Side by side
pothos vs spider plant
pothos
41 positive (79%) · 2 mixed (4%) · 9 negative (17%)
Trust + time weighted: +57%
AI summary — not a quote
Pothos is widely celebrated as an exceptionally hardy and "immortal" trailing plant, favored for its ability to thrive under neglect and its ease of propagation. While it is a staple for beginner houseplant owners, it is also highly valued in the aquarium hobby for its ability to provide natural water filtration through its root system. However, opinions are occasionally mixed regarding its growth habits, as some users struggle with small leaf size or find that the plant "hates" them despite its reputation for being indestructible.
Pros
- Extremely resilient and hard to kill; often described as surviving long periods of neglect or "depressive bouts."
- Very easy to propagate from cuttings in water, making it easy to share with others.
- Highly versatile; grows well in soil, glass jars with water, or as a hydroponic filter in aquariums.
- Fast-growing trailing vines that can reach lengths of 6-8 feet in home environments.
Cons
- Toxic to cats if they chew on the leaves.
- Leaves will rot if submerged in water; only the roots should be underwater in aquatic setups.
- Can produce small, stunted leaves even when provided with direct sun and care.
Top excerpts
Parent context: What would pothos do to the wall or any other surface? Reply: I still have big holes on my walls from a rouge pathos.
Mourning dove laid eggs in my pothos pot.
Pothos are such terrific plants. There's lots of varieties but you can't really go wrong with golden for the combination of easy care, fast growth, interesting markings... and you can get one almost anywhere that sells plants, lol.
was just admiring how well these propagated/recently potted pothos cuttings have been doing under my bathroom skylight, and this is all I could think of haha.
Ours is loving life up on top of this shelf with all of its vines secured along the tops of the windows. I’m 27 and although we aren’t exactly sure, it’s probably almost my age!
spider plant
8 positive (73%) · 1 mixed (9%) · 2 negative (18%)
Trust + time weighted: +59%
Top excerpts
We had a pothos for a few years, then a spider plant for 2 years. I usually kill everything, but those survived somehow.
I’ve had this spider plant for a few years now and it has just flourished.
I’ve got spider but this plant can take a flying leap. Never again.
I started with a spider plant and it’s been low maintenance for a beginner!
Parent context: Meanwhile all of my spider plants are thriving but every pothos I ever buy hates my guts 😭 Reply: Spider loves attention, pothos love to be neglected, just ignore your pothos till it looks like something's wrong.