Plant Know-How: Monstera adansonii

This hole-y plant is Monstera adansonii! If you've been keeping plants for any amount of time you're probably familiar with this unique plant. For a time Monstera adansonii was a hard to find "it" plant. They've become easier to find now but are no less popular! With their interestingly fenestrated (the botany term for holes that naturally occur in plant leaves) leaves and charming vining habit it's easy to see why this plant is so beloved! Monstera adansonii is the smaller cousin of Monstera deliciosa, but unlike Monstera deliciosa, Monstera adansonii has a vining habit, similar to the way Pothos grow. In the wild Monstera adansonii climbs up the trunks of trees, growing larger and more mature leaves the higher it gets. While you can certainly grow your Monstera adansonii as a trailing plant, replicating its natural climbing growth habit with a moss pole or plank will help it to produce those large mature leaves in your home! No matter how you decide to grow your Monstera adansonii we've got all the info you'll need here to keep it happy and healthy!

HOW TO CARE FOR MONSTERA ADANSONII:

Light requirements for Monstera adansonii: Monstera adansonii does best in bright filtered (indirect) light. If grown in lower light conditions your plant may produce increasingly smaller leaves without fenestrations, so a spot within 3 feet of a window that gets bright light, but not direct sun, all day is ideal. 

Watering tips for Monstera adansonii: Water your plant when the top 1/3 of the soil is dry. Leaves will look a bit limp, but avoid letting them get totally wilted since they plant may have a hard time bouncing back from extreme dryness. Plants grown in lower light conditions will need to be watered less frequently. If you need some help knowing how wet or dry your soil is, a moisture meter is a helpful tool that can take out some of the guesswork!

The Best Soil for  Monstera adansonii: Your plant will grow best in a chunky, well draining soil mix made for aroid plants like Monstera. Our Folia Favorite Potting Mix is exactly that! 

Is Monstera adansonii pet-safe? Like other plants in the Araceae family (aka Aroids), Monstera adansonii is not pet safe and can be toxic when consumed by pets. If you're looking for pet-safe plants, be sure to check out the Pet Safe category of the Plant Care Compendium! 

How to style Monstera adansonii: Though their leaves won't grow as large, we do love  Monstera adansonii when left to trail. They add so much visual interest when trailing down the side of a bookcase or shelf. 

Did you know? There are different forms of Monstera adansonii! The two most commonly seen in cultivation are a wide leaf form (2nd photo in this post) and a narrow leaf form (first photo).

Want to add this wonderfully unique plant to your home? We have Monstera adansonii available in-store and for shipping!