Monstera home - an exotic liana from the hot tropics. Description, care, transplantation and reproduction (75 Photos & Videos) + Reviews

Despite its bizarre and, to some extent, even intimidating appearance, this unusual guest from the tropical belt belongs to fairly unpretentious plants. Growing a monstera at home is not difficult, and even novice flower growers can handle caring for it.

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Origin and distribution

The plant belongs to the genus Monstera of the Aroid family. About 50 species of this plant are known, but the most widespread is the attractive monstera, which is also called the delicacy monstera. It is she who can most often be found in our homes, apartments, cultural institutions and office premises.

Monstera has an unusual appearance

This magnificent large creeper with a thickened stem and aerial adventitious roots is home to the tropical forests of Central America. In the wild, it grows in the hot and humid tropics of Mexico, Panama, Guatemala and Costa Rica.

Gradually, this vine became widespread in Asia and Australia, where it began to be cultivated for the sake of obtaining edible fruits. In regions with a temperate climate, monstera is grown as an indoor decorative leafy plant in rooms, greenhouses, greenhouses and winter gardens.

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Description

Growing monstera indoors, you should remember the impressive size of this plant. An adult liana in a house or apartment can quickly grow to the ceiling and take up a significant space in width.

The height of this monstera is more than 10 meters

Therefore, if you decide to grow this exotic beauty at home, you will not be able to get by with a small corner on the windowsill. For monstera, you will need to allocate much more free space than for ordinary indoor plants with a compact crown. Domestic evergreen pets live up to 10 years and even more.

Monstera grows in an original and interesting way. First, new leaves appear on the stem, their vine grows several pieces annually. When the leaves reach an impressive size, they stop their growth, and the plant releases new aerial roots. After that, new leaves begin to bloom, and then aerial roots again. In adult plants, the growth of lateral shoots is also observed.

Leaves

Monstera leaves are petiolate, rounded, very large. Often they have a diameter of 70-90 cm, and under favorable conditions in the wild they can reach a meter size. The leaves of the home monstera do not grow so huge, they have a smaller diameter, on average, 50-60 cm.

Leathery shiny leaves of dark green color are located on long petioles, which clasp the stem with their base. In a young plant, the first leaves are relatively small. They have an oval-heart-shaped shape and a solid sheet plate. Having gained strength, the monstera already forms large leaves with neat wide slots over the entire area of ​​​​the leaf plate.

monstera leaves

Such leaves first appear in the form of a tube tapering upward, which, having reached a sufficient size, unfolds in a short time into a formed leaf plate with large slits. After that, the leaves increase slightly in size, compact and acquire a slight sheen.

With the onset of maturity, monstera foliage becomes pinnately dissected, with clearly visible segments and stripes. Indented openwork leaves give the plant a peculiar, original and so recognizable appearance, for which it is valued.

Even more unusual and decorative look variegated varieties of monstera gourmet. They are attractive not only with the rugged shape of the leaves, but also with the originality of their color. White stripes, spots and strokes on a dark green background look very impressive.

It should be remembered that in order to maintain intense and contrasting colors, the variegated forms of this luxurious creeper need bright but diffused sunlight. If there is not enough natural light, the leaves of the monstera will turn green, losing the variegation, which is considered their "highlight".

Flowers and fruits

Monstera is an ornamental leafy plant.. However, with the creation of favorable conditions of detention and proper care, it is able to bloom. In order for the liana to bloom indoors, it needs to create growing conditions close to those that it has in its homeland, in the tropical rainforests of Central America.

monstera flower

Monstera home blooms with small flowers collected in a cylindrical thick inflorescence. It is quite large, and reaches a length of 20-25 cm. In its shape, the inflorescence is similar to a corn cob, covered with a kind of white veil with a creamy tint.

After some time, a fruit is formed from the inflorescence, which is a berry 20-30 cm long with a thick skin and juicy pulp. It is curious that the monstera fruit not only smells fragrant, but is also edible. Its pleasant taste resembles several tropical fruits at the same time: a pineapple, banana and mango.

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reproduction

This evergreen tropical vine reproduces in several ways:

cuttings

The best time for vegetative propagation of a plant is spring, from March to June. It is best to carry out at elevated temperatures up to 22-25 degrees. To do this, cut off the top of the shoot with a sharp knife to obtain cuttings. The stem is divided into parts so that each of the segments has one leaf or dormant bud.

Monstera cuttings

Places of cuts must be sprinkled with crushed coal, allowed to dry and planted in separate pots, and then covered with foil or glass. In pots intended for planting cuttings, be sure to make good drainage.

To do this, a layer of coarse gravel, broken shards, bricks, pebbles or expanded clay are placed on the bottom. Then a layer of peat or humus soil is poured about 2 cm thick, and on top is a layer of coarse sand about 2-3 cm, into which the cuttings are planted.

In a warm place, they take root within one and a half to two months. At the same time, cuttings with at least one aerial root will be best able to take root.

In order for the rooting of new plants to be more successful, a cutting is obtained as follows:

Such an operation stimulates the growth of roots at the incision site. When the roots are formed, the top of the shoot is cut off, and as a result, a ready-made young plant is obtained, which can be planted in a permanent place in a container or pot.

You can also use another option: wrap a bandage with moss on the aerial roots closest to the top and attach them to the trunk. Periodically, this bandage should be moistened, not allowing it to dry out. When a large number of new roots are formed, the top must be cut off and, after treating the cut with charcoal, plant this shoot in a pot with earthen mixture.

No need to be afraid to spoil the decorative look of the vine by cutting off its top. The fact is that in adult large monstera plants, the lower leaves gradually die off, which makes the trunk bare and the plant loses its attractiveness.

Pruning the top stimulates the formation of new side shoots., which will give your old plant volume and return its former decorative effect. At the same time, for those who do not want to disrupt the natural course of plant development and prune it, we can recommend the seed propagation method.

seeds

This method is possible only if the home monstera has bloomed and produced seeds. Usually, 10 to 16 seeds are formed in the "cob". After ripening, they are sown in a light earthen mixture. In heat and with sufficient humidity, after about a month, the seeds germinate.

monstera seeds

First, juvenile uncut leaves grow in seedlings, and already at 5-8 months of growth, real adult leaves appear. After two years, plants planted in a permanent place have a well-developed root system, from 3 to 5 juvenile leaves and 2-4 adult dissected leaves.

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Landing and transplant

To ensure sufficient nutrition for the monstera, it must be planted in large pots or containers, as well as periodically transplanted into a fresh soil mixture.

Monstera in a pot

At the same time, plants are transplanted with the following frequency:

Large mature specimens, provided that they grow in containers with a large amount of land, do not need transplants. In this case, it will be enough to remove the top layer of soil every year and add fresh fertile soil.

Soil Requirements

In the rainforests where monsteras grow, the ground consists of forest floor, compost, animal manure, decayed wood and coal formed after fires.

A special earthen mixture is prepared for transplantation

Such loose fertile soil must be provided to the liana at room conditions. The plant is planted in an earthen mixture having the following composition:

The addition of dry mullein to the soil has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of this indoor plant. The second version of the soil mixture for planting monstera has the following composition:

Here is another version of the composition of the earth mixture for home monstera:

There are other options for the composition of the soil for this vine. You can also buy ready-made soil for monstera and palm trees at the flower shop. In any case, the plant needs to provide good drainage, and the substrate must be light and fertile.

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Cultivation and care

Monstera home is valued not only because of its incredible decorative effect, but also because of its unpretentiousness.. Undemanding to temperature and lighting allows monstera to be grown both in warm and cool rooms, in places with good lighting and in dimly lit corners.

Monstera is a rather unpretentious plant.

This vine can withstand:

Thus, monstera is a hardy and very unpretentious plant that can tolerate deviations from optimal conditions. It will continue to grow, however, in this case, it will cease to bloom and bear fruit.

Monstera is a powerful vine, and supports are necessary for an adult plant, otherwise its stem may break. A good support option is an artificial trunk 70-100 cm high, which can be purchased at plant stores.

On the lower part of the stem, opposite each leaf of the monstera, aerial roots grow. They, reaching the soil surface, are introduced into the soil and provide the plant with an additional source of water and minerals. This contributes to better growth and development of the plant. In addition, aerial roots serve as a support for young stems.

When growing monstera at home, aerial roots should never be removed. They must be carefully bent down and directed their growth into the ground of a box or pot. The presence of aerial roots not only does not spoil the decorative appearance of the plant, but, on the contrary, gives it a special flavor and that original look, for which the monstera got its unusual name.

Watering and humidity

Indoor monstera prefers abundant watering, but can tolerate uneven moisture quite well. This part of caring for the vine is not particularly difficult. It should be watered regularly: in summer - more often, in winter - less often, but at the same time, both the drying of the earthen coma and excessive waterlogging of the soil in the pot should not be allowed.

Excessive watering and stagnant water for monstera are highly undesirable. Excessive moisture can cause rotting of the roots and the appearance of dark spots on the foliage, after which the plant may lose some of its beautiful leaves.

Monstera should be watered more often in summer

Do not forget that the monstera comes from the humid tropics. This climber with aerial roots is not as demanding on temperature and sunlight as it is on high atmospheric humidity. Therefore, your green pet will need to periodically spray the leaves, as well as wash and dust them.

In the hot summer, this should be done much more often than in the autumn-winter period. It is very useful to lower the long hanging cord-like monstera roots into flowerpots with water. This moisture contributes to much faster leaf development and good plant growth. Water for watering, spraying and rubbing the leaves should be used soft, preferably rain.

Temperature and lighting

The optimal temperature for monstera growth at home is about 18-22 degrees. In winter, the temperature for the vine should be approximately 16-18 degrees, however, the plant can tolerate slight fluctuations and temperature changes.

It is advisable to place the monstera in lit places

This luxurious indoor liana will feel good at temperatures ranging from 14 to 25 degrees. Do not turn the plant container to the sun too often or move it from one place to another. This can have a very significant impact on its development, and not for the better.

Although the monstera is not too demanding on the light regime and can put up with a lack of sunlight, it is better to place it in well-lit places. Optimal for this plant is the location on the east or west side. In the summer months, in order to avoid burns, the monster must be shaded from direct sunlight.

top dressing

An indicator of the normal development of monstera is the good growth of this vine. If an adult plant loses the ability to form large, rugged leaves, and new aerial roots that appear become thin, this is a sure sign that the plant feels a lack of nutrition.

Monstera fertilizer

With the correct composition of the land mixture and periodic transplants, indoor monstera can grow quite well even without additional nutrition. However, fertilizing with mullein or complex mineral fertilizer will not only not harm, but will also bring tangible benefits to the plant.

Monstera should be fertilized at intervals of once every 3 weeks. Top dressing can accelerate the vegetative growth of the vine and stimulate flowering. If the plant is grown in a pot or container with a small volume, then additional nutrition is simply necessary.

Diseases and pests

With proper care, the monstera is rarely affected by pests. If this happens, the cause may be improper housing conditions or infected neighboring plants.

Liana can be damaged by scale insects, spider mites and mealybugs. When the first signs of infection appear, the plant must be treated with special preparations from pests.

diseased plant leaves

If the old leaves of the monstera gradually turn yellow and die off, this is a natural phenomenon. But for all their unpretentiousness, plants can respond to adverse conditions.

Consider the most common care mistakes:

1. Dark spots on leaves This heat-loving vine may appear due to too low temperatures. In this case, the pot with the plant should be moved to a warmer place.
2. Monstera leaves may turn yellow in winter due to overmoistening. You should wait for the earthen clod to dry out and reduce the number and intensity of watering.
3. burns on leaves plants can appear in hot summer from direct sunlight. Monstera should be shaded from direct sun, especially at midday.
4. If creeper leaves turn pale, losing their intense green color, or dry out altogether, this may indicate a lack of fertilizer. It is necessary to feed every 7-10 days.
5. If plant stems rot, the cause may be excess moisture and low temperature: it is under these conditions that stem rot develops. In this case, you can not do without transplanting the plant into another pot. At the same time, you should increase the temperature in the room to the optimum for the growth and development of monstera and reduce watering.
6. Yellowing and drying of the edges of the leaves indicates dry air.
7. Leaves shrink and grow without slits due to insufficient lighting.

Monstera is one of the most beautiful ornamental foliage plants that is grown indoors. It is highly valued in floriculture, and in interiors it can serve as a magnificent decoration. Monstera is best suited for growing in large open spaces.

monstera in the house

It looks spectacular in offices, shop windows, hotel foyers and theater lobbies, in spacious country houses and large apartments. This plant is preferable to be placed separately from others. Monstera looks attractive on its own, although it can be combined with other decorative leafy or flowering pets.

Monstera - My favorite: home care

Monstera home - an exotic liana from the hot tropics. Description, care, transplantation and reproduction (75 Photos & Videos) + Reviews