different from one another in terms of their appearances. If you own a Pothos Plant, do you know what kind it is? Can you differentiate Marble Queen vs Golden Pothos?
Generally, the main difference between Marble Queen vs Golden Pothos is the color of the foliage and the patterns on the leaves. As the name suggests, Marble Queen has white or creamy splashes on the green leaves. Similarly, Golden Pothos has golden or whitish patterns on the green leaves.
Now, shall we dig deeper into their differences and similarities?
Table of Contents Show
Differences Between Marble Queen vs Golden Pothos
1. Naming and Classification
Pothos aureus is a scientific name that was given to the plant in early 1880. Today it has several scientific names depending upon its type. The most common name representing all Pothos is Epipremnum aureum.
It is a combination of two Latin words, ‘Epi’ meaning stem and ‘aureum’ meaning gold.
Golden Pothos got the name in reference to its beautiful gold-speckled leaves. In contrast, Marble Queen is named after its striking marble-like variegation on the leaves.
2. Colour and Variegation
The best way to differentiate a Marble Queen vs Golden Pothos is the color of the foliage.
Marble Queen has creamy white to light green leaves. They are much more lightweight in appearance and have beautiful patterns of yellow. The patterns are very small and abundant. As the name suggests, it looks somewhat like marble flooring!
On the other hand, Golden Pothos have medium to dark green leaves. They are darker in appearance with small and large yellow spots. The yellow spots are noticeably fewer in comparison to Marble Queen.
3. Plant Size and Growth Habits
By nature, all kinds of Pothos are trailing plants. They grow long and are best suited as hanging plants. There are plentiful DIYs you can create with their magnificent trails.
Marble Queens are slow growers due to the pale leaves and less Chlorophyll content. So, if your Marble Queen is not growing as much, relax. There is nothing to worry about as long as they receive plentiful Indirect Light.
They tend to be smaller, with lengths generally between 3 to 4 feet during the growing seasons. Marble Queens tend to be bushy rather than trailing.
However, Golden Pothos tend to trail and branch much efficiently. With the right amount of light and fertilization, they can grow as much as a foot length in less than a month. They have demonstrated invasive tendencies in South Florida.
They can be as long as 40 feet in their natural habitat. Tropical climates are the best. And as a house plant, they have been recorded to reach a maximum length of 10 feet during summers.
4. Light Requirements
Marble Queens require more sun as they have plentiful variegations and yellow spots all over the foliage. They contain very little chlorophyll. Thus, they need more sunlight to produce sufficient food for the plant.
A bright indirect light, preferably close to a window, would be a perfect place to position your Marble Queen. But make sure the sunbeams do not directly fall upon the leaves. We don’t want them to get sunburnt, do we?
Golden Pothos requires relatively less amount of sunlight. They have more chlorophyll content due to less frequent yellow spots. Thus, they do well in both bright windows as well as indirect light.
They are frequently found in offices and indoor settings that do not receive direct/indirect sunlight. How do they thrive? Well, they do surprisingly well under fluorescent light. In fact, they bloom!
Similarities Between Marble Queen and Golden Pothos
1. Foliage and Texture
Like numerous other Pothos plants, Marble Queen and Golden Pothos both have very distinguished heart-shaped leaves. They are thick and fleshy with a prominent waxy texture. No wonder they shine!
In a natural habitat, the leaves may grow as big as one foot or more in length. Wow! Now isn’t that a gigantic one?
As a houseplant, the leaves never reach the same size. Nevertheless, with an accurate growing environment, proper watering, and fertilization, they can surprise you.
2. Flowering
We all know that Pothos does not produce any flowers. Both Marble Queen and Golden Pothos fall upon the non-flowering categories of plants. Due to some genetic abnormality, sometimes out of the blue, they tend to flower (but only in wild habitats).
In 1964, there was a recorded spontaneous Pothos flowering which came as a shock to many people. And if you would still like your Pothos to flower, you could essentially give it a hormone treatment.
As for me, I am pretty much happy with their golden and marble-like leaves.
3. Toxicity
Golden Pothos and Marble Queen are both extremely harmful to humans and animals. If you have snooping toddlers and house pets, better keep them out of reach. They are categorized as level 2 in terms of toxicity.
Calcium Oxalate, a dangerous insoluble substance, can be found in the plant’s leaves and stem. When ingested orally, it causes numerous irritation and discomfort to lips, mouth, throat, and stomach.
Vomiting and swelling of the respiratory tract is yet another threat. And, it is best to use a pair of gloves when pruning your pothos as they can irritate sensitive skin.
4. Bug Infestation and Disease
Well, both Marble Queen and Golden Pothos are quite the fighter! They do not usually get infected with pests or diseases.
But does that mean they are invincible? The answer is no, definitely not!
On rare occasions, they do come in contact with Aphids and Mealybugs. You can quickly get rid of these perpetrators by spraying the plant with a mixture of dishwashing liquid and water.
Last summer, my Marble Queen started browning on the tips. I assumed that they might have contracted some kind of disease from my Arrowhead Plant. But after a thorough inspection, I found out that they were simply overwatered.
All in all, neither your Golden Pothos nor Marble Queen will catch any disease or bugs if you keep proper track of watering and lighting conditions.
Some Commonly Asked Q&As
“I had the habit of watering my Marble Queen only when I observed dryness in the topsoil. But a few days back, I saw hundreds of ants going in and out of the plant pot. I didn’t wait for the ants to destroy my plant to change my watering habits. I was not watering my Pothos enough.” – Yahoo Answers.
As for Pothos, do not wait for the topsoil to dry out before watering. Always keep the soil moist (not soaking wet).
“I just got this Golden Pothos last week, and the same day I watered it, so many leaves turned yellow. It is much less full/bushier than it was now that I have removed the Yellow leaves.” – Reddit.
Sometimes if Pothos is un-watered for too long, they tend to lose their leaves. Other times, they might take a while to adjust to a new location. It would be best to prune the plant and encourage new growth if it is not doing so well.
How to Protect the Color and Variegations of Marble Queen and Golden Pothos?
Variegations are the effect of cellular mutation or viral infection, resulting in the reduction of chlorophyll content in the plant. Who knew an infection would look this stunning!
The patterns of variegation entirely depend upon the mother plant. If the mother plant has prominent and sharp variegations, the baby plant will also inherit these tendencies.
For instance, some Marble Queens will have finer patterns than the others. And similarly, some Golden Pothos will have more prominent yellow spots.
However, if you place the plant in dark corners, they will most definitely lose the yellow and white variegations in just a few weeks. Both Marble Queen and Golden Pothos will turn solid green like regular pothos.
” If my Marble Queen loses its variegation due to harsh lighting conditions, can I reverse it back to its original form?” – Reddit
Sadly, this change is not reversible!
95% of the time, lost variations cannot be recovered by any means. Once the chlorophyll content in the plant body increases, there is no way you can remove chlorophyll.
However, on very rare occasions, people restored some portion of the variegations by chopping off all the leaves and pruning the plan thoroughly. The new leaves retained some variegations.
To Sum Up
Summed up differences and similarities between Marble Queen and Golden Pothos
| Different Features | Marble Queen | Golden Pothos |
|---|---|---|
| Naming | Marble-like patterns | Gold speckled leaves |
| Foliage Color | Medium to light green leaves with cream | Medium to dark green leaves with yellow |
| Variegation Pattern | Fine marble-like effect | Large and prominent splashes of yellow |
| Plant Size | Trails up to 3 feet | Trails up to 10 feet |
| Growth Habits | Slow-growing | Fast Growing |
| Light Requirements | Requires plenty of bright indirect light | Can sustain well in any lighting conditions |
| Similar Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Heart-shaped fleshy leaves |
| Texture | Waxy and shiny |
| Flowering | No flowers produced naturally |
| Toxicity | Hazardous to humans and animals |
| Bug Infestation | Not likely to be infected by bugs or diseases |
Tips for Taking Care of Marble Queen and Golden Pothos
Light
Bright indirect lighting conditions are most suitable for both plants.
Temperature
The ideal temperature would be between 65° to 85°F (around 18° to 29°C). Lower temperatures damage the leaves.
Soil
Aerated and quick-draining potting mix works great for these beauties. If you are using Cocopeat, make sure to add in some sand for proper drainage.
Water
Water the plant as soon as you see the topsoil drying. Minimize the watering frequencies in winters. Black leaves indicate overwatering, while brown/yellow indicate underwatering. Read the signal!
Fertilizers
You can add some plant food rich in Nitrogen every once in two months. Organic Manure can be incorporated into the soil every month. They are generally light feeders!
Humidity
Marble Queens would love a humid environment. You may spray some water once in a while to increase humidity. Golden Pothos, on the other hand, are not so demanding.
Pot Size
Marble Queen loves being root-bound. And since they don’t grow fast, it would be best to plant them in a small pot. Golden Pothos grow pretty fast; better to plant them in medium to large-sized pots.
Pruning
You might want to prune your Marble Queen to keep them full and bushy. However, Golden Pothos trail handsomely, so it will not require any pruning unless you see unhealthy growth.
Propagation
Did you know you don’t require seeds to propagate these beauties? You can easily cut a few centimeters of their stem and place them in water. Now, there you have a baby Marble Queen!
To find out more about propagating Pothos in water, please read the following article: How long does it take for Pothos to root in water?
Did You Know?
- There are only one natural species of Pothos called Epipremnum Aureum. Rest are merely the cultivars developed by horticulturalists.
- In some countries, Epipremnum aureum is also commonly known as Scindapsus aureus, Rhaphidophora Area, or Epipremnum pinnatum.
- There are no Pothos hybrids!
- More than 12 types of Pothos have ornamental values. Their popularity is increasing day by day!
- Marble Queen and Golden Pothos are the classic Pothos commonly used for decorative purposes across the globe.
- Golden Pothos is not an excellent centerpiece for your table due to its fast-trailing tendencies. As for Marble Queen, it will be of a great attraction as your centerpiece for tabletops!
- Both of these varieties are excellent air cleaners. They suck up the harmful VOCs present in the indoor air, especially Benzene.
- Marble Pothos requires a very specific lighting requirement to keep up the variegation.
"Like people, plant respond to extra attention." – Henry Peter Loewer
Many people believe that Pothos has “one face, one look.” That’s not true, is it?
By now, I suppose you can differentiate between a Marble Queen vs Golden Pothos. And, if you were thinking about getting one of these, I hope this post helped you understand which one might thrive in your apartment or workspace.
Go green, Go Pothos!
You can also have a read on :” Manjula Pothos vs Marble Queen – Differences and Similarities”
