Why There's More to Love Than Golden Pothos
Quite probably, the first plant you ever learnt to grow and love, is the Epipremnum Aureum aka Money Plant or Pothos. Unbelievably easy to grow, this species is also known as the Devil's Vine because of its diabolical ability to grow even in low, and sometimes, no light areas. It demonstrates its determination to survive by even managing to grow in water, indefinitely. And amongst its varieties and cultivars, the one called Golden Money Plant is the easiest to grow.
Our home girl - the easy to please Golden Money Plant!
Like you, I chanced upon the Golden Money Plant early, and kind of remained stuck in that fortuitous spot for a rather long time.....until I discovered there were many more beauties where that one came from! In fact, I remember the distinct moment of enlightenment. I was visiting an ice-cream shop to get a scoop of my favorite flavor, when I saw a lush, resplendent Neon Money Plant growing like nobody's business on a moss-stick. That was fifteen years ago, when imports of this variety were just hitting the Indian markets. The sight of it took my breath away. I forgot about my ice-cream and redirected my efforts to persuading the store manager to give me a cutting instead :-)
Neon Money Plant - still gorgeous after all these years!
Today, I have made it my mission (amongst many, many more plant-based missions) to get my hands on all varieties and cultivars possible. I quickly learnt about and brought home the regal Marble Queen and her (I have to say it) rather stiff and unfriendly son, the Marble Prince...
Marble Queen to the left, every bit a royal, and her snobby kin, Marble Prince to the right
While on a rummage of all plants growing wild on our premises, I discovered we had been housing Money Plant Jade all along, and never knew about the little squatter! Jade has now grown to be my favorite of them all - the fastest grower, the most robustly structured, and with a beautiful deep green, traditional, no-nonsense color that I adore.
Jade Money Plant - the squatter that came to stay!
Another find in our forty-five year old garden was the Hawaiian Money Plant. Believing him to be a Monstera all along, I discovered, after hours of online research on plant fora and taxonomic websites, that this was actually a Money Plant, one that was hybridized at the University of Hawaii into producing gigantic leaves. Indeed, a mature Hawaiian growing on a wall, will grow leaves upto 20 inches broad and tall, and will look every bit as "Monstera-ish" as you would want.
The Hawaiian - now who would've thought it's a Money Plant!
A couple of months ago I stumbled upon Manjula, and now she too has come to stay. While she's doing well on the propagation, it may still be a few months before we can offer clones to our buyers. For now, she's chilling and growing at our nursery, while catching up with the rest of her Money Plant clan!!!
Manjula Money Plant - jus' chillin' with her clan
My job is not done and I'm still on the hunt for Money Plant Jessenia, Pearls & Jade, Snow Queen and the ultra rare Harlequin. If you have them, or know of someone who has them, or know of someone who may know someone who has them, then PLEASE TELL ME!
(Images in this post are sourced from the Internet. Please contact re objections/credits, thank you!)
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