When you hear “monstera,” you probably think of a Monstera deliciosa, the plant with those iconic slotted leaves that are all over social media and printed on everything from clothing to patio furniture. Monstera deliciosa is a star in the plant world, and for good reason! It’s absolutely stunning and relatively easy to care for. In this article, we’ll share everything you need to know about Monstera deliciosa plant care so you can raise one of these gorgeous plants for yourself.
Also called the hurricane plant and swiss cheese plant, Monstera deliciosa is native to Central America and produces the Mexican breadfruit, which looks similar to corn on the cob and is said to taste like fruit salad!
This plant is an epiphyte and grows on other trees in its rainforest habitat. Most plants will top out at around 10 feet tall indoors, but a healthy specimen can reach up to 60 feet in the wild!
As a houseplant, Monstera deliciosa is fairly easygoing and makes a big statement in any space. This plant can also be trained to grow up a trellis or moss pole so it will grow vertically rather than horizontally. These plants do get large, with leaves reaching up to 2 feet across (it has “monster” in its name for a reason!), so training it can prevent it from taking over your house!
Table of Contents
What Does Monstera Deliciosa Look Like?
Monstera Deliciosa Fenestration
These plants are prized for their beautiful, fenestrated leaves.
No one is absolutely sure why monstera plants evolved to fenestrate, but some botanists theorize that the slots could allow more sunlight to reach the lower levels of the plant, or to allow wind to pass through them so a storm doesn’t tear the plant apart. (This is where it gets its nickname “hurricane plant.”)
It can take up to 3 years for a young monstera to start producing fenestrations, but it’s worth the wait! These fenestrations will appear gradually, but a mature, healthy plant will produce large leaves with unique patterns of slots and holes.
Variegated Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa also comes in striking variegated varieties, though these can be very expensive, hard to find, and even harder to care for due to their lack of chlorophyll. But the variegation on these cultivars can be dramatic, with splashes and spots of white against the usual emerald green. Some plants will even produce leaves that are perfectly half green and half white, and sometimes you’ll even see a completely white leaf!
How to Care for Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa is relatively easy to care for, especially if you have experience caring for other aroids.
Here’s what you need to know:
Sunlight
Make sure to provide your monstera with lots of bright, indirect sunlight. This will help the plant make the energy it needs to grow and use water efficiently.
Monstera deliciosa also won’t develop fenestrations in insufficient light conditions—so make light a priority!
An east-facing window is a great spot for you monstera. A south- or west-facing window are good second choices, but make sure to filter the light with a sheer curtain or move your plant back far enough that it still gets bright light but no direct light during midday or afternoon.
A north-facing window won’t provide enough light in most latitudes, so if that’s your only option, you may want to supplement with a full-spectrum grow light like these. Make sure to provide at least 8 hours per day of bright light.
Water
Monstera deliciosa likes evenly moist but not soggy soil.
Water when the top few inches of potting mix feel dry to the touch. The finger test isn’t foolproof, though, so we recommend using a moisture meter to determine when your plant is ready for a drink.
To use a moisture meter, simply insert the sensor into the soil about halfway between the pot and the base of the plant, and about halfway down into the pot so you’re more or less in the center of the root ball. When the meter reads 3-4, it’s time for a drink!
This is the moisture meter we like, because it also measures soil pH and environmental light levels!
You can top water by adding water to the top of the soil until it starts to drain out the bottom, or you can bottom water by placing the whole pot in a sink or tray of watering and letting it soak it up through the drainage hole. (Read more on bottom watering a monstera here.)
Whatever method you choose, make sure to let the pot drain in the sink for an hour or two, or empty the drainage tray immediately.
How Often to Water Monstera Deliciosa
There’s no hard-and-fast answer to this because so many factors can affect how quickly a monstera deliciosa will use water.
These factors can include light levels, temperatures, humidity, time of year, whether the monstera is actively growing, soil pH, soil aeration, etc.
This is why we recommend checking your plant’s soil to determine when it actually needs water rather than just watering on a schedule. However, if your plant is getting enough light and the pot and soil drain well, you can expect to water every 7-10 days. If you’re watering more often, you may need to water more deeply. If you’re watering less, you might need to use a soil that drains better and/or provide more light.
Humidity and Temperature
You’re caring for a rainforest plant here, so make sure to provide rainforest-like temperatures and humidity levels!
Your Monstera deliciosa will thrive in temperatures between 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit; don’t let the temperature drop below 60 degrees. Watch out for drafts or bursts of hot air from heaters or fireplaces, because you might wind up with scorched, frozen, or dried-out leaves!
Try to keep humidity levels above 50%, though 60% is ideal if you can manage it. This can be challenging in arid climates or spaces where you use a lot of climate control, but there are tricks to increase humidity around your plant.
You can set up a humidifier near your plant or place it on a humidity tray. You can buy these at garden centers or online, or make your own by filling a shallow tray with pebbles and water and sticking the whole plant and pot on top. This will create some humidity around your plant as the water evaporates!
Grouping plants together an also help because the ambient humidity level will increase as the plants respirate.
Do Monstera Deliciosa Like to Be Misted?
The one method of raising humidity that we don’t really recommend is misting, even though it’s super popular and really easy. The issue is that misting doesn’t actually raise humidity for long and just gets the leaves wet, which can interfere with photosynthesis and respiration, spread fungus and bacteria, and leave behind hard-water spots if you have highly mineralized water.
We find that a humidifier or pebble tray works much better!
Soil Conditions
Choosing the right potting mix is crucial for the health of your Monstera deliciosa, because you need the right balance of drainage and water retention to keep your plant healthy. Monsteras also do best in soil with a neutral pH, so keep that in mind as well.
If you like to make your own potting mixes, we love this aroid recipe from Kaylee Ellen on Youtube.
But if you want something ready to go right out of the bag, we highly recommend our Premium Monstera Potting Mix. It’s specifically formulated for monsteras and other aroids, has a neutral pH, and packs a nutritional punch to give your monstera a boost! This mix also drains beautifully and stays well aerated for a long time, so you’ll rarely have to deal with compacted soil or drainage issues.
Fertilizer
Your Monstera deliciosa needs the right nutrients to grow those big, beautiful leaves as well as sturdy stems and strong roots to support them.
Fertilize regularly during the growing season with a gentle liquid fertilizer with slightly more nitrogen and slightly less phosphorus. Monsteras do best with an N-P-K ration of 3-1-2 or 5-2-3.
We recommend Monstera Plant Food, which has an N-P-K ratio of 5-2-3 and is gentle enough to use with every watering. That way, you won’t have to remember a fertilization schedule! Just mix a little into your watering can every time your monstera needs a drink.
How Often to Fertilize Monstera Deliciosa
Generally, it’s best to fertilize regularly during the spring and summer when your monstera is most likely to be growing, and to scale back to half or even quit altogether during the fall and winter when your plant might be experiencing a dormant period.
However, indoor plants don’t always stick to the same growth patterns that wild plants do. Thanks to indoor climate control, plants don’t really experience seasons the way they evolved to, so you might notice that your monstera grows in spurts year-round rather than steadily during the spring and summer only. If that seems to be the case, you can fertilize year-round to support this growth.
Overfertilizing
It is possible to overfertilize your monstera, so make sure you know the signs of overfertilization so you can reverse the issue.
If you notice a white crust on the surface of the soil, and/or yellow and brown patches on the leaves that look like chemical burns, you might have overfertilized your plant.
Scrape the white crust off the soil with a spoon, and then leach the soil a few times. This means putting the pot in the sink and slowly adding water to the top and letting it drain out the bottom. Do this a few times to flush excess minerals from the soil. As long as your pot and soil drain well, this will not overwater your plant.
To prevent overfertilization, make sure to follow directions on the fertilizer label. If you bottom water your plant, try switching to top watering at least every fourth watering so you can occasionally flush out the soil from the top.
Potting and Repotting
Monstera deliciosa needs great drainage, so make sure to choose a pot with drainage holes that’s about 2-3 inches larger than the root ball.
This plant grows fairly quickly, so plan on repotting every year. Avoid fertilizing for a month after you repot to avoid burning the delicate roots while they’re recovering.
Pruning
You may want to prune your plant to control its size and shape, and to remove dead material.
To do this, we recommend planning your cuts ahead of time and marking them with colored string. Then use sterilized shears to make your cuts, not taking more than 10% of the leaves in a single session. You may also want to wear gloves and use a towel to catch the sap, because it can irritate skin and even damage flooring and furniture.
Propagating Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa propagates well with stem cuttings and air layering! Here’s how to use both of these methods to clone your beloved monstera.
Stem Cuttings
To propagate with stem cuttings, start with a healthy, growing, fairly young leaf. You’ll also need to make sure your cutting includes a node, which is a little brown bump on the stem across from the leaf.
Once you’ve found a node and a healthy leaf, use sterilized shears to cut about a half inch below the node.
Place your cutting upright in a clear container of water with a little Propagation Promoter mixed in. Place the container in a bright place and switch out the water each week. Within a few months, you should have roots! When the roots are an inch long, you can plant the cutting in soil.
Air Layering
To air layer, you’ll need sharp shears or a knife, sphagnum moss, plastic wrap, and twist ties or string.
Start by locating a healthy leaf you’d like to propagate and a nearby node. Then use the knife or shears to make a small cut near the node. Be careful not to cut more than a quarter to a third of the way through the stalk. Tip: Dip a cotton ball in Propagation Promoter and rub it on the wound to encourage rooting and prevent infection.
Then soak a handful or two of sphagnum moss in water and wring it out so it’s only damp. Wrap the moss around the wound, and wrap plastic wrap loosely around the moss. Then secure the whole bundle with the string or twist tie.
Loosen the bundle every few days and spray the moss with water to keep it damp. Within a few months, you should see roots growing near the wound! When the roots are at least an inch long, cut that section off the plant below the node and roots and plant the whole thing in soil.
Common Problems With Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa isn’t particularly susceptible to disease, but it can develop health problems occasionally.
Here are the signs to watch out for:
Pests
Household pests like thrips, spider mites, scale, and mealybugs can infest your monstera. Watch for signs like small red or brown dots, sticky clear residue, webbing, or brown bumps on your plant.
How to Treat Pests on Monstera Deliciosa
If you find insects on your plant, the first step is to remove as many as possible by rinsing your plant with a kitchen sprayer, picking them off manually (this works best with scale), or using a lint roller on the leaves.
Then spray the plant with diluted neem oil. If that doesn’t solve the problem within a few days, try an insecticidal soap.
Here are more tips on treating insect infestations on monsteras:
Thrips on Monstera | How to Identify and Get Rid of Them
How to Get Insects OFF Your Monstera
Crispy Leaves With Brown Edges or Tips
If you notice the ends of your monstera leaves browning or getting crispy, your plant might need more humidity.
Check for air conditioning or heating vents that could be drying out your plant as well.
It’s also a good idea to check your plant’s soil to make sure it hasn’t dried out. Leaves can dry out if your plant is severely underwatered!
Drooping Leaves on Monstera Deliciosa
Drooping leaves can have many causes. If you just moved or repotted your monstera, it could be in shock. Leave the plant alone for now to let it adjust, and it should perk up within a week or two!
If nothing about your plant’s environment has changed, check the soil. Your plant may be drooping because it’s thirsty.
Finally, make sure your temperatures aren’t too low, because your plant can droop if it’s cold.
Yellowing of Leaves
Yellowing often indicates a watering issue. Use your moisture meter to check the soil. If it’s wet long after you last watered, your pot and soil might not be draining well and/or your plant isn’t getting enough light to use water efficiently.
If the soil is dry just a few days after you watered, give it a drink and water more deeply in the future.
Yellowing can also point to a nutrient deficiency. If you haven’t repotted or fertilized in a while, it’s time to incorporate a gentle fertilizer into your routine!
Monstera Deliciosa Plant Care Guide FAQ
FAQ: What is the difference between Monstera deliciosa and Monstera adansonii?
Monstera deliciosa is much larger than monstera adansonii, and has a completely different fenestration pattern.
To learn how to care for Monstera adansonii, read How to Buy and Care for Monstera Adansonii.
FAQ: Is monstera a good indoor plant?
A mature Monstera deliciosa might be challenging if you live in a small space, but overall, these plants do well indoors and are extremely rewarding to grow!
There are also many smaller varieties of monstera you can grow indoors if Monstera deliciosa isn’t for you.
FAQ: How do you encourage monstera leaves to split?
The best thing to do is make sure your plant is getting enough light, either from a window or a grow light.
Make sure to dial in your watering and fertilizing routine to encourage growth overall. New leaves unfurl already fenestrated, rather than developing fenestrations later. New growth is key!
Final Thoughts on Monstera Deliciosa
This plant is iconic for a reason: it’s beautiful, easygoing, and striking in any space. It’s perfect for beginner-intermediate plant parents and may quickly become your favorite plant!
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