Monsteras

How to choose a monstera

The Fruit Salad Plant is Monstera deliciosa, the classic: glossy, deeply split leaves that can pass 60 centimetres across on a mature plant. It needs floor space and a support to climb. Thai Constellation is the same plant with leaves speckled and splashed in cream. It grows more slowly and needs brighter light, because the pale parts of the leaf make no food for the plant.

For smaller spaces, the Swiss Cheese Vine has smaller, heart shaped leaves full of oval holes and will trail from a hanging pot or climb a moss pole. The Silver Monstera has narrow, silvery leaves with dark veins and stays compact as a trailing plant. The Mini Monstera is not a true monstera but a close relative with small, split leaves, and it is a quick climber for a narrow spot.

Where monsteras grow

Indoors, give a monstera bright, indirect light: near an east facing window, or a metre or two back from a north facing one. Direct afternoon sun through glass scorches the leaves, and a dim room produces small leaves with few splits.

Outdoors, Monstera deliciosa grows well in frost free gardens from Sydney north, in shade or dappled light under trees, where it climbs trunks and fences and reaches several metres. In cooler regions keep monsteras as indoor or sheltered patio plants. All of these plants are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, and the sap can irritate skin, so place them out of reach of pets and wash your hands after pruning. Related foliage plants are in our philodendrons and wider indoor plants ranges, and garden growers in the north can browse tropical plants.

Planting and spacing

Pot into a chunky, free draining mix: a quality potting mix with added orchid bark or perlite suits all of them. Choose a pot with drainage holes, one size larger than the current one, and repot every year or two in spring. Climbing types grow larger leaves when they have something to grip, so set a moss pole or timber stake in the pot at planting and tie the stems in loosely. Tuck the aerial roots into the mix or onto the pole instead of cutting them off.

Care basics

Water when the top few centimetres of mix feel dry, then let the pot drain fully. That is roughly weekly in summer and every two to three weeks in winter. Feed with a liquid fertiliser every few weeks from spring to autumn. Prune long stems just above a leaf node in spring to control size. Our monstera care guide covers repotting, propagation and common leaf problems.

Common questions

Why does my monstera have no holes in its leaves?

Young plants produce solid leaves, and the splits arrive with age. On an older plant, solid leaves usually mean too little light. Move it closer to a window and give it a pole to climb.

Is monstera toxic to pets?

Yes. Monsteras are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, causing mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting. Keep plants out of reach of pets and small children.

How fast does a monstera grow?

In warm, bright conditions a healthy plant puts out a new leaf every few weeks through spring and summer. Growth slows almost to a stop in winter.

Can I grow a monstera outside?

In frost free areas, yes, in shade or dappled light with shelter from hot wind. In frosty regions grow it indoors or on a protected patio and bring it under cover in winter.