Can Pothos Get Sunburn?

Pothos plants are one of the most beautiful house plants. In fact, they are one of the most commonly seen plants in windows around the world.

But is this the recommended place to keep a pothos plant? Is there a risk of sunburn? In this article, we discuss the best light conditions for a pothos plant. Let’s dive in…

Can Pothos Get Sunburn?

Yes, pothos can get sunburn. If the pothos plant is exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time, the leaves will start to burn and become discolored. Pothos plants can tolerate low-light conditions, so I recommend keeping your pothos plant in locations with moderate levels of indirect sunlight.

How To Save Burnt Pothos?

You can save a burnt pothos with a just a few simple steps. However, the seriously-burnt leaves can’t be recovered, so they should be removed before you save the rest of your plant.

1) Remove the burnt leaves

Sunburnt pothos leaves will turn brown if left in the sun for long enough. As the sunburnt leaves will use precious nutrients, but will find it hard to turn green again, they should be removed with caution. Use sterilized plant scissors (Amazon link) to make cuts where the leaf meets the stem.

2) Move to the shade

Move the pothos plant to a cool place that receives no sunlight. You should allow the plant to recover before it can be placed in moderate light again. Keep it away from any windows that receive direct sunlight for long periods of the day.

3) Ventilation

Put the plant in a place that receives ventilation. The plant is likely very hot and wants to experience some cool air on its leaves.

4) Water

The plant is also likely to have been dried out by the sun. As such, it will require lots of water to grow and repair. I recommend using a mister (Amazon link) to spray the plant with cool water, making sure the whole plant gets a sprinkle of water.

Other Reasons for Brown Leaves

Disease

There’s a chance that brown spots are because of disease. Bacterial leaf spot is one of the most common forms of disease in house plant, especially in monstera plants. This type of disease creates brown spots inside of yellow ring. You can reduce the chance of bacterial infection by controlling the humidity and air circulation of the environment, along with using some neem oil (Amazon link).

Too much water

Overwatering the plant can result in root rot. This happens due to oxygen not being able to reach the roots of the plant. As such, the pothos plant can’t receive the nutrients needed to thrive.

Too much fertilizer

Fertilizing your plant is important, but there is such a thing as too much fertilizer. This is because it can lead to an excess amount of nutrients in the potting mix. The browning is usually seen on the tips of leaves, as well as along the edge.

Too hot or cold

Your pothos needs to be kept in the perfect temperature conditions to thrive. Failure to do so can result in your pothos plant developing brown spots. The magic temperature range is between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Any lower or higher can cause brown marks on the leaves, so be sure to track the temperature.