Pothos: brown spots on leaves
Brown spots on pothos most often come from water sitting on the leaves or from soil that stays soggy. Pothos rarely gets true leaf-spot disease in a normal home.
Working through the causes
Start with the first one — on pothos specifically, that's the most likely explanation. Each entry below names the observable that separates it from the others.
Root rot showing in the leaves most common on figs
How to tell: Dark brown or near-black spots starting at the leaf CENTER or at the base near the stem, sometimes with a yellow halo, spreading outward. Soil stays wet.
What to do: This is a root problem showing up in the leaves. Let the soil dry, check the roots, and repot into fresh fast-draining mix if any are soft or brown.
Underwatering or sun scorch common
How to tell: Dry, tan or light-brown, crispy patches at the leaf EDGES and tips, often on the side facing the window.
What to do: Water more consistently, and move the plant back from glass that gets direct afternoon sun. Scorched tissue will not recover.
Bacterial or fungal leaf spot less common
How to tell: Spots with a distinct dark border, sometimes a yellow ring, that multiply and spread to neighbouring leaves. Often follows water sitting on foliage.
What to do: Remove affected leaves, improve airflow, stop misting, and water the soil rather than the leaves.
Physical damage common and harmless
How to tell: A single mark with a torn or irregular edge that never grows or spreads. New leaves are clean.
What to do: Nothing — a knock, a pet, or a tear during shipping. Not an infection.
Plantroster keeps every photo and every diagnosis for a plant, so "sun-scorched" becoming "sun-scorched and mite-infested" three days later is visible instead of lost.
Track this plantQuestions people ask
Should I cut off the affected leaves?
Damaged tissue never turns green again, so removing it is cosmetic — do it if it bothers you, using clean scissors. What matters is whether NEW growth comes in clean. That's your read on whether the fix worked, not the old leaves.
How long until I know it's working?
Give it two to three weeks. Existing damage won't reverse, so you're watching the newest leaves. If those still come in affected after three weeks, the cause you treated wasn't the cause.
More on pothos
General horticultural guidance based on visible symptoms. A photo or a description can't rule everything out — when a plant matters to you, check the roots before acting.