Pothos plants are incredible hardy and can be grown in the same pot as other houseplants as long as they have similar care requirements, but can you grow snake and pothos plants together?
You can grow snake and pothos plants together in the same pot as they share a very similar care requirement, but you shouldn’t expect optimal growth of either plant as they do not both thrive in the same humidity levels.
I personally own both a snake plant and a golden pothos, so in this article, I’ll walk you through the differences and similarities between the two in terms of care and why you should keep them separate if you want optimal growth.
Contents
Origins And Overview
Pothos originates in Southeastern Asia and has since spread to various locations around the world. Due to how fast it can grow it has also been listed as an invasive species in areas such as Florida.
Snake plants, on the other hand, are native to tropical Western Africa.
Both of these plants are known for being great beginner houseplants, and I can personally vouch for how easy they are to maintain. If you’re looking for an easy-to-care-for houseplant then these two options should be at the top of your list.
But what about growing both of these plants in the same pot?
Care Similarities
Pothos and snake plants share a lot of similar care requirements, and this is the reason that they can be grown together in the same pot.
Soil
Both pothos and snake plants are prone to root rot and prefer a well-draining soil mix to avoid this.
Of course, without the same soil preference, you wouldn’t have much chance of growing the two together in the same pot!
Temperature
Pothos will grow best in temperatures between 70°F and 90°F, and luckily snake plants are also suited for this temperature range as well.
If the temperature drops below this range you’ll start to notice that both of the plants will grow much more slowly, and may even stagnate during the wintertime. Neither pothos nor snake plants has very good cold tolerance.
Watering Schedule
The best piece of advice for watering pothos and snake plants is to check the top 2 inches of soil before you add any water.
If these 2 inches are dry then the plant needs watering, if they are moist you can leave it. Overwatering is one of the most common mistakes that people make with houseplants, and both pothos and snake plants can face problems if they are overwatered.
Light Requirements
Bright, indirect light is perfectly suited for both plants.
Avoid places directly next to windows and instead opt for interior spots of bright rooms such as those with west or east-facing windows.
Fertilizer
Both plants can be fed with a ‘complete’ fertilizer or one that contains the three essential primary nutrients for plant growth (NPK).
Look for fertilizers with an NPK ratio of 10-10-10 ideally, as these have an equal amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to help the plants thrive.
During the growing season from December time until May, you can fertilize once every couple of weeks to help each of the plants grow.
Care Differences
The majority of care is the same for both of these hardy houseplants, but there is one key difference in their humidity requirements.
Humidity
Snake plants prefer humidity around 40%, while pothos thrives in higher humidity around 60% or higher.
This isn’t a drastic difference by any means, but it does mean that you won’t be able to provide ideal conditions for both plants if you keep them together as they will form their own micro-climate which will naturally increase the humidity.
In practical terms, this means the snake plant is more likely to suffer than the pothos.
Why I Choose To Grow My Snake Plant And Pothos Separately
Choosing to grow a pothos together with a snake plant in the same pot is an entirely personal decision.
Personally, I like how each plant looks when grown separately rather than in the same pot. I like to let my pothos trail down from a shelf in the living room while my snake plant has its own place on my bedroom cabinet.
Growing them separately also allows me to increase the humidity around my pothos by using a pebble tray while keeping it lower for the snake plant, meaning both plants get the opportunity for optimal growth.
There are pros and cons to both, and at the end of the day how you arrange your houseplants is completely up to you.
In Summary
You absolutely can grow snake plants together with pothos in a single pot, but there will always be a difference in humidity preference.
If you opt for a higher humidity your pothos will thrive but the snake plant may struggle. On the other hand, lower humidity will be more suited for the snake plant but not the pothos.
If you aren’t worried about both of the plants growing optimally, then aim for a middle-ground humidity between 40%-50% and both plants will grow at a decent rate.
