Monstera
Kiersten Rankel
Kiersten lives in New Orleans, LA and graduated with her masters degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Tulane University in 2019.
She has conducted or assisted on research studies covering trees such as the bald cypress, swamp maple, and water tupelo, as well as important marsh grasses including Juncus, Spartina, and Phragmites.
Kiersten is a certified Louisiana Master Naturalist and regularly volunteers with local community gardens and nonprofits to help restore critical ecosystems along the Gulf Coast.
4.8 out of 5 (1791 experiences)
About Monstera
Monstera deliciosa is a species of flowering plant native to the tropical rainforests of southern Mexico down to Colombia. Both the root and leaf have a long history of use in traditional medicine. In Mexico, a leaf or root infusion is taken daily to relieve arthritis. In Martinique, the root is used in remedies for snakebites. 🤒 The holes in Monstera leaves let water drip close to the roots, and they absorb the scattered beams of sunlight that make it down through the forest canopy. Their fruit also tastes like a mix of pineapple and banana! 🍍🍌
Taxonomy
Monstera deliciosa
Monstera
Araceae
Alismatales
Also known as
Swiss Cheese Plant and Philodendron Monstera
How to care for Monstera
How often to water your Monstera
Monstera needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9
Finding light for Monstera in your home
Monstera may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.
Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Monstera in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Monstera
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Monstera after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
-
Hi all my plant lovers… i need help.. i bought my first monstera along with a swiss cheese vine and i don’t want to kill them! I will take any advice on how to properly care for these babies. please and thank you 🩷
-
I have this monstera plant i bought from tescos it was labelled as a deliciosa but im not sure if it is, can someone help me identify it ? I have a photo of the under leaves if it helps #MonsteraMonday
-
#MonsteraMob This last new leaf is the largest so far. Here it is with a banana for scale 🙂↕️
-
What fertilizer do you use…🌿for Monstera #Monstera
-
Are these yellow spots on my Monstera cause for concern? I recently started slowly turning it to get sunlight to the smaller side. #Monstera
-
My baby monstera has had so many new leafs this spring. This is the most recent!!! Loving the new fenestrations☺️ #FreshLeafFriday
-
Hi everyone. I recently was lucky enough to get a top cutting of a Monstera that grows and fruits outside in Melbourne, Australia. It was time sensitive so I couldn’t air layer or wait until Spring. The cutting is sitting in some water now and I want to maximize my chances of the tiny aerial root turning into a full blown root system. The cutting has 2 fully matured leaves. 2 flowers which have not opened yet and 1 new leaf coming through. It has been in water+rooting food for a week now but I am yet to see any growth and now the outer part of the stem is going dark. This could just be from the rooting food though as it is a dark brown colour. Any tips and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
-
should i cut the burnt leaves off my monstera deliciosa? i foolishly sat him outside in direct sunlight in the hot afternoon sun for about couple hours and he burnt significantly on three leaves before i caught it. I know the burnt parts will never go back to the way they were, but should i cut the burnt leaves off? Are they draining energy from him? (pictured: each leaf individually and the last pic is all three burnt leaves together) needless to say im never putting him outside like that again. #Monstera #monsteradeliciosa #MonsteraMob #MonsteraMonday
-
Chairman of the Tortured Plants Department Who says big girls don’t cry? This 7ft goddess was sobbing all night long. #tears
-
update on the Monstrosity Monstera I got over the weekend… I went to repot this bad boy and it ended up being 2 plants! However, I ran out of potting mix after repotting one of them so here Luna .5 for now lol #MonsteraMob #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #PlantTherapy
Care Summary for Monstera
Monstera
Greg recommends:
0.5 cups every 9 days
< 3ft from a window
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Big but can be trained vertically if you stay on it as it grows. Build yourself a big moss pole. Plan for 6 ft. Can get brown tips if you are not regular with your watering but reasonably robust. Likes light a grow light over head works though I’ve had reasonable success with an “up light” grow light.
Trending in your area
Similar to Monstera
Alocasia
Alocasia Dragon Tongue
Alocasia 'Frydek'
Alocasia 'Bambino'
Aglaonema 'Super Whit…
Aglaonema 'Silver Spl…
African Fantasy Thaum…
alocasia jacklyn
Aglaonema 'Stripe'
Alocasia 'Low Rider'
Aglaonema 'Golden Bay'
Aglaonema commutatum …
Africian Black Mask
Alocasia Kapit Black …
Agloanema 'Harlequin'
Aglaonema 'Silver Bay'
Alocasia Green Shield
✨ Discover rare plants
Lavandula Pedunculata
Hoya fitchii
Peperomia 'Harmony's …
Kudu Lily
Philodendron eximium
Tuber Fleeceflower
Crassula 'Calico Kitt…
Scotch Moss
Philodendron 'Rio'
Kilimanjaro Plant
Red Mistletoe Cactus
Christmas Candle
Euphorbia Ammak
Hoya pottsii 'Khao Ya…
Pine Cone Plant
Hoya crassipetiolata
Phalaenopsis schiller…
Fagraea ceilanica
Greg’s plant care information is derived from first-principles biology and physics and supported by peer-reviewed research, academic institutions, and industry experts. We are committed to providing the highest-quality plant care information available, so if you have any concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to our support.
- Plants for a Future. “Plant Database.” pfaf.org. N.p., n.d. Web.
- Encyclopedia of Life. “Encyclopedia of Life.” eol.org. N.p., n.d. Web.