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Common Symptoms Of Leaves on Monstera Turning Black
It can be really frustrating when you find black leaves on your houseplant. They are supposed to brighten your space with beautiful green foliage, and seeing black leaves can prevent that. Luckily, there are quite a few things you can do to help your plant produce green leaves once again.
You will want to figure out why your plant’s leaves are turning black as soon as you notice it, because there are some diseases that are able to spread to your other plants, and then you’ll have a much bigger problem on your hands. There are quite a few possible reasons for Monstera leaves turning black, so keep reading to learn how to diagnose what’s wrong with your plant, what could be causing it, and more importantly, how to fix it to get your beautiful plant back.
Leaves Turning Black on Edges
Seeing the edges of your Monstera leaves turning black can be disheartening. Something is wrong with your beautiful plant, and depending on how bad it is, it can be overwhelming thinking of how you can save it. Don’t worry, it’s usually a fixable problem that just takes some investigative work.
First, take a close look at the affected leaf and answer these questions:
- Is the edge dry and crumbly?
- Does it have a yellow ring on the leaf around the blackened edge?
- Is the soil dried out, or does it seem like it takes a really long time to dry out?
If it’s dry and crumbly and your soil seems dry too, your plant is likely not getting enough water, or its environment is too dry. If it’s the other option, and if the soil takes awhile to dry out, your plant may be getting too much water.
New Monstera Leaves Turning Black
Your Monstera plant should always be growing new leaves for you to enjoy. Sometimes, the new leaves quickly begin turning brown or black. This is a sure sign that something is not right with your plant’s water or soil situation.
Make sure to water only when the top inch or so of soil has dried out, but don’t wait until all of the soil has dried before watering. That’s a sure way to see more black spots on your plant. If you’re confident that your watering is perfect for your plants needs, it may be time to test the soil to ensure your plant is getting the nutrients it needs.
Leaves Turning Black Before Unfurling
Unfortunately, sometimes your plant will grow a new leaf, only to have it turn black before it’s uncurled all the way. This can be pretty sad for excited plant owners to see, but it doesn’t mean your plant is dying! Watering is typically the cause of most black spots on your plant. Either too much or too little water can cause issues like this.
Black Spots
Black spots on your plant can be caused by a few different things. I did mention before that most black spots are due to either over- or under-watering, but black spots in your leaves could be a sign that a pest has found your plant and has decided to move in.
This isn’t too common in houseplants, but it is worth mentioning because it does happen sometimes. You’ll want to make sure to put up a gnat trap if you see gnats flying around your plant a lot, and even employ the help of some neem oil to deter any other pests from bothering your plant and your home.
Leaves Turning Black & Yellow
Black and yellow leaves can be even more unsightly than leaves with black spots. It’s definitely more noticeable, but that also means that it’s easier to spot before it becomes a big problem.
Monstera leaves turning black and yellow could be caused by a few things. Watering is the usual culprit, but you should also pay attention to your plants placement in your home. Check to see if your plant is getting enough natural filtered light, or if it’s not getting enough.
Causes of Black Monstera Leaves & How to Fix
Monstera leaves turning black can be caused by many different things. Below is a list that will get you started in diagnosing why your plant’s leaves are turning black, and give you some tips on how to fix the problem so your plant can continue to grow beautiful green leaves.
Too Much or Too Little Water
As mentioned above, too much or too little water is one of the most common reasons that monstera leaves turn black.
Your plant should not be getting more water than it can use in a span of 2-3 days, and it should be getting enough water that only the top inch of soil dries out every 2-3 days. This ensures that your plant is getting enough water and that the water isn’t sitting in the pot too long, which can make your plant susceptible to diseases.
Overwatering
Overwatering is a common house plant problem, but it’s an easy one to fix. Watering your plant only when it needs water is one of the best ways to prevent overwatering, but even then it can still happen. You will know your plant is being overwatered by inspecting your plant, specifically the soil.
First, if your soil smells musty, it’s likely overwatered. If you stick your finger in the soil and notice it is very wet, it probably has too much water. And if you house your plant in a decorative planter, but still in the original plastic planter it came in from the store, pick it up and check if there is any water pooled in the bottom of the decorative planter. There shouldn’t be any standing water there.
If the pot your plant is in does not have drainage holes, then it is very easy to give your plant too much water, and risk root rot from killing your plant. A simple way to prevent overwatering is by watering your plant over a sink, and allowing all of the excess water to drain out before putting it back. Only water again once the top inch of soil has dried out.
Underwatering
Underwatering is also a very common cause of your plant leaves turning black. Keep in mind, your watering schedule should be determined by your plant’s soil, and it’s not always a simple “every 2-3 days” type of schedule. One week, you may only water it once, and the next week you may water it three times. It depends on many environmental factors.
To see if your plant is not getting enough water, check the top of the soil, the middle, and the bottom. If it seems like you water your plant often, but it’s still turning black, use a fork to turn over a couple inches of soil. Sometimes, soil becomes hydrophobic and doesn’t like to soak up any water, so it lets all the water drain out. This makes you think that your plant is getting enough water, when really it isn’t getting hardly any at all.
If the soil you’ve tilled up with your fork is dry, then you’ll need to take some additional steps to ensure your plant is getting enough water. A soil change might be a good idea, too.
Soil Conditions
Many plant problems can be attributed to the plant’s soil. From over/underwatering, to using the wrong kind of soil, it’s where your plant lives, so it’s common for soil problems to be the reason behind a plant not thriving the way it should.
Any plant needs the right soil to grow in. Some plants aren’t picky about where they grow, but others need a specific type of soil to be happy and thrive. Your Monstera plant needs soil that drains easily and has plenty of aeration for it to grow well. Our favorite Monstera soil is this one as it has everything your Monstera plant will need to grow those beautiful leaves.
Extreme Temperature Fluctuations
Monstera plants are tropical plants, so they need a climate similar to what they would normally have in nature. This means that they do not like to get too cold, and they don’t like to get too hot or too dry.
If your plant is too cold, it may reserve any energy it has just to stay alive and might not grow any new leaves. If it’s too hot, it will make the leaves begin to turn black and die off. Below is a little more information on both of these extremes.
Cold Shock
Monstera plants can get shocked from the cold rather quickly, especially in freezing temperatures. If you must take your plant into a really cold area even for a brief time, it’s best to find a way to keep it warm, whether with a blanket or a safe heat source of some kind.
If you keep your home cold, your plant may not thrive and could begin to show signs of cold shock, even if the temperature is comfortable for you. This can also happen inside in the winter time if your plant is kept close to a really drafty window or door.
Heat Stress
Heat stress is also something that can affect your Monstera plant, and it can happen just as quickly as cold shock. This plant does not like being in an environment that is consistently above tropical temperatures. It is best to keep the environment where this plant lives between 65-85 degrees.
Heat stress can happen from being next to a bright window in the summer time with sunlight shining directly on the plant, and it can happen if you decide to plant your Monstera outside, even if it’s in a semi-shady spot. You can usually save your plant from heat stress by immediately moving it to a cooler place and making sure the soil is moist.
Lack of Humidity
Humidity is something that all tropical plants are accustomed to, so it’s important to take this into account when you’re diagnosing the leaves of your Monstera plant turning black. If the plant’s environment isn’t humid enough, it could cause the leaves to turn black in some areas.
A great way to combat this is to buy a humidifier and keep it close to where the plant is. A more cost-effective solution to this problem would be getting a spray bottle and misting your plant’s leaves every couple of days, or even every day if the air in your home is really dry.
Over-fertilizing
Your Monstera plant will need additional nutrients in the form of fertilizer every now and then, but over-fertilizing your plant could cause black spots to appear on the leaves. Over-fertilizing your plant can eventually kill your plant, but it’s usually no cause for panic.
If it is a fertilizer that is removable (like a pellet, a slow waterer with fertilizer in, or a fertilizer stick), then take it out and make sure your plant has enough water. If it was a liquid fertilizer, don’t worry too much, your plant should be fine. Just know that your plant will not need as much fertilizer next time.
We highly recommend this monstera plant food to take the guesswork out of giving your Monstera plant those extra nutrients.
Diseases
There are some diseases that will make your Monstera leaves turn black, some of them are preventable, while some of them take you by surprise and can kill your plant quickly. One of the most common diseases in houseplants is root rot, and it is one of those diseases that can take your plant quickly if not caught in time.
Root Rot
I’ve lost a few plants to root rot before I learned about proper watering techniques and what to look for to monitor my plant’s health. Root rot is a disease that is caused either by overwatering, having a heavy soil that doesn’t drain well, or by housing your plant in a planter with no drainage.
You can tell if your plant is suffering from root rot by gently emptying the planter and your plant onto a working surface (you may want to cover it in cardboard, it’s going to get messy). Work your fingers through the soil to loosen it up and get the roots free. You may want a bowl of clean water to rinse the roots after you get most of the soil off. If your roots look rotted, you will want to cut off any bad parts and repot your plant in a new soil mixture.
For more care, use our Root Supplement when you water to help stop a fungal or bacterial root infection within the first 24 hours.
Pests
Pests are a big problem for plant owners. While we hate them, they love our plants, and there isn’t much we can do to keep them out of the house, so we have to protect our plants instead and hopefully deter them from calling our plants home. They can also cause your Monstera leaves to turn black, so carefully examine the leaves for evidence of any pests, and if you see any, you can spray your plant with neem oil.
Reducing The Risk of Infecting Other Plants
If the cause of your plant’s black spots is a disease or a pest, you do run the risk of getting your other plants infected as well. Make sure to clean any pruning shears with a disinfectant before switching between each plant, and discard any damaged or diseased leaves, don’t leave them in the soil of the plant.
When & How To Remove Leaves with Black Spots
Generally speaking, leaves with black spots will not heal themselves. As long as your plant has a couple other leaves that are fully open and healthy, you can remove the leaf with the black spots or black edges. If the whole leaf has turned black, you will want to remove it immediately to prevent it from spreading to your whole plant.
Use a good set of pruning shears like these to cut off any blackened leaves. Don’t forget to sanitize your shears before using them on any other plant!
Monstera Care Guide
Here are some helpful tips on how to take care of your Monstera plant.
Position
Place your plant inside your home in an area that does not get too much direct sunlight. While a little bit of direct sunlight won’t kill your plant, it’s generally recommended for this plant to only have indirect sunlight. Keep a close eye on your plant for one to two weeks after moving it to a new location in your home. If you notice the leaves yellowing or browning, you will likely need to find the plant a new spot to live inside.
Temperature & Humidity
As mentioned before, these plants originally live in tropical climates, which means they thrive in an environment similar to a tropical one. You can achieve this inside your home by ensuring the temperature stays between 65 and 85 degrees, and maintaining a decent level of humidity around your plant. This can be easily accomplished with a humidifier or by misting your plant regularly.
Misting Monstera
Misting your plant to maintain the correct level of humidity is super easy. Simply take a misting bottle (I prefer the one with a continuous mist), and mist the leaves. Depending on how dry the air in your home is, the frequency that you will need to mist your plant could range from every day to every few days. Over the course of two to three weeks, you should be able to figure out the best schedule for your plant.
Soil
Your Monstera plant will benefit from a well draining soil that is tailored specifically for it. We love this soil, or you can also make your own mix using a mixture of moss, pearlite, and potting soil.
To test your soil for the proper drainage, make sure it is thoroughly wet first. Mix it up to ensure there are no dry pockets in your soil. Then wring out as much moisture as you can, and then place the soil in a pot.
Next, pour some water in the pot and count how many seconds it takes for the soil to absorb the water. Around 20-30 seconds is the goal. Anything less and your soil won’t hold enough moisture for your plant to use it properly, any more and you risk your plant developing root rot.
Watering
Your Monstera plant likes evenly moist soil, and it does not tolerate dryness very well. You should be watering your plant every time the top inch of soil has dried out. Depending on your home’s temperature and humidity, this may be every two days or every four days. It’s important to water according to when your plant needs it, not according to a strict daily or weekly schedule.
The Use of Fertilizer
Fertilizing your plant is recommended every one to two weeks. Our Monstera Plant Food is specifically formulated for Monstera plants and has everything your plant needs. You can adjust your fertilizing schedule as needed.
Potting & Re-Potting
Potting your plant is one of the most satisfying parts of owning houseplants. Make sure to choose a potting container that is properly sized for the plant you have. If your pot is too large, you risk having too much water spread out too far from your plant’s roots. That water will just sit there and likely start building up bacteria that could harm your plant. A pot that is too small could create problems for your plant as it begins to grow.
Aim for a pot that is 1-2″ larger than the one it came in from the nursery. When you repot your plant, you’ll again aim for a pot that is just slightly larger than the one it’s in. This will ensure your plant can still grow while making sure your plant can use all of the water within the pot.
Monstera Leaves Turning Black FAQ
Should I cut black leaves off Monstera?
Yes, it is important to cut off the black leaves. This prevents diseases from spreading to the rest of your plant and it helps your plant redirect its energy to the viable parts of the plant. Plus, it will look much better with the black leaves cut off.
Leaves On Monstera Turning Black Final Thoughts
Monstera leaves turning black can be caused by many things. From incorrect watering to pests, diseases, and root rot, there is typically always a solution for making sure your plant continues to thrive even after you’ve noticed black leaves on it. With a little TLC, your plant should be back to growing new, beautiful leaves in no time.
Learn More!
Monstera plant care is quite simple once you get the hang of it, but there is a bit of a learning curve. It helps to have the right informational resources, the right support system, and the right products to make your monstera growing experience the best it can be!
Check out these indispensable resources, products, and articles!
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