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shangri la sleeping pothos Epipremnum aureum 'Shangri La' – Crinkled Sleeping PothosEpipremnum aureum 'Shangri La' curled leaf pothos with a compact, sculptural look Epipremnum aureum 'Shangri La' is one of the strangest looking pothos forms in cultivation. Instead of flat, open leaves, it produces thick, twisted foliage that stays folded, crinkled, and curled as it matures. That gives the plant a tighter, more sculptural look than standard Epipremnum aureum and makes it stand out even before the vines begin to lengthen. This is why
Epipremnum aureum 'Shangri La' – curled-leaf pothos with a compact, sculptural look
Epipremnum aureum 'Shangri La' is one of the strangest-looking pothos forms in cultivation. Instead of flat, open leaves, it produces thick, twisted foliage that stays folded, crinkled, and curled as it matures. That gives the plant a tighter, more sculptural look than standard Epipremnum aureum and makes it stand out even before the vines begin to lengthen.
This is why 'Shangri La' works differently from other pothos on a shelf or in a hanging pot. It still trails or climbs over time, but the curled leaves make the plant look denser, more textured, and less flowing than broad-leaved forms such as 'Marble Queen' or standard golden pothos. The result is architectural rather than soft.
What makes Epipremnum 'Shangri La' look so different
- Leaf form: Leaves stay twisted, curled, and partly folded instead of flattening out in the usual pothos way.
- Surface texture: The foliage feels thicker and more structured than in standard Epipremnum aureum, with visible ridging and irregular contours.
- Colour: Most plants stay deep green, sometimes with lighter green or yellow-green variation depending on the clone and growing conditions.
- Plant shape: Young plants often look dense and upright at first, then become more trailing or climbing with age.
- Growth character: Compared with typical pothos forms, the habit is usually more compact and visually tighter.
- Indoor presence: Even a small plant looks distinct because the curled foliage changes the whole silhouette.
Species background and what the name 'Shangri La' refers to
- Accepted species: Epipremnum aureum, a member of Araceae
- Native origin of species: Mo'orea in French Polynesia
- Natural habit of the species: Tropical climber that uses aerial roots to move across trunks and other surfaces.
- Trade use: 'Shangri La' is commonly sold as a curled-leaf or “Sleeping Pothos” type of Epipremnum aureum.
- Indoor flowering: Like other cultivated forms of Epipremnum aureum, it is grown for foliage and flowers are extremely rare indoors.
- Toxicity: Plant tissue contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals and is not safe for pets or people to chew.
Care priorities for Epipremnum aureum 'Shangri La' indoors
- Light: Bright, indirect light keeps growth compact and helps the plant produce stronger, better-shaped leaves. It tolerates dimmer placement, but growth usually loosens and slows.
- Watering: Water thoroughly, then let roughly the top 30–40% of the substrate dry before watering again. Constant wetness around the roots leads to more trouble than a short dry pause.
- Substrate: Use a loose, airy mix that drains well but still holds some moisture. A blend based on potting mix or coco coir with bark and perlite works well.
- Humidity: Average indoor humidity is usually enough, though around 40–60% helps new leaves develop more cleanly.
- Temperature: Aim for 18–29°C and avoid prolonged cold, cold drafts, or a wet root zone in cool conditions.
- Feeding: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer at low to moderate strength every 4–6 weeks while the plant is actively growing.
- Repotting: Repot when roots fill the pot heavily or when the substrate has broken down and no longer dries evenly. Increase pot size only slightly.
How 'Shangri La' behaves when trailing, climbing, or being cut back
- As a trailing plant: Left unsupported, the stems eventually lengthen and hang, but the curled leaves keep the plant looking denser than flatter-leaved pothos.
- As a climber: On a pole, plank, or trellis, aerial roots can attach and support stronger upward growth over time.
- Pruning: Cutting just above a node helps maintain a fuller shape and keeps long, bare stretches from developing.
- Propagation: Stem cuttings with at least one node root readily in water or lightly moist substrate when kept warm.
- Water culture and mineral substrates: This form can adapt to water culture or inert mineral substrates if the transition is gradual and the nutrient supply stays steady.
- Routine upkeep: Because the leaves stay folded, check hidden surfaces regularly for dust, trapped debris, or early pest activity.
Problems that are easy to misread on Epipremnum 'Shangri La'
- Naturally curled leaves: The twisted foliage is the defining feature of the cultivar and should not be mistaken for dehydration by default.
- Yellow leaves: Usually point to roots staying wet too long, poor drainage, or a potting mix that has compacted.
- Soft stems or blackened nodes: Commonly indicate rot after wet and cold conditions around the roots.
- Drooping growth: Often linked to drought stress, root trouble, or sudden temperature drop rather than the curled leaf form itself.
- Small, weak new growth: Usually caused by low light, depleted substrate, strong root congestion, or missed feeding over time.
- Pests: Mealybugs, spider mites, thrips, and scale can hide more easily in the folded foliage, so regular inspection matters more than on flatter-leaved forms.
Name notes for Epipremnum aureum 'Shangri La'
Epipremnum comes from Greek and refers to growth upon a trunk, matching the species’ natural climbing habit. aureum means “golden,” referring to the yellow-marked wild type rather than the deep green look usually seen in this form. The name 'Shangri La' is used commercially for this curled-leaf selection, while “Sleeping Pothos” refers to the way the leaves appear folded or half-closed.
Choose 'Shangri La' if you want texture instead of ordinary trailing foliage
If you want an easy indoor climber with unusual leaf structure rather than standard flat pothos foliage, Epipremnum aureum 'Shangri La' is a strong choice. With bright indirect light, an airy mix, and a sensible watering rhythm, it stays compact, distinctive, and much more sculptural than typical Epipremnum forms.
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4.3 ★★★★★
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★★★★★ 5
Read Projection of the Astral Body, and Get More Restful Sleep!
Format: Paperback
Sylvan Muldoon's Projection of the Astral Body can best be described as a great eye-opener. It is highly useful for the general public-i.e. for anyone who sleeps. But it is especially helpful to those curious about what happens during sleep, and those who want to sleep more adequately. It has my highest recommendation.
Charlotte E. Sere
The Stakes: Three Plays of the Black Experience to Heal, to Train, to Entertain
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Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2014
★★★★★ 5
Interesting, Detail-oriented, Clean copy
Format: Paperback
Interesting Read. Lots of first-hand accounts by author.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2021
★★★★★ 5
All trackers need this book! Worth every penny!
Format: Kindle
This review is for the Kindle edition of this book.
Wow. All I can say is wow. The first edition was phenomenal. The second edition, if you can believe it, improves on the first dramatically! I never thought I’d say there could be a better tracking book than the first one. But, here it is.
There is no one I know of in the tracking community that is better qualified to write this book than Mark Elbroch and Casey McFarland. The tracking community is small and everyone tends to know everyone else. We all know that these guys are the true experts in this field. This book allows their expertise to shine through on every page.
It’s got expanded sections that go into way more depth than the first edition did. There’s a section on runs, one on interpreting prey remains, sign on the ground such as scrapes and beds, and much more. It’s chock full of good solid tracking information.
The species accounts have been somewhat condensed, without losing their accuracy or detail. In fact, there is even more detail packed into each one. This was done by combining species that have similar sign, like large, medium and small ground squirrels. Each has its own section with measurements broken down by species within it. The descriptions were combined because of the similarity of the sign found. This allowed the authors to pack even more information into the book, which is awesome! If there are differences, they are pointed out in each account, so it’s super helpful to be able to compare across similar species.
The sign chapters have been grouped together so you can compare similar things you find in the field easily. Find a run and want to know what animals could have made it? Go to that section and you have plenty to compare it too. Scratches on a tree? Scratches on the ground? Same thing.
Here is a list of the chapters in order:
Ch. 1 – Introduction
Ch. 2 – Mammal Tracks and Track Patterns
Ch. 3 – Runs, Paths, and Eskers
Ch. 4 – Scats, Urine, and other Secretions
Ch. 5 - Nests, Lodges and Other Constructions
Ch. 6 – Sign on the Ground: Beds, Scrapes, Wallows, Digs, Burrows, and Dens
Ch. 7 – Sign on Fungi, Herbaceous Plants, and Cacti
Ch. 8 – Sign on Trees and Shrubs
Ch. 9 – Interpreting Prey Remains
Ch. 10 – Species Accounts
The Species Accounts are incredibly detailed. Each one includes a drawing of the animal’s feet, and its tracks, and common gaits too. The track illustrations now include arrows pointing to key features of interest, and even lines to help one visualize the orientation of the toes. It’s just like how we use our fingers or nearby sticks in the field to look at these toe orientation features! (Trackers know about this!) Only now it’s in the book to help us see it better. Key features in the drawings are numbered and each number is referred to in the text description. Each species account includes the measurements and the descriptions, but they now also include all the details shown in the chapter headings above. That’s right! Each species account shows you all those details: Run, Paths, Eskers; and Sign on Fungi, Herbaceous Plants; Interpreting Prey Remains; and Scats, etc. etc. (All of those chapter headings are used in the species accounts to provide a very thorough look at the signs left by that animal.) All described right there in the species account! No more flipping through the book for the description of the scat or burrow. It’s described right there. The photos of the signs are grouped together in their respective sections so you can compare them. The detailed descriptions are now found in the species account. I like this arrangement much better. I think it will be even more helpful in the print edition than in the Kindle edition. More on that later.
For example, here is an outline of the headings in a typical section of the Species Account chapter.
-Tracks and Trails (measurements, images of tracks and gaits, etc.)
-Notes
-Runs, Paths, and Eskers
-Scats, Urine, and other Secretions
-Urine and Other Scent-Marking Behaviors
-Sign on the Ground: Beds, Scrapes, Wallows, Digs, Burrows, and Dens
-Sign on Trees and Shrubs
-Interpreting Prey Remains
For each species, this outline is customized. For example, some won’t have prey remains, some won’t have sign on grasses etc., some won’t make lodges or other constructions. Nicely organized and easy to use!
One helpful thing I noticed in this edition is that some of the track photos are now labeled so you can see which foot is LF, LH, RF, RH. That’s super helpful, especially when you are first learning to tell them apart. The descriptions also help a lot with this. Many of the photos also include rulers or coins in them to provide scale. The other thing that I like is that each animal’s feet are shown in the account so you can see what features of the feet make what features of the track. Super helpful!
Gait diagrams have been moved so they are next to each other where you can visually compare them easily. There are also photos of most of the gaits.
Most of the journal-type writing and stories in the first edition have been removed to make room for just straight track and sign information. The stories were helpful and interesting, but not as helpful as the detailed accounts in this edition are. There are still some stories, but not as many. The ones used were chosen for their usefulness to describe a concept, it seems.
There is a lot more research included in this edition too. There has, of course, been ongoing scientific research into many aspects of biology and tracking. This edition incorporates more of that information into the text. Recent studies are cited and their information included. Also, researchers, biologists, and other scientists are credited as such on the photos they donated to the project, which is nice. They deserve the credit for their work.
Some really interesting new photos were included showing cool behaviors or just unique features. I love the photo where an otter rolled and left behind whisker marks!
Specific Kindle parts of the review:
Drawbacks to Kindle edition: the Kindle edition requires a Kindle and who is going to carry one into the field? Not me. Too much risk of getting it wet or damaged. I prefer a book for the field. (I bought both for this reason.) The Kindle edition loses the formatting that you have on a page. So, references to upper right corner of the page make no sense on a Kindle since all photos are inline and you just scroll to see them. As always with Kindle editions, there are some formatting errors. Pictures not right where the accompanying text indicates, etc. But, that’s a minor issue and users of Kindle are probably used to that in their books. For field guides, it can be annoying though. However, those are formatting issues and really not anything to do with the quality of the writing or the information contained within the book. So, if you can ignore some minor format issues, Kindle is fine. Otherwise, I’d recommend getting the paperback. Well, I recommend getting that either way, but if you want a copy on your Kindle, do like I did and buy one of each! I’ll admit that it’s something only us truly obsessed trackers do, so your mileage may vary. Ha!
Good features of Kindle: You can highlight the text in different colors. My copy is already highlighted throughout in yellow, pink, orange and blue. Your highlights and page progress can be synced to the cloud so you don’t lose them. If you ever delete it off your Kindle, you can re-download it and your highlights will be there if you’ve synced it. You are allowed to put it on two different devices, in case you have two Kindles, you know. Or put it on Kindle and your laptop like I did. Sync them and your highlights and page progress are saved to both devices. On Kindle, you can also do keyword searches. So, if you want to look up a species, you can put in the name and find all instances in the book. The bad thing is, you have to spell the name right or search doesn’t work. Kindle also allows you to make your own notes in the text. These are hidden and you have to click to open a little window and read your notes. But it’s a useful feature to have.
So, overall, I recommend this book 100% and five stars. Or should I say, five paws! If you are a tracker, biologist, naturalist, or just plain nature nerd, you need this book. Why is it not on your shelf yet? Just kidding. Buy this book. You won’t regret it. If you study it, you will become a better tracker. It’s full of the experience of two of the best trackers around, plus all the contributed experience of the other scientists, researchers, biologists, naturalists and trackers who contributed in the field. Hundreds of years of tracking experience is right here in your hands. It is 680 pages of the best information money can buy. Get it. You will not regret it. No buyer’s remorse here. It’s worth every penny!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2019
★★★★★ 5
A must have for the serious tracker!
Format: Kindle
8/23/19 Edit: Original review based only on Kindle version, but since receiving my paper copy, I've edited it throughout. Overall I am even more enthusiastic about it. I'm a bit of a dinosaur and rarely use Kindle and I found it harder to evaluate the book without paper pages to flip through.
This is THE authoritative source for N. American mammal tracks & sign. What makes it (including 1st edn) special:
1. It is organized by type of sign rather than by species (but see below in "What's new"). This is terrific for when you've found some type of sign and can't narrow it down to a few species. Found a scat? Go to the section on scat and learn the appearance of scat left by different species so you can ID yours.
2. It's comprehensive (covers many species) and exacting (detailed measurements, meticulously researched).
3. Photos are large and clear enough to show what they intend to convey.
4. It has illustrations to help you grasp the salient features of tracks, but also photos that help you see how tracks and trails differ in different substrates.
What's new in this 2nd edition:
1. There is a final chapter called "Species Accounts" and in each account, there are detailed illustrations of feet, and photos and illustrations of tracks and track patterns. The animal's other types of sign (runs, feeding sign, etc.) are summarized verbally. The photos of those other signs are all in the other relevant chapters, but references to figure numbers are given in the Species Accounts. These Species Accounts are a dramatic improvement over the 1st edn, in which they were part of the Tracks and Trails chapter, and did not usually mention other types of sign created by each animal. The Species Accounts in the 2nd edn make it much easier for the reader to get a coherent picture of each species, so this is a dramatic improvement. Essentially the book is still organized by sign, but the Species Accounts make it far easier to navigate.
2. I mentioned above the detailed illustrations of feet, but this deserves emphasis. These are great; it really helps to be able to correlate the foot anatomy to the the track.
3. It has many new photos, which are extremely clear and illustrate the points beautifully.
4. Range maps have been omitted. This is a negative, and I imagine it was done to save space.
5. The book is, overall, much more appealing to the eye, perhaps because it is better organized. I have to admit I thought the 1st edn was a bit awkward in its organization and I sometimes found it frustrating to flip through in search of something in particular....Not the case at all in the 2nd edn.
While the species accounts now include summaries of other types of sign, they still do not provide an image of the animal, physical description, diet, breeding behavior, habitat, etc. This is not a criticism (you can't everything about mammals in one book), it is just to say that this book remains the top reference for the intermediate to advanced tracker, but not the best place for a beginner to start. If you're a beginning tracker and you don't already have a solid knowledge of each animal's appearance, range, and basic ecology, I suggest you first read one of the following, both of which are truly organized by species.
1. Camera Trapping Guide: Tracks, Sign and Behavior of Eastern Wildlife, by Janet Pesaturo -- Less comprehensive track & sign but has photos of each animals, sometimes with the animals in the act of creating the sign. It has range maps and much info on each species' ecology and behavior but not so much that it's overwhelming or unreadable. Focused on eastern US but most species also found in west. Yes, it's technically a camera trapping guide, but it's really about using track & sign knowledge to find animal hot spots (for good camera placement), so it's hugely helpful for trackers. I prefer this over Rezendes's Tracking and the Art of Seeing, which also focuses mostly on the East but has no range maps and has less about ecology and behavior.
2. The Tracker's Field Guide, by James Lowery -- Also less comprehensive than Elbroch's and MacFarland's tome, but for a tracking book it has very nice coverage of pertinent animal ecology. Focused mainly on western US but still useful for eastern US. Has both illustrations and photos, though admittedly some of the photos are a bit small or less than perfectly clear. Still, I consider it the best for the west among species by species tracking guides.
If you're a serious tracker of any level, you'll find the 2nd edition of Mammal Tracks & Sign extremely useful. As you learn tracking, it won't be long before you find some kind of sign which you can't narrow down to a couple of species. In that case, a book organized by type of sign makes it quick and easy for you to narrow it down and probably determine exact species. And, there is simply no other tracking guide that's anywhere near as comprehensive as this one. The 1st edition has been one of the most useful books in my extensive natural history library, and I'm delighted to have this updated edition. A must-have for the serious tracker!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2019
★★★★★ 5
Tons of info!
Format: Paperback
If one wanted to be a real tracker, this book has everything needed. I just want to be able to recognize the local wildlife tracks. But having all the rest of the info is nice, and it's easy to take what I want. The book is well organized. Fantastic pictures, loads of information. It's interesting too, to see just how much knowledge goes into figuring out not only what animal it is, but what sex, age, gait, etc it is. This is an awesome book.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2025