Cebu Blue (Epipremnum pinnatum) is a unique, hard-to-find pothos variety. The steel-blue foliage is long and thin, unlike other pothos that have rounded, heart-shaped leaves. The long, pointy leaves are available in green, blue, or silvery colors.
I decided my pothos shelf wouldn’t be complete without a Cebu Blue pothos, so it’s been on my wish list for a while. Recently, my local garden center got several in stock.
Now was my chance. But seeing it up close in person for the first time, I honestly never would have guessed it was a pothos. The juvenile leaves looked more like arrows than the traditional pothos hearts.
In fact, the Cebu Blue pothos is also known as Dragon Tail. You can probably see why based on the image below because that’s exactly what the silvery, blue leaves resemble.
It really added something special to my pothos collection and when I get visitors with even a passing interest in houseplants, they always ask me what kind of plant it is. So, if you’d like to add some interest to your pothos shelf, perhaps you could try a Cebu Blue pothos too!
Keep reading to find out all about how to care for the rare Cebu Blue pothos, and what makes them so special.
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How to care for Cebu Blue pothos
Cebu Blue pothos is a hardy, tropical plant, so you have to mimic its natural environment at home. By providing the correct amount of indirect lighting, the right temperature, well-draining soil, a pot with drain holes, a watering schedule, and humidity, you’ll have success caring for your delightful Cebu Blue pothos.
Just imagine Cebu Blue pothos growing wild on Cebu Island in the Philippines. This is the environment you want to duplicate in your home to make your pothos fuller and healthier.
How often should I water my Cebu Blue pothos?
Usually, you should water your Cebu Blue pothos once per week. But, this also depends on how humid your home is. A good way to determine if your pothos needs water is to do a finger test by pushing your index finger one inch below the surface of the soil. If it’s dry, water your pothos.
Always let about an inch of the soil become dry before you water your Cebu Blue pothos. These plants don’t like too much water. If you water them too much, pothos can develop root rot and bacterial infections.
If you notice the edges of the leaves becoming dry, try misting your pothos between the weekly watering. This will give them enough moisture while the soil dries out.
Find out more: How Often to Water Your Pothos (So It Thrives)
What soil does Cebu Blue pothos prefer?
Cebu Blue pothos require soil that’s similar to their native habitat. The most important soil requirement is that it should drain well, so the roots aren’t sitting in the water. In its natural environment, Cebu Blue pothos attach themselves to tree bark and climb toward the light.
The rainwater naturally drains off of the aerial roots.
When you’re planting your pothos in a pot, make sure the pot has drainage holes given how important it is that your pothos has drainage. Select potting soil that is a mixture of nutrients and compost. A nutrient-balanced potting soil that encourages Cebu Blue pothos growth is a 15-15-15 mixture.
Another consideration is the potting soil pH. Cebu Blue pothos thrive on acidic soil. Check the label on the potting soil and make sure it’s 6.0 to 6.5 pH.
How much light does Cebu Blue pothos need?
Plenty of indirect lighting is the way to go for Cebu Blue pothos. If you don’t provide enough filtered light, the deep green, silvery leaves will fade. Place the pothos pot near a window, but make sure it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
If only direct sunlight shines through your windows, or if your pothos is in a room without much light, you can place a grow light above it instead. This will give your Cebu Blue pothos the light it needs.
Keep an eye out for dull foliage or falling leaves. Most likely, the cause is a lack of light so you should adjust your plant’s positioning accordingly.
Get more information: What Are Your Pothos’ Light Needs (So Your Plant Can Thrive)?
Which fertilizer does Cebu Blue pothos prefer?
Plant fertilizer isn’t necessary for Cebu Blue pothos if they have adequate filtered light, humidity, well-drained soil, and occasional water. But, during the growing seasons of spring and summer, you can add diluted fertilizer to boost growth. Select a nutrient-balanced liquid plant fertilizer for your pothos.
You can apply it once per month during the growing seasons. I don’t recommend giving your pothos any fertilizer during the dormant seasons because you can burn the foliage and roots.
I suggest feeding your Cebu Blue pothos fertilizer diluted with water to half-strength and, for that, I recommend the Triple 10 All Purpose Liquid Fertilizer (check the latest price here). Read the liquid fertilizer label for feeding requirements. Add an equal amount of water to make sure it’s not too strong for your pothos.
Do Cebu Blue pothos like humidity?
Since Cebu Blue pothos are tropical plants, they love humidity. These tropical plants actually become dehydrated if they don’t have enough moisture in the air. If you notice the long, slender leaves of your Cebu Blue pothos drying out, becoming yellow, or turning brown, then increasing the humidity around your pothos will help.
Your pothos needs humidity at a level of around from 40 to 60 per cent in the house. It also does well in temperatures from 70 to 80°F (21 to 26.6°C).
If the humidity level gets below 20 percent, your Cebu Blue pothos might not survive. You can increase your home’s humidity in several ways:
- Humidifier (I like the AquaOasis Cool Mist Humidifier. You can check the latest price here.)
- Pebble tray
- Misting foliage
- Grouping plants
- Indoor greenhouse
All of these methods will help your pothos stay hydrated. When increasing humidity, always check for algae growth near the water. Clean any algae or mildew off your pebble trays or humidifier.
Can Cebu Blue grow in low humidity?
If your home has a humidity level under 20 percent, your Cebu Blue pothos won’t be able to grow. They need to be able to absorb moisture from the air around them. If you want to make sure your home is humid enough, you can use a digital hygrometer to measure the humidity.
When the humidity is too low, you’ll begin to notice your pothos’ leaves developing brown spots, dried leaf tips, wilting, yellowing, and dropping off the plant. If the roots aren’t completely dehydrated, you should be able to revive your pothos.
Also, if the air is too dry, the soil dries out quickly, leaving soluble salts on the soil surface and the pot. Then, when you water your pothos, the roots take in the salt. The salt travels up the stems into the leaves, eventually causing the plant to die.
If you see white salt stains on your pot, pour water over the soil and let it drain out the bottom of the pot. Repeat this process again to make sure the salt washes out of the soil.
If your pot has salt stains, it’s a good idea to repot your pothos into a clean pot.
When to repot Cebu Blue pothos
You should aim to repot your Cebu Blue pothos every 12 to 18 months. The main sign of this being needed is that you notice roots growing out of the pot’s drainage holes, but you may also notice drooping leaves or overly dry soil after watering. Both of these are also indications that it’s time to repot.
That is, if you notice any of the symptoms below, it’s time to transfer your pothos to a new pot. Gently remove your pothos from the pot. Are the roots thick and growing around the inside of the pot? This is a sure indication that it’s time to repot your Cebu Blue.
When you see any of the following other symptoms in your Cebu Blue pothos, repot your pothos:
- Roots growing out of the pot’s drain holes. This means the pothos is root-bound.
- The pothos leaves continue to droop even after you water them, which means the plant isn’t absorbing enough water.
- The soil becomes dry after a few days.
When selecting the new pot, choose one with drainage holes. Terracotta pots work well because they absorb excess water. That said, as long as you choose a pot that can drain water, it will be acceptable for repotting your pothos.
How to repot your Cebu Blue
Take care not to damage the roots when you repot your pothos. If too much of the original soil breaks away from the roots, you can damage the feeder root hairs. It’s better to leave the old soil intact, rather than trying to separate it from the roots.
Even if your plant is root bound, the roots will grow into the new soil on their own.
Take your potting soil and mix some aerating media into it, such as mulch, pumice, or perlite. These materials keep the soil from compacting.
Place your pothos in the new pot with its soil intact, and fill the rest of the pot with your new soil mixture. Add a small amount of water, so your Cebu Blue pothos doesn’t go into shock.
Just leave it alone for about two weeks, so it can recover from the stress of repotting. It’s always better to underwater your pothos, rather than overwater.
Related: 15 Signs of an Overwatered Pothos (and How to Fix It)
How to propagate Cebu Blue pothos
There are two simple ways to propagate Cebu Blue pothos. One method is taking a stem cutting or node cutting and placing it in a jar of water. The roots will begin growing in about two weeks. Then you can either leave it in water or plant your pothos in a pot.
The other method is to propagate it in soil.
Whether you use water propagation (when you propagate your pothos in water then soil) or soil propagation, you get good results.
How to propagate Cebu Blue pothos in water
If this is your first time propagating a pothos in water, here is a list of supplies you’ll need to get started. Propagating Cebu Blue pothos in water will only take a few minutes when you have all the supplies at hand:
- Well-established Cebu Blue plant
- Sanitized plant scissors
- Glass jar or vase tall enough for roots to expand
- Filtered water or rainwater
- Gloves
Once you collect your supplies, it will only take a few minutes to trim cuttings for propagating the Cebu Blue pothos.
Related: 8 Simple Steps to Propagate Pothos Plants Successfully
How to take Cebu Blue cuttings
Locate the node at the base of a stem where the stem meets the leaf. Use your plant scissors to prune the stem about one-eighth inch under the node. The node is a small, brown nub sticking out of the pothos stem.
If you don’t see any pothos nodes, you can cut about two inches of the stem as long as it has two leaves. Trim off any leaves under the part of the stem you pruned.
Find out more: 6 Simple Steps to Prune Your Pothos (Ultimate Guide)
How to propagate Cebu Blue in water
After you get your cuttings, place them in a jar or vase of water. Set them in a well-lighted area, but out of direct sunlight. You will see new roots forming within two weeks and after about one month, you can transplant your cuttings into a pot of soil.
If you’d rather leave your pothos cutting in water, you can do that indefinitely. You’ll have to add liquid fertilizer to the water occasionally, so your pothos gets the nutrients it needs.
Also, change the water every few weeks to prevent bacteria and algae growth.
How to propagate Cebu Blue in soil
Before taking the Cebu Blue cuttings, select an organic potting soil made for tropical plants. Add peat moss and perlite to the mix to help with drainage and aeration. Also, a rooting bag can be one of the most effective ways to propagate your Cebu Blue pothos in soil.
Once you have your pothos cuttings, trim off any leaves below the node. These will rot in the soil if you leave them intact.
Plant the cutting into your potting mix. It should be damp to start, then after your pothos is planted, it’s time to make the rooting bag. Take a coat hanger or heavy wire and bend it into the shape of a ‘U’.
Place each end of the hanger in the soil next to opposite sides of the pot. Hang clear plastic wrap or a bag over the hanger. This should cover the whole pot too, so the rooting bag acts as a little hothouse, holding in the humidity and warmth.
Place the covered pothos cutting into indirect light for up to 6 weeks. After that, you can remove the bag and grow your Cebu Blue pothos as usual.
Related: 8 Simple Steps to Propagate Pothos Without Leaves
How long does it take for Cebu Blue to root?
If you propagate your Cebu Blue pothos in water, it will take 1 to 2 weeks to start forming roots. It should be completely rooted by 4 weeks. When the roots are 2 to 4 inches long, you can plant the pothos in a pot, or let it stay in water indefinitely.
On the other hand, if you decide to root your pothos in soil, it takes from 4 to 6 weeks to finish rooting.
Is Cebu Blue pothos rare?
Yes, Cebu Blue pothos is one of the rarest pothos varieties, and they’re also one of the hardest to find. This is exacerbated by the fact that they’re in high demand so if you do find one, it will be expensive and probably sold very quickly.
That is, this is a relatively new variety of the pothos in the houseplant world, but it’s certainly made up for lost time in terms of its popularity. That is, you often see it all over Instagram, so even when a Cebu Blue pothos is for sale, it won’t be for very long.
All that said, if you get your hands on one, a huge congratulations!
What is so special about Cebu Blue pothos?
The most striking element that makes the Cebu Blue pothos so special is its silvery, blue-green foliage that sparkles when under lighting. The leaves are unlike any other pothos variety. Instead of the heart-shaped leaves of most pothos, Cebu Blue pothos leaves resemble a dragon’s tail or arrow.
As Cebu Blue matures, you’ll be amazed at another special characteristic. For instance, the 2 to 7-inch leaves become fenestrated. This means they develop holes or slits in the leaves.
Some say this helps cool off the pothos, while others say it’s to provide light to other foliage. You often see fenestrated leaves in Monstera plants, but not in other pothos.
If you want your Cebu Blue to develop fenestrated leaves, you have to train it to climb. Give your pothos a moss pole by staking it into the pot, so the vines have something to grab.
This will get your pothos climbing up the pole. The more it climbs, the bigger your pothos will become.
Find out more: 9 Simple Steps to Train Your Pothos to Climb
Do Cebu Blue pothos grow fast?
There are two different phases that Cebu Blue pothos go through as they grow, with the plant growing particularly fast during its juvenile phase. This is the time when the leaves are silvery blue, with this plant needing regular pruning to keep its shape.
The second is the adult phase. If you want them to climb a pole or hang from a basket, the pothos can get as big as 6 feet.
How can I make Cebu Blue grow faster?
As long as you provide adequate soil, light, humidity, temperature, and water, your Cebu Blue pothos should grow fast. You can try increasing the growth by adding a diluted liquid fertilizer to the soil during the growing seasons of spring and summer.
No matter what you do, your pothos won’t grow as fast during the dormant periods of fall and winter.
Related: How Fast Does Pothos Grow (and How to Make it Grow Faster)?
Is Cebu Blue variegated?
Yes, Cebu Blue pothos are variegated, and even young Cebu Blue plants have blue-green leaves with sparkly silver variegations. As they mature, the leaves turn a darker green and can display white, yellow, or cream-colored variegations. Unlike leaves that are all green, variegated leaves are a mixture of different colors.
Chlorophyll makes the leaves green. The parts of the leaves that are yellow, cream, or white, do not have chlorophyll. This is the reason some parts of the pothos leaves are green and white or variegated.
Since Cebu Blue is an evergreen, this variegated pothos keeps this pattern all year. As they mature, the leaves grow as long as 7 inches.
Does Cebu Blue like climbing?
Climbing comes naturally to Cebu Blue pothos. In its natural, dense, tropical habitat, it climbs up trees toward the light. You can help your pothos climb by inserting a moss pole in the pot for its aerial roots to adhere and climb.
Your Cebu Blue pothos aerial roots attach themselves to the moss. You can also use a trellis, bamboo pole, or your wall. Basically, it just needs something to grab although, in my opinion, I tend to prefer moss poles as the best climbing option for my houseplants that need it, because your pothos absorbs nutrients from the moss as they climb.
FYI: If you want it to climb faster, place a grow light above your pothos. The aerial roots sense the light and begin climbing toward it. I always recommend the Juhefa Full Spectrum Grow Light for pothos plants (you can check the latest price here).
How to identify a Cebu Blue pothos
Identifying Cebu Blue pothos from other pothos plants is easy since the leaves have a completely different look than the heart-shaped leaves of other pothos. Look for dark green, silvery elongated foliage that has a metallic sheen. Young leaves look like long arrow shapes, while older leaves may display fenestrated splits.
That said, there are a few pothos varieties that have similarities to the Cebu Bue, as you’ll see below.
What is the difference between Baltic Blue and Cebu Blue?
The main difference between the Baltic Blue pothos and Cebu Blue pothos is their different foliage coloration. Cebu Blue pothos leaves are bluer than Baltic Blue, which has deep green leaves. Also, as they mature, Baltic Blue pothos have larger leaves.
Both belong to the genus and species, Epipremnum pinnatum, so similarities are understandable. However, it’s the color of their leaves which really sets them apart.
In addition to that, although Cebu Blue becomes fenestrated as it matures, Baltic Blue pothos leaves develop fenestrations earlier. This means that even though they come from the same family, they’re different plants.
How is Cebu Blue different from other pothos varieties?
When looking at this variety, you’ll notice the arrow-shaped leaves of Cebu Blue pothos are the main difference that distinguishes it from other pothos varieties. Other differences include the sparkling, silver-blue foliage and the fenestrated leaves featured in mature Cebu Blue pothos plants.
The fact that the Cebu Blue has fenestrations is pretty incredible given how rare this is outside of plants in the Monstera family. When combined with the unique blue color of their leaves, you can probably start to see why this type of pothos is in such hot demand.
Are Cebu Blue and Dragon Tail the same?
Yes, they are the same pothos plant. Cebu Blue and Dragon Tail are only two of the names for Epipremnum pinnatum. They have several other creative and unique names, such as Centipede Tongavine, Tagalong, Tibatib, Hunter’s Robe, Taro Vine, and Devil’s Ivy.
So if you think you’ve found a Cebu Blue for sale but it doesn’t have that name on the tag, check for one of the ones listed above as you could be on to a winner.
Why is my Cebu Blue turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves are a sign of either too much water or not enough. If the soil is too wet, fungus gnats start to infest the plant. Another reason could be that the Cebu Blue pot is too deep, so the soil stays wet longer than it should.
Try letting the soil dry out at least one inch below the surface. If that doesn’t help, repot your Cebu Blue in a smaller pot. Before you repot, prune any older leaves to encourage new growth to emerge.
When you repot, use your pothos’ preferred soil – that is, sterile potting mix that’s a combination of coconut coir, perlite, and peat moss.
If it’s the dormant season during fall and winter, it’s common for Cebu Blue pothos leaves to turn yellow. This is because they’re not getting as much light. You can place fluorescent lighting above them to mimic summertime lighting.
Where to find Cebu Blue pothos for sale?
You can find Cebu Blue pothos for sale in your local home and garden centers. If they don’t carry this variety, they can order one for you. Also, check specialty online garden stores for Cebu Blue, as well as Etsy, which often has several sellers with the Cebu Blue available.
In the case of Etsy, these are often sold by people who root their own pothos plants – which means you’ll be helping out another plant fan like yourself. That said, many online garden stores also sell Cebu Blue, just in case you’re wary of buying from a private individual rather than an actual store
(Although, I have to say, I consider Etsy as one of the best places online to find houseplants – but clearly it’s up to you, ultimately!)
Several of them offer cuttings that include a node and roots. This is an economical option if you can find them. You can also order small rooted potted Cebu Blue pothos or larger juvenile plants.