Monstera Deliciosa Care

In general monstera deliciosas are easy to care for plants that look stunning and do well in almost any household...

Monstera Deliciosa Care Summary

Light needs:	Bright and medium indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:	Water when the top layer is dry.
Fertilizer:	Balanced feed, well diluted, once a month in summer
Soil:	Rich, well draining.
Humidity:	50-60%.
Temperature:	Normal household temperatures are ok. Move them away from cold windows in the winter.
Where to buy:	Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.
Other names:	Swiss cheese plant, fruit salad plant, monstera deliciosa, split leaf philodendron.
Common issues:	Over and under watering.

Intro

Welcome to our guide on Monstera Deliciosa Care. Monsteras are really popular and enjoying a massive resurgence thanks to their unique leaves that enhance the aesthetic of a room. They look great indoors and outdoors given the correct care, here’s our Monstera guide…

Tip: we recommend Etsy for buying plants. Look for the best rated seller you can, and try to buy as close to your home as possible so the plant does not travel too far.

A note about affiliate links: when you buy a plant, pots, soil, or other goods through links on this article we sometimes earn a commission. It doesn’t cost you anything, but it really helps us out if you do use them. Thanks a lot! An example of this is if you buy a plant on Etsy using this link. Read our privacy policy for more information. Thanks again.

In general a monstera will thrive in medium-bright indirect sunlight and it likes a humid environment but will do well in normal household humidity levels and temperatures.

Monstera Light Needs

How Much Light Does A Monstera Deliciosa Need?

Monsteras love bright and medium indirect sunlight. It will grow quickest in these optimum light conditions. They can become leggy if they get too little light.

Does Monstera Like Direct Sunlight?

They can burn in too much direct sunlight, especially variegated monsteras. So be careful, and if the leaves burn then move them back from the window. They can be slowly acclimatized to more light if you move them slowly out of the shade day by day to get them gradually acquainted with more sun light.

photo source: flickr.com/photos/kogakure/

How Often To Water A Monstera

Always check if the soil is dry about a finger depth down before watering. In hotter months this should mean watering every week or so, and in colder months every 2 or 3 weeks, but always check as they are somewhat prone to root rot.

photo source: Mokkie, CC BY-SA 3.0 wikimedia.org

Monstera Fertilizer

Monstera Deliciosas like a balanced fertilizer (1-1-1 or 20:20:20) you can use a well diluted mix in the summer/growing months, although they will do fine without feeding. I do not often feed mine, but you can get quicker and fuller growth during the hotter months if you do.

Monstera Soil

You want a good quality, well draining peat-based potting soil. You can get deep down the rabbit hole of mixing your own soil if you like with orchid bark, perlite and moss, but I find a good statutory peat mix is great.

For more on buying or making your own soil, see our guide here: Monstera Soil.

When To Repot A Monstera

It’s a good idea to repot monsteras early spring if you want them to grow more than their current pot allows. Although these plants seem to do ok when rootbound and kept in their pot, they will just not grow as much when this is the case.

Monstera Humidity

Monsteras are quite tough and will do well in a normal household humidity. 50-60% is the ideal humidity for a monstera. However they are tropical plants and so will grow nice and green if given higher humidity levels. You can mist them occasionally when watering if you like, especially in drier months.

Monstera Temperature

Household temperatures are normally ok, but they prefer upwards (20 to 30°C) is ideal. Don’t let them get any cold draughts or very low temperatures, so move them away from cold windows in the winter.

How To Propagate Monstera Deliciosa

The best way to propagate a monstera is to cut a node with at least one node and then roots in sphagnum moss or water and after a couple of months pot it up in soil. For more on propagating monstera see our guide here: Monstera Propagation.

For more on different types of monsteras see our monstera category with all our monstera care guides.

When Do Monstera Deliciosa Leaves Split?

The leaves split when the plant reaches maturity, this can be 2 or 3 years after propagating the plant from a cutting.

Monstera Deliciosa Vs Borsigiana?

The Borsigiana is a type of deliciosa that is slightly smaller.

Can Monstera Deliciosa Live Outside?

They can live outside as long as the temperature does not get below 10°C (50°F) too often.

Monstera Deliciosa USDA Zone

They can live outside in zones 10-12. The bigger the plant the better they can stand variations in temperature

Where To Buy a Monstera

Loads of online retailers and local stores will have monsteras. I buy a lot of my plants from Etsy.

Other Names for Monstera

Swiss cheese plant, fruit salad plant, monstera deliciosa, split leaf philodendron.

Monstera FAQs and Common Issues

Here’s a few commons questions and answers as part of our monstera deliciosa care guide, as well as common issues and solutions….

What are some common issues with Monsteras?

Very common issues are under and over watering…

If the plant wilts or has dry brown leaves it probably needs a good watering. Yellow or black patches however indicate over watering – take the plant out of its soil and dry it thoroughly.

Also the plants can get too hot leading to burning, make sure it’s not getting too much sun, or too cold for that matter.

Do I Need To Support My Monstera?

They look good growing vertically tied up neatly to a pole. If you don’t support a monstera they can often support themselves until they reach a certain size. In the wild they spread out naturally on the floor. Or sometimes up a tree. You can encourage a monstera to climb by trailing it to a moss pole and then misting the pole regularly.

Monstera Aerial Root

These are the roots that grow out of nodes on the stem of plants. These help the plant cling on to trees in their natural habit and they can help it cling to moss poles or a trellis as an indoor plant. Monstera’s aerial roots are used in the wild as the monstera spread out on the ground the aerial roots dig down into the earth.

What do you do with Monstera air roots?

You can cut them off if you don’t need them it will not hurt the plant. Or tuck them into the pot so that they take up some nutrients.

Why Doesn’t My Monstera Have Holes?

When monsteras are young they do not have holes yet. If your monstera does not have holes is most likely not mature yet, don’t worry one of these days a leaf will develop with the characteristic holes in it.

Do Monstera Deliciosa Like To Be Root Bound?

Monsteras are ok to be a bit root bound, but they grow best when the roots have space.

Do Monstera Deliciosa Climb?

Monsteras love to climb, and grow aerial roots which they use to hold on to trees in the wild or a moss pole in your home.

Do Monstera Deliciosa Grow Fast?

Deliciosas grow relatively quickly. They grow up and spread out and can grow up to 75cm a year a year (2.5 feet).

Can Monstera Deliciosa Live In Water?

You can grow a monstera in water alone. They look great in a glass jar.

Can Monstera Deliciosa Be Outside?

They can become accustomed to being grown outside, just keep them under shade to stat with and gradually reduce it to acclimatize them.

Can Monstera Deliciosa Live In Low Light?

They will be fine in lower light areas of the home but will grow slower.

Why Monstera Deliciosa Leaves Turning Yellow?

Yellowing leaves most commonly comes from over watering, but can also be from under watering so check the soil and makes sure you water it only if needed.

Where Is Monstera Deliciosa From?

Monstera deliciosa is from all across Central America including Panama and Mexico.

Is Monstera Deliciosa Toxic To Cats?

Monstera contain calcium oxalates and can cause irritation or vomiting in pets if eaten. This should not be too bad, but seek vets advice in any case.