There's no better, easier option than a Monstera when picking out house plants. With their gorgeous leaves and lovely shape, these tropical plants look amazing in any space.
Monstera plants are flowering plants native to South and Central America, and they require some specific care if you want them to grow and flourish. However, when they first come home, they're often rather small. This usually leaves people asking one question: How long does Monstera take to grow?
Growth Rate Of Monstera Plants
The question of how long a Monstera plant takes to grow has no simple answer. Your plant's growth won't perfectly mirror your friend's, even if you both purchase your Monstera at the same time from the same place!
Every plant is dependent on a variety of factors. Each of these components plays a role in its overall health and growth, and every one will provide for these needs differently. Like all most tropical plants, the vital needs of a Monstera are:
- Aeration (drainage)
- Healthy soil
- Hydration
- Sunlight
However, let's assume that you perfectly and consistently meet each of these needs. Monstera plants grow around 1–2 feet per year. Broken down even further, that means the plant will grow a minimum of ⅓ of an inch every day. This prolific growth is thanks to Monstera's wild relatives. These climbing plants can grow to towering heights of 70 feet or more!
Is Monstera Easy To Grow?
Now that we know the potential growth for these plants, it's time to delve into achieving that success.
As far as houseplants go, Monstera is a fairly easy-to-care-for choice. Because Monstera is a classification rather than a specific plant, there are many options to choose from. The most popular variety is the Monstera deliciosa plant, also known as the Swiss Cheese Plant. In fact, when you think of Monstera, the image you conjure up likely is that of a Monstera Deliciosa plant.
Unlike other houseplants, Monstera plants are hardy and resilient. They can tolerate periods of drought and even accidental neglect. The primary downside to these lovely, leafy accents can be found in their foliage. When ingested, Monstera are mildly toxic to many mammals.
So, what's the summary here?
- Monstera IS easy to grow.
- Monstera can tolerate drought and neglect.
- Monstera should be kept away from children and pets.
Factors That Affect The Growth Of A Monstera
While we've already touched on the topic, it's useful to know a bit more about what factors have the biggest impact on Monstera's growth. Meeting all of these needs adequately and consistently allows your plant to flourish.
Light
While a wide range of Monstera is available to consumers, they all share the same light requirements. As climbing vines, these plants prefer bright indirect light for optimal growth. Exposing any Monstera variety to excessive or direct sunlight will often stunt its growth.
Exposure to bright sunlight can cause this plant's leaves to go yellow, brown, and wither. In their natural tropical regions, monstera plants grow up the trunks of trees, and the larger canopy of the rainforest protects them, which creates the dappled lighting conditions that these plants require.
Temperature
Outdoors, Monstera is a seasonal plant. Close attention should be paid to the temperature. If it ever dips below 60° Fahrenheit, then it's time to warm the plant up!
Should a Monstera be continuously exposed to temperatures below this threshold, it will likely enter a state of dormancy. This offers you the beneficial opportunity to cut back on watering and runs the risk of negatively impacting the plant's health.
Monstera grows beautiful as permanent indoor plants. It is far easier to control your plants' watering needs, humidity levels, optimum temperature levels for your Monstera's growth, and the need for indirect sunlight.
Water & Humidity
As with any plant, Monstera will need to be watered. Misting these plants daily is a good idea. Still, it is no substitute for providing the proper amount of regular hydration and is more of a way to provide a comfortable level of humidity as your Monstera grows.
The soil of a Monstera plant should always be a bit wet but never soggy or dry. If you overwater a Monstera or don't provide it with good drainage, this can encourage root rot and other issues that can affect this flowering plant.
Soil
While any light and well-draining soil mix will work for Monstera plants, you'll get the best results with fresh, organic, and nutrient-rich soil! Adding a bit of organic fertilizer, compost, or homemade enrichment can go a long way to improving your plant's health.
However, as with all other plants, it's important not to give too much fertilizer. Over-fertilizing your Monstera can cause leaf damage and even kill your plant entirely.
About Monstera Plants
The gorgeous, fenestrated leaves of a Monstera plant have been beloved fixtures in homes for many years. Once limited to royal houses, these plants have since worked their way into everyday abodes. Now, anyone with a few spare dollars can nurture their own tropical gem.
Taxonomy & Native Range
The majority of Monstera plants hail from the tropical forests of Central and South America. In these settings, the plants begin their life on the forest floor. They tangle with stones and other plants with their unique aerial roots, slowly rising to the available sunlight.
Botanical Characteristics & Growth Expectations in the Wild
Untamed Monstera plants can easily tower over 70 feet in height in their entirety using their aerial roots to climb up trees and other tall native plants. These prolific climbers are critical parts of their ecosystem, where they provide a way for existing foliage to stay rooted to the earth.
Monstera History & Origins
While cultivation of the Monstera plant has a long and illustrious history across various cultures, Western interest in the plant emerged during the 18th century. After its discovery, English botanists of the 1700s eagerly cultivated this plant for its beauty and rare fruit. Since then, Monstera plants have become primarily ornamental additions to homes.
Popular Types of Monstera
There are a few varieties of Monstera available. Many of these derive from wild plants, though a few are designer ornamentals. Many types of variegated Monstera are actually Monstera Deliciosa, but there are so many options when it comes to the Monstera family that is often ignored. Regardless of which option you choose, a bit of care and planning will guarantee that the result will be stunning!
Some of the most popular varieties of Monstera are:
- Monstera adansonii and Monstera deliciosa, both known as Swiss Cheese Plant
- Monstera boriginiana (Wrinkly deliciosa)
- Monstera deliciosa Thai Constellation, a designer variety of the monstera deliciosa plant, also known as a Swiss cheese plant
- Monstera esqueleto
- Monstera standleyana
- Monstera subpinnata
How Long Does it Take for Monstera to Grow a New Leaf?
Because the main attraction of most Monstera plants is the foliage, many owners are eager to see new leaves appear. For most Monstera, new growth happens every 4–6 weeks. As the plant matures, this will likely occur more frequently.
A good care routine will ensure that your indoor Monstera will have a healthy growing season, producing lots of new leaves and perhaps even flowers if the environment is good.
How Do You Speed Up Monstera's Growth?
If you've just purchased a Monstera plant, you're likely eager to see it thrive. While it may seem small, proper care and maintenance will help it take off with ease and grow properly.
Sufficient Lighting
As we've mentioned, the best lighting for a Monstera plant will mimic its natural habitat. Provide it with ample filtered sunlight, and it will flourish! Be careful not to give it too much natural light or too little light as both can affect your plant. Such as leaves turning brown or yellow.
Seasonal Care
Although fairly un-fussy when it comes to indoor plants, Monstera plants do require different care depending on what part of its growing season it's in.
Autumn & Winter Care
Even when kept indoors, a Monstera plant will likely enter a "dormant" period during the winter. This means that its growth will slow and not need as much watering.
You may want to move the plant to a warmer and sunnier spot during this time, as this will encourage new growth and brighter coloration.
Spring & Summer Care
During the spring and summer months, your Monstera will experience most of its impressive growth and it will need regular fertilizing and watering to support Monstera growth.
How to Stimulate Monstera To Grow More Leaves
If you're looking for a fuller, greener, and lusher Monstera, then there are also steps you can take to bolster its new growth frequency and health.
Providing Proper Lighting, Water, and Water
At the base of your plant's care should be the basics: you want to adequately meet all of its needs. Be sure the plant is properly watered while ensuring its container has drainage holes to escape excess water to avoid the root system suffocating in the event of overwatering.
Overwatering can encourage fungal infections and expose the plant's roots to rot. It will also need to be in the right spot and away from anything that may harm it.
Fertilizing Monstera Plants
As with any plant, a Monstera will benefit from fertilization. If you happen to have home composting up and running, then you're in luck! You have the perfect basis for your fertilizer. However, if you don't, then Pela's tabletop composter, Lomi, can help you add some much-needed, nutrient-rich dirt to your Monstera's regular care regimen.
A slow-release fertilizer can be the perfect option for those whose memories may escape them at times, ensuring your plant has a good level of nutrients at the ready.
Spring Pruning
To encourage new growth, you should also trim and prune the plant. Spring is the best time to prune the plant. However, if vines are getting unruly or have died, then you can carefully snip them off as needed. Always remove dead or withered vines when you notice them.
Keeping Leaves Clean
Because of their large leaves, mature Monstera plants tend to gather dust. Every now and then, it's a good idea to gently wipe down these large leaves with a wet paper towel or damp cloth. This removes the dust from the surface and allows the plant to perform photosynthesis more easily and efficiently. It also prevents your plant from looking dirty.
Repotting as Needed
Eventually, your plant will grow too large for its britches. When this happens, it's time to repot it!
Carefully move the Monstera to the next size up and provide fresh, nutritious soil. Keep in mind that these plants can tolerate and thrive with a bit of claustrophobia. The best time to repot a Monstera is when its roots begin to probe through the drainage outlets of a pot.
Conclusion
So, what does all of this mean? Well, in short terms:
- Monstera plants are easy to care for.
- Providing Monstera plants with ample care allows them to thrive.
- Make sure to meet your Monstera plant's needs for the best results.
If you're ready to take your care up a step, however, then it's time to invest in Lomi. This compact home composter is the best way to create easy-to-use nutrient-rich dirt for your plants. This result can then be mixed into the existing soil, where it will break down and provide your botanical buddies with all of the nutrients they need to thrive!
While we plan to launch Lomi worldwide later this year, you can get yours early! For a $49 deposit, you can reserve your unit today. You'll pay the remaining $450 balance when it ships to you. Each Lomi arrives ready to use and pre-packed with all of the charcoal-activated filters you'll need to run for months!
With Lomi, you can do more than composting your table scraps. In a matter of hours, you can turn your family's food waste and approved bioplastic trash into rich, nutritious, organic matter. This can be added to any soil or potting mix to boost its efficiency dramatically. If you're ready to see the difference Lomi can make, then don't wait! Reserve a unit today!