Plant tattoos are nothing new but the important thing is the type of plant. Different plants can have very different meanings, making for a wide range of symbolism that you can deliver in a neat, aesthetically pleasing skin-art design.
In today’s article our subject matter is going to be pothos tattoos, and we intend to take a little trip into the symbolism, meanings and more. The meanings can be very different, as you’re about to see!
What is the History of Pothos Tattoos?
Pothos plants have quite a long history because they originate from southeast Asia, so while we can’t give you the exact date of the first pothos tattoo, it’s quite safe to say that it occurred quite some time ago.
Pothos are China natives, though they are found all over the world now, largely concentrated in southeast Asia but also found in India, New Guinea, Australia, and dotted across a number of islands in both the Indian and Pacific oceans.
One of the more popular varieties that you might already know about is the famous Chinese Money plant, also known as ‘Golden Pothos’, and so-described because it’s leaves are round and rather like little, green coins with a small application of your imagination. Many other pothos are also vines, lending a nice aesthetic that works well with skin art.
As a bonus, these beautiful plants may be arranged so that they perfectly compliment you own unique shape and physique, and since they are native to China, they’ve got a whopping 4000+ years of history behind them.
What Do Pothos Tattoos Symbolize?
That depends on the type of pothos, really. For instance, the Golden Pothos, aka the ‘Chinese Money plant’ is a symbol of luck, abundance, and financial success.
Vine-type Pothos plants are also associated with luck, but can also represent tenacity and the ability to adapt to one’s environment to not only survive, but to thrive.
The way that the vines wrap around and cling to other items can also represent partnership or even the promise of ‘sticking together’ – it will really depend on what it is displayed with, how it is arranged, and you can even get symbolism in from the colors.
Said colors and patterns will indicate the type of pothos and this, in turn, incorporates the meaning behind the specific choice that the tattoo owner has made for their design. Finally, sometimes there’s no deeper meaning at all, as these plants are quite beautiful and don’t need to have a meaning. It’s all going to be up to you!
What Do Pothos Tattoos Mean?
So, what do Pothos tattoos really mean? Well, in general, they are worn for luck or for the sheer aesthetics of the choice. These plants have beautiful markings and the vining varieties can be inked in so that they contour to the shape of the persons body and simply be worn for their undeniable beauty.
With choices like the money plant, they can indicate that the owner is ambitious and actively ‘seeking their fortune’, though a wilted Money plant might indicate that the person wearing the tattoo has a bit of bad luck where accruing funds in concerned.
Also, is it a potted pothos or a vining one? A vine, with no pot in sight, indicates that someone is thriving and extending their reach, while a potted pothos could show that their owner is actively cultivating an abundant future.
There are also pothos tattoos where the vine could be strangling another item or ‘person’ inked onto the tattoo or simply in a symbiotic relationship with something else that is depicted. The sky is the limit, really, so you’ll have to determine your own meaning in advance to incorporate it into an effective and personal design.
Where Do Pothos Tattoos Usually Go?
Potted Pothos plants are often placed by their lonesome on a shoulder, though the vining varieties are more common snaking around arms or legs in a graceful, green display. Another popular option is a single vine going down one side of the back, inked in to match the tattoo owner’s shape.
This allows one to have an elegant backpiece that doesn’t need a lot of ink to pack a punch and while a man might wear one of these to great effect, this type is a lot more popular with the ladies. It gives a bit of an exotic look, since these plants are natively Asian.
From seedling to full-grown vines, you’ve got a very flexible size range, and with 15 different species of pothos you can choose quite a lot of interesting looks and meanings, so wherever you decide to put your pothos tattoos they are going to fit perfectly and look absolutely stunning in their new place.
Characteristics and Styles of Pothos Tattoos
Pothos tattoos are most commonly done in color. This is because the species itself has very distinctive leaf shapes and coloration and it’s a chance to show off what a photorealistic, full-color tattoo can really do! You could, of course, do them in black and white, but the impact of the color is truly fantastic.
As far as style, Japanese and other Asian ink styles are often preferred, since in all fairness these cultures have a lot more history with this genus of plants and can really make them look graceful when rendered, but remember – this is art – so you’ve got almost endless choices.
Watercolor coloration, for instance, can make for striking designs, and you can even make your own colors to go with distinctive leaf shapes to make a whole new pothos species just for you!
Get creative with it and have a little fun – the shapes and look of these plants are really something special and you’re going to love the results.
In closing
In today’s article we’ve taken a deep-dive into the 15 species range of Pothos plants and how they are making appearances in pothos tattoos around the world. Beautiful enough on their own, the array of shapes and patterning of leaves mean that this is a highly aesthetic option that even comes with over 4000 years of history.
Ancient, elegant, and stunningly beautiful… Pothos plants are definitely worth considering if you’ve been looking for something special and simply haven’t found it yet. Take a look at some pothos plants when you get a chance and you can see for yourself – they’re a truly amazing option.
