Last Updated on September 28, 2021 by Grow with Bovees
Are you one of the many plant owners who were under the impression that these two, very similar-looking wonderful marble queen and snow queen varieties of pothos are the same?
Well, welcome to the battle of the snow queen vs marble queen pothos, two of the most popular and common houseplants in the cultivation world.
In this article, we shall be going through the similarities and differences between these two magnificent indoor plants.
Both varieties, namely snow queen pothos and marble queen pothos belong to the same species of plants.
They are both variegated pothos quite similar in looks, but one will find that there are a couple of differences between the two of them when studied closely.
It might be quite difficult to tell the differences between the snow queen and marble queen pothos varieties, but sweat no more, after reading this article, you should be an expert on the topic.
The color of the snow queen vs marble queen pothos leaves is the biggest difference, to mention one.
With the following information below, we shall tell you differently.
Snow Queen Pothos & Marble Queen Pothos -Background
Origin
These different variations of pothos plants are native to southeastern Asia, making these types of pothos plants tropical plants, which, furthermore means, they thrive best in a warm climate.
The snow queen and marble queen belong to the same family of plants.
Taxonomy
When talking about taxonomy, pothos plants are classified as Scindapsus aureus, Epipremnum aureum, Epipremnum pinnatum, and Rhaphidaphora aurea.
The scientific varieties for all pothos plants include; golden pothos, manjula pothos, marble queen pothos, and snow queen pothos.
These striking varieties of plants are beautiful ornamental plants and would make a great addition to any plant collection.
The marble queen and snow queen pothos make for great plants in any office space.
Continue on to learn more about the Snow Queen vs Marble Queen pothos and their most common differences.
Snow Queen Pothos Leaves
Though the leaves of these lovely plants carry the most distinguishable difference, they are both very similar in shape and size.
The beautiful variegation of the pothos plant plays a major role in telling the main difference between snow queen and marble queen pothos.
The size of the snow queen and marble queen leaves will vary when planting them in a container rather than in the ground.
They will be smaller when planting them indoors in pots and larger if they are free to grow in the wild.
The snow queen pothos’ leaves are most commonly straighter and wider with fewer indentations and due to their size, they can hold moisture longer.
The marble queens’ pothos’ foliage consists of deeply veined leaves which often appear thinner, narrower with curled-up edges. Both of their leaves resemble beautiful heart shapes.
The heart-shaped leaves of the snow queen and marble queen are finished off with sharp, pointy ends.
Although the snow queen presents with ends that are sharper and more pointed.
The snow queen pothos also has a more bushy appearance due to their foliage.
Having mentioned these minor differences brings me to the true and most obvious dissimilarity between the snow queen and marble queen varieties of pothos, namely the variegation of their foliage.
The only time when the variegation of the snow queen and marble queen is the same or similar is when their leaves start unfolding.
Both the marble queen pothos and the snow queen pothos will present with green leaves during this stage of growth.
As both the snow queen and marble queen mature, various intensities of variegation will start developing, giving both plants a difference in appearance.
Unlike the marble queen pothos, the snow queen has leaf tissue that contains much less green pigment.
The result of this lack of chlorophyll — being the green pigment — in the leaves’ tissue shows a leaf color of pure white variegation in the snow queen pothos. It also happens to slow the growth rate of this plant.
The appearance of snow queen leaves will be about 80% pure white whereas only 20% of the leaf will carry a light green color.
The tiny scattered areas of green that the snow queen pothos has are a lot milder in intensity and the white variegation gives this plant a snowy appearance.
At times the leaves of the snow queen may appear translucent to a certain extent.
Marble Queen Pothos Leaves
The marble queen pothos on the other hand, will present with equal parts of white and green and, in this case, the white will be less intense and appear more of a creamy white color.
The green part of the marble queen foliage will appear in bigger spots, looking almost like islands and its green color will be dark and rich. The leaves of the marble queen pothos are absolutely non-translucent.
The leaves of both plants look glossy due to them having a slightly waxy leaf surface and what makes them even more interesting, is the leaf texture.
The pothos’ glossy leaves have a roughness about them which appears to be present due to irregularities on the leaves’ surface.
The petiole is the part of your plant which connects the leaf to the vine. The shape and texture of petioles are the same in both species of pothos.
Now that we know the real difference between snow queen pothos and marble queen pothos, let us move on to the part of the plants that only carry a slight difference.
Marble Queen Pothos — The Faster Grower
The growth of these plants is another factor that adds to the differences between the snow queen pothos and the marble queen pothos.
We have already established that the leaves of the marble queen pothos contain more chlorophyll than the snow queen, making its leaves look greener.
Just like other pothos plants, the growth rate of the marble queen plant is quicker than that of the snow queen variety, which has been shown to be quite a bit slower.
The pothos marble queen is a hardy plant that can reach great lengths if provided with the right conditions. It can grow to a height of up to six feet during its natural life.
Snow Queen Pothos — The Slower Grower
Unlike the marble queen plant, the pothos snow queen plant is a slow-growing plant, more compact, but it is still able to grow to the same height as the other plant species.
It will just take a greater amount of time for it to reach this height. Pruning snow queen pothos plants regularly will maintain their compact size.
The marble queen can also appear bushy and compact if planted in a smaller pot.
Trimming off the top leaves and bits of its aerial roots also makes for a bushier appearance.
Climbing & Other Growth Properties
These popular houseplants have shown themselves to be great climbers and when planting these two plants in hanging baskets or hanging pots, they will add a beautiful cascading look to any balcony.
The pothos varieties climbing nature comes from their aerial roots. These are roots that grow out of the vine. These types of roots also make it easier for the pothos plant to adapt to its surroundings.
When it comes to the new growth of these plants, there are no strict rules really.
They usually go about their own business and follow their climbing growth habit.
As the leaves grow, even the leaf shape, may change. Baby leaves may look like they have been chewed on, which is nothing to worry about!
Marble Queen Pothos & Snow Queen Pothos — Light, Humidity & Temperature Preferences
Correct light, temperature, and normal humidity conditions are essential in plant care.
How Much Light
As mentioned above, the marble queen is a vigorous plant.
This means that the marble queen requires a good amount of bright light to grow well.
Be careful of direct light though. The best thing would be to find a spot of bright indirect sunlight.
Placing the marble queen near an east or west-facing window with average room temperatures would be ideal. These areas are usually filled with an ample amount of bright indirect sunlight.
To avoid the marble queens foliage burning, do not place the plant in direct sunlight.
The snow queen, being a slow-growing plant, needs the same amount or more sunlight. Also, make sure that the light provided is indirect sunlight.
This one also dislikes direct sunlight and thrives best in medium-bright indirect sunlight.
The harsh rays of the sun will leave the leaf color looking pale and eventually cause burnt damaged leaves.
A lack of light will slow the growth rate of both plants.
Temperatures
Average home temperatures are good enough for the growth of the marble and snow queen.
Both varieties thrive best in a temperature range of 65-85° Fahrenheit.
The optimum temperature would be warm and humid.
Now that we have covered light and temperature needs, let us move on to soil and watering requirements.
Marble Queen Pothos — The Greedy One
The potting soil is where your plant gets all its nutrients from and overwatering it may cause it to become sick.
The correct watering and soil conditions are therefore important to follow.
A combination of peat moss, pest-free compost, and potting soil is a great and nutritious mixture of soil for both plants.
The snow queen requires a loose and well-drained potting mix. Drainage holes in your pot will aid in proper water drainage, removing excess water.
During the spring and summer months, which is the growing season when the growth rate is elevated, watering once every 10 days is essential.
Stick to watering your plant only when the soil is starting to become dry. Do not overwater your plant. Soggy soil will cause diseases such as root rot.
Using a potting mix for cactus plants or adding a pebble tray to your pot will also aid in drainage. You might ask yourself, is cactus soil fast draining?
Yes, it is! It is therefore great to use when planting your pothos.
The marble queen pothos plants, on the other hand, need nutrient rich soil that is able to hold onto moisture.
They also need more soil in order for the marble queens roots to develop properly.
Snow Queen Pothos — The Water Sensitive One
Make sure the pot that you use also has a drainage hole. Water this plant when the top inches of the soil have dried out.
Dry soil is a good indicator for watering pothos plants. Add water to your peat moss potting mixture once every 7 days or so to keep the soil moist.
Summer months, when indoor temperatures are higher, will provide for more frequent watering of both plants.
During the winter seasons, both plants should be watered as little as possible. You would be looking at watering once every 10-14 days.
Overwatering should be avoided at all times for both the snow and marble queen. It may cause root rot.
The snow queen is especially vulnerable as it is way more susceptible to fungal diseases.
These fungal diseases may cause brown spots to appear on the foliage.
Avoid fungal disease pathogens from occurring by; placing the snow queen in a place with good air circulation, refraining from overhead watering and making sure there is enough sunlight.
Fertilizer
Fertilizing is almost not needed when growing your snow queen or marble queen. They generally get enough nutrients from the soil they are planted in.
If you however want to improve your shrub’s appearance, you can do so by giving them a few extra nutrients.
If you decide to fertilize, be sure to give your marble queen more due to its vigorous growth.
Adding a small amount of slow-release fertilizer in spring has shown good results.
Use a fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen. A water-soluble fertilizer may also be used twice a season, to promote the growth of healthy-looking foliage.
There is little point in adding fertilizer to your snow queen, as the amount of chlorophyll-free tissue naturally makes this a slow-growing shrub.
You might notice minor differences by adding fertilizer, but these will not be major.
If you wish to fertilize, a small amount of slow-release fertilizer containing all major elements at the beginning of the season should suffice.
Worm castings are great and inexpensive organic fertilizers that will work just as well as a slow-releasing fertilizer.
Conclusion
To conclude, we have now established that even though these two plants derive from the same family of the species; Epipremnum aureum, they do have differences.
The major and main difference is their foliage.
We would say that both of these plants are easy to care for and add a lovely touch to any home.
We hope that the above information will help you, dear plant lover, to easily differentiate between these two lovely pieces of greenery.
Happy planting!
