It’s a battle between two of the most popular house plants. The Snow Queen vs. Marble Queen pothos! You may be asking yourself, “What are these plants?” Well, let me tell you all about them.
As someone who loves plants, even I can mistake a Snow Queen with a Marble Queen plant. But taking a few moments to look closure will reveal a few differences between these two beautiful plants.
In this article, we compare the Snow Queen Pothos vs. the Marble Queen Pothos. We will look at the differences, the similarities, and how to care for these lovely plants. Let’s dive in…
Snow Queen Vs Marble Queen Pothos
The main difference between a Snow Queen and Marble Queen Pothos is the variegation. The Snow Queen has white foliage, while the Marble Queen has leaves that are equal parts of green and white. Furthermore, you may notice that the white color on the Marble Queen is creamy, whereas the Snow Queen tends to have a brighter white on the leaves.
Taxonomy
Pothos plants are scientifically known as Scindapsus aureus, Epipremnum aureum, Epipremnum pinnatum, Rhaphidophora aurea.
All pothos plants are found under the same scientific name, which includes the Golden pothos, Snow Queen, and Marble Queen.
The taxonomy isn’t so important when you are trying to spot the difference between Snow Queen Pothos and Marble Queen. The specific variegation doesn’t affect the scientific name of the pothos.
Leaf type
The leaves on a Marble Queen pothos are thicker and more deeply veined than Snow Queen leaves.
Snow Queens’ leaves are often wider, straighter, with fewer horizontal indentations on their edges as opposed to the marble which can be thinner, narrower or curled at the ends (depending on how old they are). This makes them look much fuller but less dramatic when compared side by side!
Both plants have leaves that are waxy. In fact, you will notice a raised texture when you touch them.
Pothos leaves start small but grow quickly to fill any empty space in your home or office. The leaves on both plants will soon turn into beautiful heart shapes.
Sheath
One of the key things I find interesting about pothos plants is that their leaves grow from the vine, instead of sheaths.
As such, if your plant is growing leaves from sheaths, then you likely have a philodendron, which is a different type of plant altogether.
This is one way pothos plants are able to grow and fill up spaces quickly, as the leaves will continue to grow from nodes on the vine for quite some time!
Sheaths typically only contain two or three leaves at most.
Aerial roots
Aerial roots are the roots of a plant that grow from the stem high above dirt level, especially on trees. They’re sometimes called “helicopters” because they look like helicopter blades dangling in thin air.
Both types of pothos come with aerial roots. This means they can climb over the furniture in your home, which is a perfect way to make your space feel more natural. Monstera aerial roots do a similar thing.
Foliage
The most distinguishable difference between Snow Queen and Marble Queen pothos is the color of the foliage.
Snow Queen pothos has leaves that grow in a light green color with white striping on top of them. Marble Queen is more dark and shiny than Snow Queen, which could be because it grows in higher altitudes.
It’s easy to tell when you look at these plants side-by-side!
However, don’t let this difference deter you from choosing one over the other; both will make an excellent addition to your home decor or office space!
Petioles
A petiole is a stalk that connects the leaf blade to its stem. Petioles are important for plants because they provide structural support and protection.
They can help a plant grow taller by transporting food up from the roots to other parts of the plant, such as leaves or flowers.
On the pothos plant, the petiole is round and slightly indented. Again, there is no difference between the marble queen and snow queen here.
The only slight difference with the petiole is they are slightly whiter on the Snow Queen plant. This is because it originates in Japan where there are more winter days that have lots of sun and little precipitation. This makes for a brighter environment so white petioles are needed to reflect high light levels!
Length
When given proper attention by an experienced gardener with good intentions, the Snow Queen pothos can grow anywhere between 1.5-2m long.
Marble Queen pothos plants don’t grow as quickly or large. They have a bushy appearance and require less pruning, which makes them perfect for those who don’t want the hassle of trimming.
Both plants take on that beautiful cascading look where stems seem almost too heavy for their own weight – this is all possible because these plants are climbers who cling onto surfaces using aerial roots which form naturally from nodes along its stem & branches.
It’s up to you how in terms of big you want your pothos to be, but the Marble Queen is the best variety if you would rather not do any pruning.
Growth rate
Pothos plants are so fast that they’ll make you feel like a slacker. But don’t worry, there’s one type of pothos that will keep your work ethic intact: The Marble Queen!
It grows slower than the Snow Queen and is perfect for people who want to take their time with things in life. But although the Marble Queen grows slightly slower, there isn’t too much of a difference.
You can make the Marble Queen grow quicker by offering the best conditions for the plant.
The main factor is ensuring you have the right pot size to accommodate them! Oh, and be cautious of location (they don’t like going outside in a cold climate), which can slow down growth.
Both pothos plants grow to the same size, which is roughly 1.5 to 2m in height.
You can place the pothos plants in any room of your house or hang them from baskets on doors.
Leaves
With Marble Queen and Snow Queen, you will see their leaves open up into an assortment of different shapes – you never know what to expect! No matter how many times they do it or in which light conditions, there is always something new with these two varieties of pothos.
Don’t be alarmed by the funny look of baby leaves, as they will soon develop into the heart-shaped leaves we know and love.
These plants are not governed by any strict rules and they do whatever they want to do. The shape of the leaves also change as it grows, but that is only one reason why these plants are so unique…
The Different Care Needs
Soil
The best soil for Snow Queen pothos is a loose, well-draining mix. This plant prefers soil that’s slightly moist but not wet. When planting your Snow Queen pothos, I recommend placing it in a container with drainage holes and filling the pot only halfway full to allow for room for water as this pothos is sensitive to being overwatered.
The best soil type for Marble Queen plants are those rich in peat moss and compost or topsoil mixed with organic fertilizer. These types of pots will ensure an increase in growth speed while providing good drainage too!
When you’re ready to plant a new Marble Queen plant, place them into the proper sized pot which should be at least half-filled and then fill from there on up so they have room. Here’s a full post about pothos soil.
Container
Pothos plants need drainage holes in the pot or container. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with root rot!
Luckily, these pesky little things grow on anything and everything – for example poles instead of pots.
My favorite way to keep pothos alive (for now) is by using hanging baskets, which add character to any home.
Light
The amount of light the pothos receives greatly contributes to the leaf color.
Both the snow queen and the marble queen have the same requirements: they like areas of in-direct sunlight.
This means you can keep both plants together in the same room.
But be careful – The brilliant colors of the leaves will disappear when they are exposed to direct light!
Temperature
The best light for Snow Queen and Marble Queen is indirect light. They thrive in bright, but indirect sunlight from the windows of your home or office.
The temperature should be between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit, but they will thrive in the average home temperatures. You should also be mindful of shocking your plant with sudden temperature changes.
Watering
Both types of pothos enjoy moisture – which makes sense with them being tropical plants.
However, drainage is very important. Failure to give drainage will result in your plants developing root rot.
I like to water my pothos plants once per week. I double-check that the plants are ready by dipping my finger in the top layer. If the top 2″ are dry, then I give my pothos plants more water.
You will have to water your pothos more during the warmer months, whereas the plants won’t need much water during the winter.
When watering Marble Queen or Snow Queen pothos, make sure that they are watered gently so their leaves do not break off easily. In addition, avoid getting dirt on them as this will lead to more problems for the plants later down the road.
You may also want to use a light mist spray bottle if you would like additional humidity around your houseplants!
Fertilizer
Pothos do well in pots without much fuss. They are very forgiving plants and don’t require a lot of fertilization to thrive, so you can spend that time doing other things.
Some of you may still want to play things safe by giving some fertilizer. If so, fertilize the Snow Queen pothos monthly during the growing season for a little boost of growth.
I like to give the snow queen pothos a fertilizer that works over a long period of time, with worm castings being my top choice.
Pruning
Snow Queen and Marble Queen both should be pruned, especially if any leaves that are brown or yellowing. It is important not to make the cuts too close to where they are coming out of the plant because it can cause stunted growth and leave marks on your surface if done improperly.
Snow Queen needs pruning twice a year while Marble Queens only need their ends trimmed once every six months.
I like to keep all of my pothos plants as bushy as possible, so I simply trim the long stems during the spring months to encourage new growth.
Final Thoughts
Overall, most types of pothos plants usually share similar rules.
With a name that suggests its snowy appearance, Snow Queen pothos is one of the most striking varieties in this family. The leaves grow white instead of green and are notably dense to create an almost frosty effect.
In fact, that is the biggest difference between the Marble Queen and Snow Queen. The first step is to always look at the leaf color when you want to differentiate the types of pothos
The Marble Queen also grows slightly slower when compared with the snow queen.
Although they may seem very similar at first glance, it’s great that we can all learn how to tell them apart!
