Monstera Plants
Most people looking for a monstera want Monstera deliciosa, the split-leaf Swiss cheese plant. It's the easiest one to grow and the fastest to fill a corner. Adansonii gives you the same holes on smaller, trailing leaves. The variegated types (Thai Constellation and Albo) cost more and grow slower, because the white sections can't photosynthesize. Every listing here is a live plant, a rooted cutting or an unrooted cutting, so check which one you're buying.
Shop by type
How to choose a monstera
- Big floor plant: Monstera deliciosa. Give it a moss pole and it'll climb to 6 feet or more indoors.
- Hanging basket or shelf: Monstera adansonii trails or climbs and stays manageable.
- Collector plants: Thai Constellation (stable cream speckles), Albo (white, less stable), Peru, Dubia (shingles flat against a board) and Obliqua (more hole than leaf, and fussy about humidity).
- Cutting vs rooted plant: an unrooted cutting must include a node, the bump where the aerial root and new leaf grow. A leaf without a node will never become a plant.
Monstera care
| Factor | Target |
|---|---|
| Light | Bright indirect; variegated types need the brightest spot you have without hard midday sun |
| Water | When the top 2 inches of soil are dry, usually every 1 to 2 weeks |
| Humidity | 50%+ is ideal; Obliqua and Dubia want 60%+ |
| Soil | Chunky aroid mix: bark, perlite and coco or peat |
| Temperature | 65 to 85°F |
What to skip
- Dense potting soil on its own. Monstera roots want air, and heavy soil stays wet and rots them. Mix in coco coir, bark and perlite.
- Cheap "variegated" seeds. Variegation doesn't reliably carry through seed, so variegated monsteras are propagated from cuttings.
FAQ
Why doesn't my monstera have holes in its leaves?
Young leaves are solid. Splits (fenestrations) start as the plant matures and gets more light. A moss pole speeds it up because climbing triggers adult leaves.
How do I root a monstera cutting?
Put the node in water, damp sphagnum or perlite, keep it warm and bright, and roots appear in 2 to 6 weeks. A rooting gel helps.
Are monsteras toxic to pets?
Yes. They contain calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and stomach of cats and dogs.
What's the difference between Thai Constellation and Albo?
Thai Constellation has creamy speckles that stay stable. Albo has bright white sectors that can revert to green or go all-white, so it needs more attention.
Related collections
Snake Plants · Rooting Gels and Hormones · Humidifiers · Plant Support
