Plant Care Guide · Monstera · The Planters' Guild

Split, holed Monstera foliage, the signature of a mature plant

Split, holed foliage, the signature of a mature Monstera.

Care Guide · Climbing aroid

Monstera

About 73 species of climbing aroids (members of the arum family, Araceae) from tropical America, grown for their split, holey leaves. The commonly grown species share one care rhythm, so this guide covers them together; standout species and cultivars (named varieties) get their own cards.

Family: Araceae
Native range: Tropical America, Mexico to S. America
Type: Evergreen climbing vine (hemi-epiphyte)
Species: About 73; a handful in cultivation, plus cultivars
Pet safe: No (see Safety)

Difficulty Intermediate. In our experience, forgiving once the light and the support are right.

Care at a Glance

Light

Bright, indirect. It turns leggy in lower light.

Water

When the top quarter to third of the mix dries.

Humidity

Above 50% is best.

Temperature

60–85°F (16–29°C); keep it out of cold drafts.

Substrate

Well-draining, organic-rich mix, opened up with bark, perlite or charcoal.

Nutrients

Balanced fertilizer every 2–4 weeks in growth.

Support

A moss pole; nearly all climb.

Toxicity

Toxic to people and pets if chewed.

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Origin & History

One rhythm across the genus. Monstera is a genus of about 73 climbing aroids native to the tropical forests of the Americas, from Mexico and the Caribbean down into South America (Plants of the World Online, n.d.). Botanists call them hemi-epiphytes: they start on the ground and climb, rooting onto the lower and middle trunks of trees below the canopy (Madison, 1977). M. deliciosa climbs by aerial roots in search of light, and its leaves become deeply cut and holed as the plant matures (University of Oxford, n.d.).

The commonly grown species want the same things indoors: bright indirect light, a well-draining mix, and something to climb (Marquesen, 2024). Species differ in leaf size and shape, in how early the holes appear, and in variegation (Croat et al., 2024); those differences live on the cards below.

Native range of the genus Monstera: tropical America. Source: POWO (n.d.).

Care in Depth

Light. Give it bright light near a sunny window, but out of direct sun (Marquesen, 2024). In lower light it grows leggy, and variegated cultivars need more light than plain green ones (Marquesen, 2024; North Carolina State Extension, n.d.-b). Light shapes the leaves too, though the evidence comes from outdoor plants in Costa Rica: M. deliciosa leaves grown in sun had more hole area than leaves in shade, but were cut just as deeply and were about the same size overall (Díaz-Valverde et al., 2025).

Water. Water thoroughly, then let the top 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) dry (Marquesen, 2024); NC State Extension waits for the top quarter to third of the pot (North Carolina State Extension, n.d.-b). Overwatering can rot the roots (Marquesen, 2024).

Humidity, warmth, feeding and support. Aim for humidity above 50% (Marquesen, 2024); the RHS keeps the variegated M. deliciosa 'Variegata' at 60–80% (Royal Horticultural Society, n.d.-a). Keep it at 60–85°F (16–29°C), out of cold drafts (Marquesen, 2024). Growth stops at 50°F (10°C), and about 68°F (20°C) is the preferred minimum (University of Oxford, n.d.). Feed a balanced houseplant fertilizer every two weeks while it grows and monthly in winter (Marquesen, 2024); the RHS feeds M. standleyana monthly in growth (Royal Horticultural Society, n.d.-b). Give it a moss pole or other sturdy support, which keeps the heavy stems from breaking (North Carolina State Extension, n.d.-b); in M. siltepecana, a staked plant makes larger, holed adult leaves (North Carolina State Extension, n.d.-c).

Splits and holes come with age

Young Monstera leaves are often entire, with no holes at all (Marquesen, 2024). The splits and holes arrive as the plant matures (University of Oxford, n.d.). The change is linked both to contact with a support and to the plant reaching a certain maturity (Ray, 1990). A plant making small, solid leaves is still in its juvenile phase; in M. siltepecana, staking it so it climbs brings on the larger adult leaves (North Carolina State Extension, n.d.-c).

Common Problems & Pests

What you see	Likely cause	What to do
Small, solid leaves	A juvenile plant without support	Add a pole; give brighter, indirect light.
Brown, crisp edges	Low humidity or uneven watering	Raise humidity; water on a steadier rhythm.
Yellowing leaves	Overwatering or underwatering	Check how wet the mix stays; if it is soggy, let it dry more and open the mix with bark.
Fine webbing, stippling	Spider mites, which thrive in dry air	Isolate it and follow our Field Manual's spider mite guide.
Cottony white tufts	Mealybugs	Follow our Field Manual's mealybug guide.

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Safety

Every part of a Monstera holds calcium oxalate raphides, needle-like crystals (Madison, 1977), and every part is toxic if eaten except the fully ripe fruit, which a houseplant rarely makes (Marquesen, 2024). In people, chewing any part can cause burning pain at once, with a swollen mouth, lips, tongue and throat, and the swelling may cause heavy drooling and difficulty breathing, swallowing or speaking (Queensland Poisons Information Centre, n.d.). The sap can irritate skin and eyes, so wear gloves when handling it (Royal Horticultural Society, n.d.-b; Marquesen, 2024). ASPCA's entry for Monstera deliciosa (listed as cutleaf philodendron) says it is toxic to dogs and cats, with oral irritation, intense burning of the mouth, tongue and lips, heavy drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing (ASPCA, n.d.). UF/IFAS counts all Monstera species as toxic to dogs, cats and people (Khamare & Marble, 2023). Keep it away from children and pets. If a person eats any of it, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 in the US or use its online tool for expert help (National Capital Poison Center, n.d.). Seek urgent medical help if the lips or tongue swell, or if breathing or swallowing becomes hard (Queensland Poisons Information Centre, n.d.). If you think a pet has eaten any, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center as soon as you suspect it, without waiting for symptoms (ASPCA, n.d.).

Sources

ASPCA. (n.d.). Cutleaf philodendron. Toxic and non-toxic plants. Retrieved October 13, 2026. aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/cutleaf-philodendron

Croat, T. B., Cedeño-Fonseca, M., & Ortiz, O. O. (2024). Revision of Monstera (Araceae: Monsteroideae) of Central America. Phytotaxa, 656(1), 1–197. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.656.1.1

Díaz-Valverde, V., Avalos, G., & Quesada-Fonseca, J. (2025). Phenotypic differences in sun and shade leaves of Monstera deliciosa (Araceae). Revista de Biología Tropical, 73, e56794. https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v73i1.56794

Hahn, J., & Weisenhorn, J. (2026). Insects on indoor plants. University of Minnesota Extension. Retrieved October 13, 2026. extension.umn.edu/product-and-houseplant-pests/insects-indoor-plants

Khamare, Y., & Marble, C. (2023). Common poisonous houseplant species in Florida (ENH1375/EP639). UF/IFAS Extension. https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-EP639-2023

Madison, M. (1977). A revision of Monstera (Araceae). Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University, 207, 3–100. Retrieved October 13, 2026. archive.org/details/mobot31753002286794

Marquesen, S. (2024, December 13). Monstera as a houseplant. Penn State Extension. Retrieved October 13, 2026. extension.psu.edu/monstera-as-a-houseplant

North Carolina State Extension. (n.d.-a). Monstera adansonii. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved October 13, 2026. plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/monstera-adansonii

North Carolina State Extension. (n.d.-b). Monstera deliciosa. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved October 13, 2026. plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/monstera-deliciosa

North Carolina State Extension. (n.d.-c). Monstera siltepecana. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved October 13, 2026. plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/monstera-siltepecana

Plants of the World Online. (n.d.). Monstera Adans. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved October 13, 2026. powo.science.kew.org

Queensland Poisons Information Centre. (n.d.). Fruit salad plant (Monstera deliciosa). Queensland Health. Retrieved October 13, 2026. poisonsinfo.health.qld.gov.au/plants-and-mushrooms/fruit-salad-plant-monstera-deliciosa

Ray, T. S. (1990). Metamorphosis in the Araceae. American Journal of Botany, 77(12), 1599–1609. Retrieved October 13, 2026. tomray.me/pubs/botany/Ray1990MetamorphosisInTheAraceae.pdf

Royal Horticultural Society. (n.d.-a). Houseplants for humidity. RHS Urban Show houseplant profiles. Retrieved October 13, 2026. rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-urban-show/houseplant-profiles/houseplants-for-humidity

Royal Horticultural Society. (n.d.-b). Monstera standleyana. Plant details. Retrieved October 13, 2026. rhs.org.uk/plants/386880/monstera-standleyana/details

Steil, A. (2026). Why does my houseplant have brown leaf tips and edges? Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Retrieved October 13, 2026. yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/faq/why-does-my-houseplant-have-brown-leaf-tips-and-edges

University of Oxford. (n.d.). Monstera. Plants 400 profiles, Oxford University Herbaria. Retrieved October 13, 2026. herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/plants400/Profiles/MN/Monstera

National Capital Poison Center. (n.d.). Poisonous and non-poisonous plants: An illustrated list. Poison Control. Retrieved October 13, 2026. poison.org/articles/plant

Our genus care and range come from botanical and toxicology references; the cards carry the species details. Species notes follow extension profiles (North Carolina State Extension, n.d.-a; Marquesen, 2024) and the RHS, and problem notes also draw on general houseplant guidance (Hahn & Weisenhorn, 2026; Steil, 2026).

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