When Do Monstera Leaves Split? - Teak And Terracotta

Welcome to our guide to monstera leaf splitting and frequently asked questions on fenestration…

When Do Monstera Leaves Split

Monsteras start to produce split (fenestrated) leaves when they begin to mature at 2 years old. It can take a few months or years more depending on the plant and growing conditions. But in general you’ll see leaves from a young plant start to split after 2 years. And as the plant continues to mature the splits and fenestrations get bigger and more intricate.

Do Monstera Leaves Split After Unfurling?

Monstera leaves have splits in them before they start to unfurl, you can see the fenestrated patterns in the leaf before it is fully unfurled. If you have a young monstera (under two years old) be patient, they should fenestrate properly as they mature..

When Do Monstera Adansonii Leaves Split?

The monstera adansonii will start getting holes in it within 2 months. The first few leaves may not have them, but after that they will put out the beautiful leaves with holes, often within a month.

Why Do Some Monstera Leaves Not Split?

If your monsteras is over 2 or 3 years old and has fenestrated leaves already, but puts out one without holes don’t worry. It is totally normal! Some monstera leaves are just smaller than others and do not spilt, or are part of a younger plant that has propagated on the side of a bigger plant and so will not put out fenestrated leaves until they are mature. Also if the plant does not get enough light or is stressed or gets too cold it can halt growth and put out smaller leaves. Give it the best care possible and once mature they will put out mainly fenestrated leaves.

See also: Monstera Propagation.

Do Existing Monstera Leaves Split?

A leaf that has unfurled without splits in it will not split, it will continue to grow without any fenestrations in it at all. It will not develop splits over time once unfurled.

How To Get Monstera Leaves To Split?

The absolute best way to encourage a monstera’s leaves to split is to meet all it’s care requirements: give them a decent amount of indirect sunlight but no direct sun, keep them in normal household temperature and don’t let them get below 10°C (50°F), keep them well watered and fed, with humidity above 40%. They should do really well. See our guide to the plant here: Monstera Deliciosa Care.

How Long Does It Take For A Monstera Leaf To Unravel?

A monstera leaf takes about a month to unravel on average, but it can take a week or up to 7 or 8 weeks, depending on the size of the plant and growing conditions.