Palm · Aroid
Monstera
Monstera deliciosa, Monstera adansonii, Monstera pinnatipartita
Monstera is a climbing tropical aroid native to the rainforests of southern Mexico and Central America, loved for its dramatic fenestrated leaves. Indoors it grows vigorously with a moss pole or support, rewarding owners with bigger, more split leaves as it matures. It tolerates a wide range of conditions, which is why it's one of the most popular statement houseplants.
The split-leaf icon — chaotic in the wild, forgiving at home.
Quick care
At a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect; tolerates medium
- Water
- Let top 2-3cm dry between waterings
- Humidity
- 50-70%
- Temperature
- 18-27°C
- Potting mix
- Chunky, well-draining aroid mix
- Toxicity
- Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed; mildly irritating to humans due to calcium oxalate crystals.
- Mature size
- 2-3m indoors with support
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Origin
- Southern Mexico and Central America
Where to start
The first things to learn
Care
Monstera is forgiving once you dial in bright indirect light, a chunky aroid mix, and watering only when the top 2-3cm of soil dries out. The most common mistakes are overwatering and low-light placement, both of which stunt leaf fenestration. Give it a moss pole and it will reward you with dramatically bigger leaves.
ReadFertilizer
Monsteras are heavy feeders during spring and summer. A balanced liquid fertilizer (e.g. 20-20-20) diluted to half strength every 2-4 weeks keeps new leaves coming. Stop feeding in late autumn and winter when growth slows.
ReadOther questions