Contents
- 1 Snow Queen vs Marble Queen Pothos – Main Differences
- 2 Differences and Similarities – Snow Queen vs Marble Queen Pothos
- 3 FAQ
- 4 Final Thoughts
This guide is for those who find it difficult to differentiate the concerned plants when it comes to the Snow Queen Vs Marble Queen Pothos debate. As these two are part of one plant family, they share several similarities while having many differences (if you analyze them the right way).
If you are not able to choose between a Snow Queen or a Marble Queen Pothos, read below to understand these plants better.
What are Snow Queen and Marble Queen Pothos?
Snow queen and marble queen pothos (devil’s ivy) hail from a plant family known as the “Epipremnum aureum.” They are easy to maintain and care for, so you can easily grow and keep them in your homes.
Also, they are inexpensive, beautiful, and good at improving the house’s air quality. Heart-shaped leaves grow on their stem trails, making them look pretty. They are the perfect choice for all plant enthusiasts.
Snow Queen vs Marble Queen Pothos – Main Differences
One of the key differences that you can easily see when it comes to snow queen vs marble pothos is the color of their leaves. While the marble queen’s leaves are greener with white-ish variegations, the snow queen’s leaves have less green and more white variegations.
The other key difference is the growth rate between the snow queen vs. marble queen pothos. As the marble queen grows at a much faster rate, the leaves require regular trims.
While on the other hand, the snow queen develops at a slower rate but is more efficient at holding its shape and remaining close-packed for an extended period.
Here is all the essential information you should know before we detail the differences and similarities between the two!
Marble Queen Pothos
- Color of leaves – Equally white and green.
- Indoor Height – 5 feet.
- Leaves – 3 feet.
- Temperature – 18 to 30 degrees Celsius.
- Light Required – Medium or Indirect.
- Growing Rate – Slow.
- Variegation – Equally white and green.
- Soil Type – Any well-draining soil.
- Required pH of the soil – Between 6 and 7.
- Health Issues – Root rot and spots on leaves.
Snow Queen Pothos
- Color of leaves – 80% white.
- Indoor height – 3.2 feet.
- Leaves – 4 to 8 inches.
- Temperature – 18 to 30 degrees Celsius.
- Light Required – Low light or Indirect.
- Growing Rate – Medium.
- Variegation – 80% white and 20% green.
- Soil Type – Any well-draining soil.
- Required pH of the soil – Between 6 and 7.
- Health Issues – Root rot and spots on leaves.
Differences and Similarities – Snow Queen vs Marble Queen Pothos
After reading the list above, you might be a little confused, hence read below to clear all your confusions about the differences and similarities between snow queen and marble queen pothos as we go into detail.
Leaf Types Are Different
Their leaves are almost similar and can grow into whichever container you put them in. They will not outgrow it, but surprisingly, the leaves of marble queen and snow queen pothos will adjust to the size of the pots in which you are growing them. So they will either stay small or get more extensive depending on pot size.
Leaf Color Are Different
One of the biggest differences between the marble and the snow queen pothos is the variegation present in their leaves. The leaves are much greener in both snow queen and marble queen pothos at the initial growth stage. But with time, their leaves start to develop variegations.
As the tissues of the snow queen have fewer chlorophyll ones, their leaves are 80% white and 20% green.
The green regions are of a lighter shade and appear on different leaf parts instead of converging at one place or being all over. Sometimes, the leaf can also appear to be translucent.
The Marble Queen pothos has leaves with equal ratios of white and green on them. The shade of green happens to be much darker as well. The leaves are non-transparent.
Leaf Textures Are Same
Growing the snow queen plant and the marble queen pothos in a healthy environment makes their leaves look shiny and feel leather-like. Both of their leaves feel waxy to the touch. If you touch these leaves, you can observe their textures.
Leaf Shapes Are Same
The leaf shape of both of these plants is similar, heart-shaped. Both of these have leaves with pointed tips. However, when comparing snow queen vs. marble queen pothos, the leaf tip of the snow queen pothos are more pointed.
At the initial growth stages, the shape of the leaves may look weird and deformed. But don’t worry, as, with age and time, the leaves will eventually acquire the form of a pretty-looking heart.
Marble Queens’ Growth is More Robust
These plants can grow several feet in length when given the space to. They can extend up to a distance of 72 inches max. The difference is that a snow queen takes much more time to reach this height.
When it comes to the growth rate of snow queen vs. marble queen pothos, the marble queen grows faster than the snow queen. Whether this quick growth rate is good or bad depends upon the type of plant you are looking for.
If you are looking for a sturdier plant, marble queen is a perfect choice. However, if you are looking for a compact plant, snow queen should be your preferred choice.
Because the marble queen pothos develops at a faster rate, it may require an additional quantity of minerals and water. Both of these plants are excellent climbers.
They give a pretty decorative touch when they are grown on balconies. Whether you want your plants clustered up or growing freely depends on you.
But, the pot size must be suitable to the needs of those wishing to grow it in a limited space. If you want them to be close-packed, pick a small container, and frequent regular trimmings of the top leaves are required.
Aerial Roots
They are defined as the roots that develop from the vines. With the help of aerial roots, plants can climb and hang onto the walls or surroundings. You can be creative and have fun with your plants by allowing them to climb and grow so that they give your place a beautiful look.
Sheath
The sheath is the protective covering over the stems of the plants in the lower region. However, they sometimes don’t look pretty, especially in house plants.
But good for us, the leaves of both snow queen and marble queen pothos directly grow from the vines and not the sheaths. If you have bought a house plant with smaller sheaths, it could be a philodendron. Remember that snow queen and marble queen pothos leaves don’t grow from their sheaths.
Petioles
Another term that most of us might not know is petioles. They are responsible for joining the vine to the leaf. You can identify pothos by the shape of their petioles easily because both snow queen and marble queen pothos have rounder petioles.
The petioles of both are very similar looking. But you can differentiate the snow queen vs marble queen pothos easily. The snow queen plant tends to feature whiter petioles, just like the leaves, and they are sometimes completely white.
Growth Habit
Marble queen pothos grow much more rapidly than snow queen pothos. But since both of them have the same plant family, their requirements and developing habits are similar.
You can grow your pothos up to a height of 6.5 feet. They can hang from balconies or attach themselves to the walls of rooms. Both of them are easy to maintain and grow.
Keeping the Snow queen pothos clustered is recommended because their growth rate is slightly slower; hence a thick, fluffy appearance will be easy to maintain.
New Leaves
When these plants grow, they slowly open up and reveal new leaves. The fresh leaves of both of these plants are fully green, i.e., without any variegation.
However, as they grow older, they slowly develop variegation and become whiter (snow queen) or creamier (marble queen pothos). There is no definite answer as to when your plants will start to develop variegation. It primarily depends on the amount of sunlight they are receiving.
The shape of the newer leaves might be a little deformed, but this should not concern you as they will achieve the heart shape as they grow older. These plants usually grow up to a length of 3 feet.
Taxonomy
These plants come from the plant family species known as the Epipremnum aureum. But don’t get confused as they can also be called Rhaphidophora aurea, Scindapsus aureus, or Epipremnum pinnatum.
You can not differentiate between these two based on the taxonomy because botanists usually refer to them by Epipremnum aureum and not by visual differences such as variegation.
Growing Requirements
It is essential to understand the growing requirements, the required nutrients, and the plants’ water needs before you buy them. Otherwise, you will end up drying or soaking them. Because of their taxonomy, the growing requirements of both of these plants are pretty much the same, listed below.
Soil
Choosing the right kind of soil for your plants is essential. Pothos don’t demand much when it comes to soil requirements. For the snow queen pothos, they need fast-draining soil.
A fast-draining soil is vital to avoid the rotting of the roots. For this, either you can buy a ready-made cactus soil mix from the store or make the mix by yourself by adding pebbles of smaller size at the bottom.
Meanwhile, marble queen pothos also require permeable soil. However, as the marble queen pothos are a little hardy, it doesn’t use a lighter soil mix.
You can make a soil mix for the pothos by mixing equal ratios of perlite, standard pot soil, and peat moss.
Container
Select the right kind of pot or container for your pothos to allow them to go free or to shape their growth or direction. A general rule is that you need a container with many holes in it so that the soil remains moist.
Get creative with your pothos.
The people who like to leave them hanging should buy a larger container or a hanging pot. On the other hand, those who prefer them climbing should buy a pole. The pothos will adapt and grow brilliantly, whether it’s a larger pot or a smaller pot.
Light
For all types of pothos, light is essential. Light plays a crucial role in the features that make the marble queen and snow queen famous. By that, we mean the variegation.
Apart from being an essential source of nutrients, the sunlight also affects the leaf color of the pothos. It is necessary to keep in mind that you should never keep your pothos under harsh sunlight, as it can cause the color of the leaves to fade out.
When it comes to snow queen vs. marble queen pothos, the former prefers medium sunlight while the latter likes medium or indirect light.
Temperature
The entire pothos plant family has similar temperature preferences, including these two in question. These plants, like average temperatures, hence indoor environments are preferred for their healthy growth.
Frequent variations in the temperatures can cause the pothos to discolor or wilt. The pothos can grow ideally in room temperatures of 18 degrees Celsius to 23 degrees Celsius.
Watering
When comparing snow queen vs. marble queen pothos water requirements, marble queen pothos require watering only one time per week.
You have to pay special attention that the soil remains moist and drains the water effectively. An excellent way to check when your marble queen pothos needs water is to see whether 2.5cm to 5cm of the top layer is dry or not.
If it is dry, then you should water your pothos. This indicates that now is the appropriate time to give water to your pothos for their healthy growth.
While the snow queen likes its soil to be dry, drainage and soil moisture are still important factors; the only leniency is for the time.
Snow queen only requires watering when its soil has gone completely, unlike marble queen pothos that require you to water it a little more frequently.
An essential habit to adopt is to water your pothos more in summers and less in winters.
Fertilizer
These plants don’t require any fertilizers for their growth, as they can thrive without any additives. But if you still want to fertilize your pothos for a growth boost, you do have the choice of a few options to use.
Comparing snow queen vs. marble queen pothos growth rates shows that the latter is a little slower. This is why some people use fertilizers for them.
Hence, if you choose to fertilize your little plant, a couple of good options are available. A suitable choice is to mix the houseplant fertilizer with some water. The best time to fertilize them is during their growing season, and you have to do it monthly.
For the snow queen pothos, mostly organic fertilizers are recommended. They include seaweed-based fertilizer or earthworm manure.
We assure you that pothos don’t require too much maintenance and are very easy to grow and take care of. Hence, even if you don’t use fertilizers, they will still continue to grow just fine.
Pruning
Pruning is vital for both of these plants. As both of them grow freely and wildly, pruning is required to keep them compact and limited.
As marble queen pothos grow slowly, most people like to let them grow into big clusters of leaves. For this, you need to prune them in spring, as they usually have longer stems at that time.
You need to make sure to trim the yellow or wilting leaves regularly for the snow queen pothos. Prune the vines if there are too many, or they are intrusive.
Although spring is a good time to trim and prune, you can do it in any season if the leaves are dead or the stems need pruning. Trimming plants frequently will make them appear fuller and livelier.
FAQ
We have answered the most common questions that come up when researching Snow Queen vs Marble Queen Pothos.
Is the Pothos Snow Queen Rare?
Not at all. Pothos Snow Queen are readily available for sale in the markets and look beautiful when grown in houses or offices. You will find them in every other household you visit.
Are Marble Queen Pothos Slow-Growing?
Yes, marble queen pothos grow pretty slowly, but it can grow to a height of 6 feet and is a hardy plant. It may require more nutrients and sunlight because of its slow growth rate.
How Do You Get the Pothos More White in the Snow Queen?
To make or keep your snow queen pothos whiter, keep them under sunlight as they depend on chlorophyll for the variegation.
Can a Marble Queen Pothos Revert?
Yes, a Marble Queen Pothos can revert. It is a natural process. All pothos can revert to being non-variegated at any point in time.
Does Marble Queen Pothos Like the Sun?
No. Marble Queen Pothos doesn’t like the sun. You should avoid keeping your marble queen pothos in direct sunlight. This is because marble queen pothos require medium sunlight or bright indirect light for healthy growth.
Final Thoughts
As both snow queen and marble queen pothos are part of the same plant family, you might not notice many visual differences at first, but now after reading all this information, we bet that you will know exactly which one to buy and why.
We highly recommend purchasing both of these houseplants as they are pretty, help to make a house’s air quality better, are easy to maintain, and are highly adaptable!