Lemon lime philodendron and neon pothos have quite similar appearances thus, it often becomes difficult for beginner gardeners to differentiate between them. Although a philodendron belongs to the philodendron genus and a pothos comes from the Epipremnum genus, they have many similar features.
To help you overcome your confusion in this post I will share with you, various ways to identify them separately. I will also let you understand some common and distinctive differences between them so, that you can get the one you want without any confusion.
Lemon Lime Philodendron Vs. Neon Pothos
Both the species of philodendrons and pothos mostly grow on vines and have bright leaves. Both these plants prefer indirect bright light and cannot survive well under direct scorching sunlight.
The soil used while growing both these plants should be well aerated and the plants should be fertilized using peat moss from time to time.
The leaf of a philodendron is wider than that of the pothos. A lemon-lime philodendron grows up to a height of 10 to 15 feet whereas a neon pothos grows only up to a height of 6 to 10 feet.
Here is a chart below to help you distinguish between these plants more easily.
| Features | Neon Pothos | Lemon Lime Philodendron |
| USDA Zones | Usda 10-11 | USDA 9-11 |
| Scientific Names | It is scientifically known as Epipremnum Aureum | It is scientifically known as Philodendron Hederaceum Lemon-lime. |
| Common Name | It is popularly known as neon pothos | It is popularly known as the tree philodendron. |
| Origin | This plant mostly originated from Australia. | This plant mostly originated from South America. |
| Stem and Leaves Curling | No curling of leaves or stems is visible. | Inward curling of leaves. |
| Size of Leaves | 4 to 8 inches when kept indoors. Up to a foot when kept outdoors. | 1 to 2 inches wide and 7 to 10 inches long. |
| Foliage Color and Shape | The color of its leaves is bright neon green | Its leaves are bright lime green in color with a light pink and brown tint. |
| Flowering | Can bloom flowers when matured in the proper environment. | Does not bloom flower even when matured. |
| Growth | This plant only grows during summer. | They grow almost throughout the year. |
| Root Development | Per stem has a single aerial root | Per stems have numerous roots. |
| Soil Ph. | Soil ph. Ranges between 6.4 to 7.3 | Soil ph. ranges between 6.1 to 6.5 |
| Type of Soil | It requires well-aerated, dry soil. | This plant also requires dry, well-aerated soil. |
What Are the Differences Between Lemon Lime Philodendron and Neon Pothos?
Although both these plants have many similar features, there are also many differences between them. Here are some of them.
Growth
Both these plants have aerial roots that grow quite fast and vine around the place where they are kept. A lemon-lime philodendron has several smaller roots on each node whereas a neon pothos has a single aerial root per node.
Neon pothos only grow during the summer. Its growth slows down and the leaves turn black during the cold winter months. On the other hand, lemon-lime grows almost all year round.
Color and Size of the Leaves
There are some significant differences in the color and size of the leaves that make these plants different from one another. The leaves of a lemon-lime philodendron are broader, symmetrical, and rounded. The leaves can grow up to 1 to 2 inches wide and 7 to 10 inches long.
On the other hand, neon pothos have flat, less rounded, elongated, and larger leaves that grow up to 4 to 8 inches when kept indoors and up to a foot when kept outdoors.
The color of the foliage of a lemon-lime is lime green with a minor pink, brown tint. Whereas a neon pothos has bright-colored neon green leaves.
Texture and Shape of the Leaves
Both these plants have heart-shaped leaves which can make it hard to differentiate between them easily. However, lemon-lime has a softer and slimmer texture with a more prominent heart-shaped feature.
You can feel the leaves of neon pothos to be waxy and thicker. It has bigger heart-shaped leaves than the lemon-lime.
Height
When grown in a pot neon pothos can spread as wide as 1 to 2 feet and grow up to a height of 12 to 15 inches.
A philodendron lemon lime spreads about 14.5 inches if grown in a 5-inch pot. It can grow up to a height of 12 inches or 1 foot.
Flowering
To bear any flowers neon pothos need proper light conditions and environment until it reaches complete maturity. However, a lemon lime does not flower at all even if it is kept in a proper environment. The flowering habitat makes both these plants different from one another.
Similarities Between Lemon Lime and Neon Pothos Plants
Unlike their appearance both these plants are quite easy to take care of. Taking care of a lemon-lime and neon pothos is very similar. Here are some other similarities between these plants.
Light Needed
Both these plants prefer indirect bright light to grow and thrive. Although they can even survive in shaded areas and low light, a lemon-lime philodendron can become leggy and cannot grow large leaves if they don’t get adequate light.
Amount of Water
Watering the plants from time to time is necessary to make them grow fast and stay healthy. Although both these plants prefer moist soil, overwatering should be avoided.
To keep the soil moist watering should be done once a week during summer. However, during winter watering these plants once or twice a month can be enough.
Overwatering both these plants can cause several problems like root rot, and bacterial and fungal infections. Always check the top 2 inches of the soil before watering. If it feels to be completely dry then, only water your lemon-lime or neon pothos. Always use filtered room temperature water to water the plant.
Fertilizing
Being heavy feeders, both these plants do not need much fertilizing. Using peat moss can provide the plant with the required nutrients. Always use diluted fertilizer every couple of months to make your plant grow faster.
A good quality potting mix contains all the nutrients so, you do not need to use any added nutrients to make your plants grow rapidly.
Soil used
Both these houseplants require nutrient-rich, aerated, loose well-draining soil. To prepare the best potting mix one part of peat moss with one part of household plant soil. Also, add charcoal or perlite to it for proper drainage.
These plants cannot grow and survive well in compact soil so, avoid using heavy soil.
The soil mix that you use for your philodendrons can make a big difference in how healthy they are. To discover more about the best soil mix for philodendrons, check out this guide Best Soil Mix for Philodendrons.
Humidity and Temperature Needed
Unlike philodendron neon pothos also prefer high temperatures to grow and thrive. Pothos also grow well in highly humid environments like philodendrons.
So, the temperature of the place where these plants are kept should be around 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also use a humidifier or place the plant in the bathroom if it is not receiving enough humidity.
Pests
Both these plants can get affected by pests like scale or mealy bugs. These insects can suck the sap out of the leaves and thus, your plants may die before maturity.
You can get rid of these pests by using neem oil or insecticides available in the market.
Take away!
Being somewhat similar both these plants are completely different as one is a philodendron and the other is an Epipemnum. The differences shared in this post will help you to differentiate between them and get the one you want to grow.
Both these houseplants are easy to maintain so, you can get a lemon-lime philodendron and a neon pothos to make your home, office, or garden look more beautiful.
