Pothos Temperature Question

[GardenStateGoldfish]

Hello All! I am wondering does anyone know how cold pothos can actually tolerate? The internet says that it can tolerate a cold snap down to 50F but anything below that and it will die, however I know this isn't true because my basement gets colder. (I am working on plugging some of the air leakage to improve heat in my basement) I have seen pothos now for two winters survive 45F air and water temp (roots are in the water)  They do grow much slower in the cold but are still pushing out new leaves, I am just curious how cold is to cold, I am planning to build a plant wall of pothos growing out of my 270 goldfish setup that will eventually cover the entire basements wall on that side of the room, but I don't want to potentially kill it all if I get hit with a cold snap, I live in zone 6B. 

Also are there any suggestions to other plants that will grow out of the tanks that can also tolerate lower temps? thanks! FYI I am not trying to push the limits, I am working on improving the heat retention hopefully next winter it will be a non issue but we will see. 

 

[Jungle Fan]

When it comes to plants that can be grown in and outside the fish tank, in temperate climate try Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis, it is a plant that is native to the Eastern and Central U.S. growing in, and along creeks and ditches hardy in zone 3-9, underwater it has beautiful light green rounded leaves, grown emersed the leaves have red undersides and produce red flowers. Now I don't know if that's what you're looking for because it is quite a bit different from Pothos, also a word of caution it is toxic to pets like cats and dogs, but then again so is Pothos.

Here are some links that show both emersed and submersed form:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d940

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=108

[Anita]

7 minutes ago, GardenStateGoldfish said:

Hello All! I am wondering does anyone know how cold pothos can actually tolerate? The internet says that it can tolerate a cold snap down to 50F but anything below that and it will die, however I know this isn't true because my basement gets colder. (I am working on plugging some of the air leakage to improve heat in my basement) I have seen pothos now for two winters survive 45F air and water temp (roots are in the water)  They do grow much slower in the cold but are still pushing out new leaves, I am just curious how cold is to cold, I am planning to build a plant wall of pothos growing out of my 270 goldfish setup that will eventually cover the entire basements wall on that side of the room, but I don't want to potentially kill it all if I get hit with a cold snap, I live in zone 6B. 

Also are there any suggestions to other plants that will grow out of the tanks that can also tolerate lower temps? thanks! FYI I am not trying to push the limits, I am working on improving the heat retention hopefully next winter it will be a non issue but we will see. 

Hi @GardenStateGoldfish! I rely heavily on the internet for research, and apply thoughtful caution to what I find. 🧐 One site I usually check first is Davesgarden.com, see Pothos species, which has been around a very long time. Another site is Garden.org, see Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), founded by the National Gardening Association. Both sites indicate that Pothos can survive at temps lower than 50 °F. Garden.org suggests down to -3.9 °C (25 °F) and Davesgarden.com down to -1.1 °C (30 °F). 

Another variable to consider is these recommendations are for outdoor environments, with it's sudden and variable conditions, meaning the temperature ranges will err on the conservative side, i.e., warm for winter/cool for summer. Since your living-plant wall will be staying safe and sound indoors — constantly well-lit, sheltered from wind, and kept well-watered — it is less likely to experience sudden trauma caused by a cold snap or hard freeze. And as you noted, the water will certainly help insulate the roots. For example, a shrub planted outside often can survive unusually severe cold weather, even if the top growth is killed to the ground, as long as the roots are well protected. Winter kill happens if the shrub's roots are stripped of the insulating soil, exposed to air through frost heave, and dried out by winds. Or it may happen when a shrub is subjected to unusually low and extended low temps that freeze the roots beyond recovery. 

FWIW, those are my thoughts. Disclaimer: I do not have firsthand experience with Pothos; I tend to avoid plants that could potentially poison my doggies. (Say, what's this? I don't know. Let's eat it! 🐶) However, I am a terrestrial gardener living in climate zones 6a-7a, i.e., we get hard freezes every winter. Having killed plenty of plants, as well as raised many successfully, I have observed that plants frequently disobey the rules, haha! 🌿

At any rate, I am sure there are people here with more experience than yours truly who can offer their wisdom. 🧠 

Whatever type of wall you choose to grow, be sure to post pics! 

[GardenStateGoldfish]

22 minutes ago, Anita said:

Hi @GardenStateGoldfish! I rely heavily on the internet for research, and apply thoughtful caution to what I find. 🧐 One site I usually check first is Davesgarden.com, see Pothos species, which has been around a very long time. Another site is Garden.org, see Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), founded by the National Gardening Association. Both sites indicate that Pothos can survive at temps lower than 50 °F. Garden.org suggests down to -3.9 °C (25 °F) and Davesgarden.com down to -1.1 °C (30 °F). 

Another variable to consider is these recommendations are for outdoor environments, with it's sudden and variable conditions, meaning the temperature ranges will err on the conservative side, i.e., warm for winter/cool for summer. Since your living-plant wall will be staying safe and sound indoors — constantly well-lit, sheltered from wind, and kept well-watered — it is less likely to experience sudden trauma caused by a cold snap or hard freeze. And as you noted, the water will certainly help insulate the roots. For example, a shrub planted outside often can survive unusually severe cold weather, even if the top growth is killed to the ground, as long as the roots are well protected. Winter kill happens if the shrub's roots are stripped of the insulating soil, exposed to air through frost heave, and dried out by winds. Or it may happen when a shrub is subjected to unusually low and extended low temps that freeze the roots beyond recovery. 

FWIW, those are my thoughts. Disclaimer: I do not have firsthand experience with Pothos; I tend to avoid plants that could potentially poison my doggies. (Say, what's this? I don't know. Let's eat it! 🐶) However, I am a terrestrial gardener living in climate zones 6a-7a, i.e., we get hard freezes every winter. Having killed plenty of plants, as well as raised many successfully, I have observed that plants frequently disobey the rules, haha! 🌿

At any rate, I am sure there are people here with more experience than yours truly who can offer their wisdom. 🧠 

Whatever type of wall you choose to grow, be sure to post pics! 

Thanks for the very detailed and informative answer! I also am concerned about the potential toxicity of the pothos, so far my dogs leave it completely alone and my one dog is a plant thief although she is afraid of the basement, she doesnt bother the upstairs pothos just the aloe. I if there are other plants that work well with their roots in an aquarium I would like to use them in place of the pothos, 

[GardenStateGoldfish]

1 hour ago, Jungle Fan said:

When it comes to plants that can be grown in and outside the fish tank, in temperate climate try Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis, it is a plant that is native to the Eastern and Central U.S. growing in, and along creeks and ditches hardy in zone 3-9, underwater it has beautiful light green rounded leaves, grown emersed the leaves have red undersides and produce red flowers. Now I don't know if that's what you're looking for because it is quite a bit different from Pothos, also a word of caution it is toxic to pets like cats and dogs, but then again so is Pothos.

Here are some links that show both emersed and submersed form:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d940

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=108

Thanks for the info! Anything flowering would be amazing, however I am worried about the light requirement for this plant, it is in a basement and I have a few grow lights over the tank, but I doubt they come anywhere close to full sun requirement. 

[Anita]

23 minutes ago, GardenStateGoldfish said:

I also am concerned about the potential toxicity of the pothos...if there are other plants that work well with their roots in an aquarium I would like to use them in place of the pothos, 

I hear you! What is a doggie-safe vine that grows with indoor lighting and aquarium water as the grow medium? 

Hmm, that would send me looking at hydroponics or aquaponics sites for potential candidates. As an added bonus, most hydroponically grown plants provide food or medicinals, and thus, are non-toxic to people. As you know, some of these will be bad for dogs, but "hydroponic" certainly filters out a lot of dangerous ones. 🍅

There are many vining plants, but unfortunately, most I can think of are poisonous: honeysuckle, clematis, jasmine (vining type), hoya, moonflower, morning glory, datura, cypress vine, and many others. 🤢

Non-toxic vines that come to mind are native/tropical passionflowers. The native vine is Passiflora incarnata, sometimes called maypop. Tropical Passiflora come in a huge variety of bloom colors/sizes/shapes. 

The good news: Many passiflora varieties can be grown indoors. 
The bad news: And this will be the stumbling point for most indoor vines, I don't think you will find much information on growing them hydroponically. Perhaps you could glean information from the cultivation of other vines, such as melons, squash, beans, or tomatoes?

I look forward to reading what your research uncovers! Good luck! 🐾