When people get their monstera deliciosa young (and therefore without any holes yet), they freak out… Thinking maybe it’s not getting enough light, or not growing fast enough or something. It’s nothing so complicated: It just isn’t a full-blown Swiss cheese leaf yet. Light and age will make it become one.
Knowing about how long things take with these tropical houseplants can be important. You can see from the chart above how that’s expressed. Only after several months or even years does the plant really get going, at which point fenestrations begin to appear.
How to Grow Monstera Plants
When the plant was still small, its roots were not developed enough to support a large upper canopy, so all those leaves had to be solid and heart-shaped (to maximize surface area) in order to photosynthesize. Once up in the canopy light, it don’t have to spend as much energy maintaining all that tissue. This results in holes, which allow water and air to flow right through.
These holes also serve a structural purpose by preventing leaf from tearing when the vine is hit by heavy rain or wind in thick forest stands. It’s an evolutionary design thing that takes some time to admire.
Knowing what to expect from their foliage helps narrow the choices down. Because most people begin with Adansonii or common Deliciosa, which make good starter plants; they’re forgiving of some missed waterings. Quadrifolia), which make good starter plants; they’re forgiving of some missed waterings. They’ll get bigger leaves over time, especially if they grows up something.
They’ll also really want to climb vertically, provided you have a wall or trellis to offer. Borsigiana, technically a form of Deliciosa but frequently offered as its own species, has slightly smaller leaf and grows more rapidly. It is perfect for someone living in a small apartment.
Enter the world of variegation: That’s when things get interesting in the marketplace. Rare and genetically unstable plants like the albo varieties, such as Albo Variegata and Thai Constellation, are expensive. Because they’re missing chlorophyll in the white or cream sectors, those areas of the leaf can’t photosynthesize. Therefore the plant isn’t as well fueled for growing than it would be if all its leaves were green.
Variegated types needs brighter light to thrive and are slower-growing. You’re buying a pattern in which every leaf shows you something else: Half white, nearly solid green, etc. There’s no way to control what happens, though your hope is that the mutation stabilizes sufficiently to sustain life and still look good.
Other strange shapes and textures exist for those of us who really get down on collecting plants, beyond the more popular ones. For example, the Monstera Peru has super-rigidly ridged foliage that literally feels leathery to the touch while still being visually interesting, even though it doesn’t have any holes whatsoever. Siltepecana features a crazy silver-metallic young plant followed by an adult version that is a green climber. You get two completely different looks out of a single plant.
This is of interest to people who want plants that are a little different than the holey leaves you see in everyone’s coffee shops. Any of them must be grown with care according to their native characteristics: In habitat they’re known as partial epiphytes (halfway between a ground-dwelling plant and one that grows on trees). That’s why they climbs up something, and why they have aerial roots, too.
Moss poles aren’t just for decoration. They also mimic the tree trunks plants hold onto in nature, triggering hormones that promote the production of bigger leaves. Without this vertical help, many species won’t grow large or develop big leaf because they lack enough light for full growth.
The last two keys are humidity and watering. Consistent moisture is good (but not soggy, since this encourages root rot). Use a soil mix with plenty of orchid bark and perlite so there’s enough wetness to please these tropical creatures but also so air can get at their roots to keep them oxygenated.
They love high humidity, too, to avoid the crispy brown edges that indoor growers face all winter long when they crank up the heat. To help build some moisture retention into your environment, group plants together; it creates a bit of a microclimate.
So yes, growing Monstera is a study in change. Over many years you witness a tiny sprout evolve into a multi-faceted architectural statement. Variegated varieties don’t always turn out perfect, nor are the holes created right away. But you end up with a living part of the forest that adds true luxurius tropical loveliness to your space.
Best foliage comes from patience.