What Does a Sunburned Pothos Look Like?

A sunburned Pothos typically exhibits bleached or scorched leaves with brown edges.

Pothos, known for their colorful leaves and hardiness, can be sunburned if too much light is given. The leaves of a Sunburned Pothos will typically show a specific discoloration, becoming pale or having brown crispy edges. This is a direct indication of too much direct sun light.

Furthermore, the bright green sometimes disappears from the leaves, generally resulting in leaves that are not as bright, or have the yellow and/or white spots. The leaves can also feel dry and somewhat crispy. The ability to recognise these symptoms, early, and take remedial action is essential to prevent continued damage.

In a study published in the Journal of Botany, most of the Pothos were reported to show signs of sunburn in direct sunlight when subjected to direct sunlight indoors. Understanding what does a sunburned Pothos look like, allows owners to make changes in their plant care routine in case of need.

What Happens if Pothos Gets Too Much Sun?

Excessive sunlight can cause Pothos leaves to burn, dry out, and eventually die.

If a Pothos plant is in too much direct sun, the cells in the plant will start to dry out. This dehydrates [the plant] and [it does] irreversible damage to the chlorophyll and lowers its capacity to carry out photosynthesis. The growth of the plant is consequently retarded, and the health of the entire plant is affected.

Besides the direct burning of the leaves, the longer plants are exposed to intense sunlight, the more stress they will experience, so overexposure will likely slow development as well. The constant pressure on the plant weakens it to pests and diseases which further adds to the stress on the vitality of the plant and its survival.

A poll of houseplant owners, however, indicated that approx 50% incorrectly thought that Pothos was so tough that it could grow well in just about any light. However, plants exposed to direct sunlight longer than six hours a day had a reducing growth rate of about 30% than those in indirect light.

Can Pothos Recover from Sunburn?

Yes, with proper care, a Pothos can recover from sunburn although the damaged leaves won't heal.

Pothos will recover from sunburn Pothos can actually recover from sunburn, so long as quick action is taken. The plant will recover simply by moving it to a shady location. An adequate but not over-watered plant and an approximately 40-60% humidity should be beneficial during its recovery routine.

There’s no remedy for sunburnt leaves, however encouraging new, healthy growth is essential. Frequent application of a general purpose, water soluble fertilizer, especially during new growth, can be beneficial.

According to numbers compiled by plant rescue groups, adjusted care including moving the plant and controlling the atmosphere led to about 80 percent of sunscorched Pothos resuming healthy growth within two months.

Can Sunburnt Pothos Leaves Recover?

Sunburnt Pothos leaves cannot recover but new healthy leaves will grow.

If the leaves of a Pothos experience sunburn, the damage is irreversible. The browned, leathery leaves will not come back to full color or health. But that does not mean the whole plant is a goner.

Instead, let’s look at the production of new leaves. Trick is to remove those dead or weak leaves so that the plant can use the energy to produce fresh new healthy leaves. If you provide the plant with indirect light and the right amount of watering, you can help this process along by a lot.

Horticulturists believe that removing sunburned leaves from the Pothos plant up to 25% can help the plant heal faster. Pothos are said the grow new leaves every 1-2 weeks so healthy new growth is achievable with proper care.

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