By now, you’ve probably seen multitudes of Pothos varieties – most of which are variegated beauties. If you’re looking for something that’s a little out there but still low-maintenance, I’ve got just the plant for you.
Epipremnum Pinnatum is a Pothos variety known as the Dragon Tail plant, which has rounded, fenestrated leaves resembling a dragon’s tail. It is often confused with Rhaphidophora Decursiva due to their similar looks when they’re young. But they both belong to the same Arum/Araceae family as Pothos.
Below, I elaborate further on this plant, along with a comprehensive guide to caring for them:
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Table of contents
What is a Dragon Tail Plant?
It’s a perennial Pothos plant with rounded, arrow-shaped evergreen leaves. The leaves split at the sides as it matures, making it look like a dragon’s tail. Tiny holes also develop near the middle or midrib of the leaf. Apart from being known as ‘Epipremnum Pinnatum’, it’s also called ‘Centipede Tonga Vine’ or ‘Devil’s Ivy’.
E. Pinnatum has a fascinating but messy history. Like all plants, they get renamed and reidentified over the years due to new information. Previously, the plant’s name was synonymous with Epipremnum Aureum, the common houseplant Pothos we know today. But over the years, some distinctions have been made to categorize the two separately.
Native to Southeast Asia, this tropical plant is known for its lush, green foliage and climbing habit. But in the US, it’s highly invasive. So it’s best to keep it contained in a pot and not growing in your garden outdoors. It is also toxic and may cause irritations to the skin upon repeated contact.
Like some of the other variegated Pothos varieties we’ve talked about on the site, it’s rare to find the Dragon Tail Plant in garden centers or even nurseries. In some cases, you may also see them advertised online under the label ‘Rhaphidophora Decursiva’. However, they are not the same plant.
As I mentioned in the introduction, they only look similar when young but have distinctive traits once they mature. But as far as we’re concerned, publicly available plant databases refer to an E. Pinnatum as the actual Dragon Tail plant. If you’d like to know more, this article lists the differences between Epipremnum Pinnatum and Rhaphidophora Decursiva.
Dragon Tail Plant Care 101
Here’s what you need to know about caring for a Dragon Tail plant:
- Give it bright, indirect sunlight for its best growth. You don’t have to blast this plant with direct sun; if you do, you’ll probably burn the leaves. Just put it somewhere slightly sunny, like by a curtained window, and it’ll be happy to grow as is.
- Weekly watering or after the top 1-2 inches of soil dries out. The key here is to keep the potting media damp, not soggy. Just don’t get too excited, otherwise you may end up giving the plant more water than it needs. You can drown the roots this way and cause root rot. If you want to know more about root rot and how to save your plant, read this article.
- Plant in well-draining soil with a moss climbing pole to encourage vertical development. Dragon Tail plant can grow in almost any potting media. But the trellis support is crucial in allowing the plant’s leaves to split and get bigger, just like a Monstera plant. To get started, follow the instructions in this ‘Training an Indoor Monstera plant’ article.
- Feed with diluted liquid fertilizer once every three months in spring and summer, stopping entirely during winter. Most of the time, Dragon Tail plants will develop quickly without fertilizers. But giving it a growth boost once in a while is good as the nutrients in the soil will deplete over time.
- Place in a warm room, at least 70-85°F, with 40-50% humidity levels. These optimal conditions will make the plant thrive in your home. But don’t worry too much if this seems like a tall order to fill. As long as you keep it away from cold drafts, Dragon Tail plants will still grow in standard indoor settings with low humidity. But you can always learn how to increase humidity levels, as written in this ‘4 Basic Care’ article.
Additional Care for a Dragon Tail Plant
While your Dragon Tail plant will do great with just its basic needs covered, here are some minimal maintenance to keep in mind:
- Prune old and damaged leaves regularly. While the plant will naturally shed these over time, it doesn’t hurt to trim them off early so they’ll look healthy and green. Other than that, there are no other reasons to cut back your Dragon Tail plant unless it’s for propagation.
- Propagate healthy stem cuttings with 2-3 nodes. It’s a straightforward process that can be done in water first or planted straight in the soil. You can follow the stem-cutting propagation instructions in this article. Notably, some have said you can also air-layer the plant. It’s a more finicky method, but you’re welcome to try it!
- Repot once every 2-3 years. The Dragon Tail plant’s growth rate is moderately fast, provided its basic care needs are met. So it’ll be beneficial to place it in a bigger pot every now and then, especially if the leaves are getting bigger.
- Do a pest & disease check biweekly. This plant is not known to suffer from annoying insects or fungal and bacterial pathogens. But it doesn’t mean it’s immune from getting them. Look under the leaves and on the stems once in a while to ensure the plant has no unwanted visitors. This ‘Common Houseplant Pest & Disease’ article may come in handy to identify and eliminate them as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dragon Tail Plant
A Dragon Tail plant is a Pothos variety belonging to the Araceae family. It is known as Epipremnum Pinnatum and is commonly confused with the Rhaphidophora Decursiva, aka Creeping Philodendron. Ironically, a Rhaphidophora is not a Philodendron variety but a close relative.
As a whole, indirect sunlight and weekly watering after the top soil dries out are what a Dragon Tail plant needs to grow well. It doesn’t require fertilizing and will grow in any soil or potting media with trellis support. As long as it is kept out of cold drafts, it will grow just fine indoors.
A Dragon Tail plant is toxic, like all Pothos varieties. Ingesting it is dangerous and should be kept far away from the reach of curious pets and children. It also may cause skin irritation from repeated contact.
Weekly watering or when 1-2 inches of the soil’s surface is dry is the best time to water a Dragon Tail plant. It doesn’t tolerate soggy conditions and is more prone to developing root rot when overwatered. But if it is underwatered, it can bounce back quickly once given a thorough soak.
A Dragon Tail plant is a climbing plant. However, it can still be grown as a hanging plant, it just won’t develop as many split leaves. A moss totem pole inserted at the start of its potting process allows the plant to grow upwards, allowing the foliage to grow bigger with pronounced fenestrations.
Trim a Dragon Tail plant only when it has old and damaged leaves. It is often unnecessary to cut the vines back past the nodes, i.e., the small nub where leaves grow, unless the stem cuttings are used for propagation. Always use a sharp, sterilized pruner to ensure clean cuts.
A mature Dragon Tail plant has a split on either side of its rounded, arrow-shaped leaves, resembling a dragon’s tail. A Rhaphidophora also displays the same trait but has multiple splits and looks more palm-like. It also doesn’t have the characteristic tiny holes or perforations found beside the leaves’ midrib like the Epipremnum Pinnatum, aka Dragon Tail plant.
Final Words
Overall, a Dragon Tail plant is one of many fascinating Pothos varieties to own. If you managed to get ahold of one, remember: it’s like a Pothos, but you’ll need to add a trellis to get those split leaves. Happy planting!
References:
- Plant database entry for Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum pinnatum) with 15 images and 17 data details. (n.d.). Garden.org. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://garden.org/plants/view/110549/Devils-Ivy-Epipremnum-pinnatum/
- Answer Score. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/site/assets/files/25893/epipremnum_pinnatum_wra_2022.pdf
- Epipremnum pinnatum – UF/IFAS Assessment – University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. (n.d.). Assessment.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/epipremnum-pinnatum/
- Pothos, Epipremmum aureum. (n.d.). Wisconsin Horticulture. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/pothos-epipremmum-aureum/
- Epipremnum pinnatum – Species Details. (n.d.). Atlas of Florida Plants. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant.aspx?ID=195
- Answer Score. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/site/assets/files/2560/epipremnum_aureum_wra_2022.pdf
