Monstera deliciosa, commonly called the Swiss cheese plant, is a climbing houseplant whose leaves change shape as it grows. A young plant can have small, solid, heart-shaped leaves; a more mature plant may produce much larger leaves with deep splits and internal holes.
This guide covers M. deliciosa. The name “Swiss cheese plant” is also used for Monstera adansonii, a different species with generally smaller leaves and oval holes. Check the botanical name on the label rather than relying on the common name or one juvenile leaf.
Quick Answer
Give your Monstera bright, filtered light, a pot that drains freely and time for the upper compost to dry between thorough waterings. Support a tall or sprawling stem, keep it away from cold draughts and feed according to the label while it is growing healthily. Judge progress by new leaves: stronger care cannot add splits to an already expanded leaf.
Do This First
- Check the light reaching the leaves throughout the day, including direct sun and nearby obstructions.
- Feel below the compost surface and check whether the pot is still heavy with water.
- Look for drainage holes and empty any water trapped in the outer pot.
- Inspect leaf undersides, leaf-stalk joints and new growth for pests.
- Note whether one old leaf is affected or several leaves are declining. If decline is widespread, especially with persistently wet compost, inspect the roots before adding water or feed.
Monstera Deliciosa Care at a Glance
| Care need | What to aim for |
|---|---|
| Light | Bright indirect or filtered light; introduce stronger exposure gradually. |
| Water | Let the upper compost dry, check deeper moisture, then water thoroughly and drain. |
| Soil | An open potting mix that holds some moisture without remaining saturated. |
| Temperature | A warm room; around 18–25°C is a useful guide, away from cold draughts and radiators. |
| Humidity | Moderate household humidity; address very dry air without leaving foliage continually wet. |
| Feeding | A suitable houseplant fertiliser at its labelled rate during healthy active growth. |
| Support | A stable pole, board, trellis or stake suited to the plant’s weight. |
| Repotting | When roots are crowded or the mix has deteriorated; increase pot size modestly if needed. |
The RHS Swiss cheese plant guide supports warm conditions, filtered light, free drainage and climbing support. Your room and pot determine how often the plant needs attention.
Light: Give New Leaves Enough Energy
Start near a bright window where the leaves receive plenty of daylight without prolonged harsh sun. Window direction alone is not enough: a north-facing window shaded by buildings may be too dim, while a south-facing window with a sheer curtain may work well.
Long gaps along the stem, small new leaves and fewer splits can suggest insufficient light. Look at the newest growth rather than expecting older leaves to change shape. If the room is dim, bring the plant closer to the window gradually or consider suitable supplementary lighting.
Some gentle direct sun can be tolerated after acclimatisation, but moving a shade-grown Monstera straight into intense sunlight can scorch it. Increase exposure in stages and watch for pale or brown patches on the sun-facing side. Keep leaves off hot or cold glass.
Watering: Check the Root Ball, Not the Calendar
Check moisture regularly, but water only when needed. Let the upper part of the compost dry between waterings; in a deep pot, a dry surface can conceal a wet centre. Feel below the surface where accessible and compare the pot’s weight with how it feels after watering. Do not wait for repeated wilting or keep the whole root ball permanently wet.
NC State Extension’s Monstera profile suggests allowing the upper quarter to third of the mix to dry. Treat this as a starting point, adjusting for the pot, mix and growing conditions rather than a precise trigger for every plant.
When watering is needed, wet the compost evenly until excess water leaves the drainage holes. Let it drain and empty the saucer or decorative outer pot. Frequent small splashes can leave some roots dry while other areas remain wet.
Water use often falls in dimmer, cooler conditions. A heated room or grow light can change that pattern, so a winter date alone is not a reason to water or withhold water.
Soil and Drainage
Monstera roots need both moisture and air. Choose an open, peat-free houseplant or aroid mix that wets evenly and releases surplus water. Bark, perlite or pumice can help create structure, but there is no single homemade ratio that suits every pot and home.
A very coarse mix may dry inconveniently fast; a fine, compacted mix may remain wet around the roots. Check how yours behaves before replacing it. The guide to choosing an indoor plant soil mix explains the different ingredients.
Drainage holes must stay open. A layer of stones cannot compensate for a sealed pot. If water collects around the nursery pot, or the compost stays wet despite sensible watering, work through these indoor plant drainage checks.
Pot Size and Repotting
Slide the root ball out gently when crowding is suspected. A dense mass of circling roots, very little compost and increasingly rapid drying together make a stronger case for repotting than one root emerging from a drainage hole.
Water running straight through is not proof that a larger pot is needed: dry compost can repel water or allow it to run down the sides. Check whether the root ball actually became moist.
For a healthy, crowded plant, choose a container only a little wider than the root ball, with drainage holes. Spring or active growth is a convenient time. Refresh deteriorated compost without automatically increasing pot size; a plant that has lost roots may need a smaller container.
A tall Monstera also needs a stable base. A broad, heavy outer pot can help, provided runoff is removed. Do not bury a small root system in a huge volume of wet compost just to stop the plant tipping.
Support, Climbing and Aerial Roots
Monstera deliciosa is a climbing aroid, not a naturally compact rosette. As the main stem lengthens, the plant can lean or sprawl even when its leaves are healthy. Support helps carry that weight and gives climbing growth a stable route upwards.
Choose and Attach a Support
A moss or coir pole is one option; a sturdy board, trellis or stake can also support the stem. You do not have to buy a specialist pole. Choose something that can carry the plant’s eventual weight and is firmly secured.
Find the main stem, where leaves and aerial roots emerge. Fasten that stem loosely with soft ties. Leave the petioles—the individual stalks connecting leaves to the stem—free to move. Do not strap an unfurling leaf or its stalk against the support.
Position the support beside the aerial-root side of the stem where practical. Fitting it while repotting makes it easier to see the roots; avoid forcing a stake through a dense root ball. Guide flexible growth gradually rather than bending a thick, established stem sharply.
Aerial roots may attach to a suitable surface, but ties can still be needed. A dry coir pole provides mechanical support without necessarily becoming a rooting surface. If using moist moss for attachment, keep an eye on the pot below: watering the pole must not leave the compost saturated.
What to Do With Aerial Roots
The firm roots growing from the stem help the plant anchor itself. As Wisconsin Extension explains, they can also root into the ground when they reach it.
You can leave them alone, guide flexible ones towards the support, or gently direct one into the pot if it reaches without strain. They do not all have to be buried, and healthy aerial roots do not need routine removal. Do not force brittle roots into a tight bend or cut off anchoring roots just to make the plant look tidier.
Keep wandering roots away from damp walls and vulnerable surfaces. Repositioning the support or pot is often simpler than repeatedly cutting new roots.
Humidity and Temperature
A warm room around 18–25°C is a useful starting point, rather than a rigid pass-or-fail range. Avoid cold draughts, radiator heat and large temperature swings beside windows.
Moderate humidity is usually a practical goal. If the air is very dry and leaf edges are browning, check root moisture and fertiliser use before assuming humidity is the only problem. A humidifier can help dry air, but there is no need to chase a tropical humidity percentage in a living room.
Misting is not a lasting humidity solution: Iowa State Extension explains that its effect is brief. Keep air moving gently and avoid condensation or persistently wet leaves. Wipe dusty leaves with a soft damp cloth, supporting each leaf from underneath.
Feeding During Healthy Growth
Use a fertiliser labelled for indoor foliage plants and follow its dilution and application instructions. A ready-to-use feed and a concentrate cannot be treated as interchangeable products.
Feed when the Monstera is growing healthily with adequate light and functioning roots. Reduce or pause feeding when growth slows, and check whether fresh potting compost already contains fertiliser. Avoid stacking liquid feed on top of another product without checking both labels.
Heavy feeding cannot compensate for a dim corner or damaged roots. If the plant is wilting, yellowing rapidly or sitting in wet compost, investigate that first rather than trying to force larger leaves with extra nutrients.
Why Does My Monstera Have No Splits?
Fenestrations are the natural openings in developing Monstera leaves. Juvenile growth commonly has solid leaves; as the plant matures, new leaves can become larger and more divided. A healthy young plant is not defective because its leaves have no holes.
Maturity alone does not guarantee a particular leaf shape. Adequate light, a supported climbing stem and healthy roots help the plant sustain mature growth. Plants recovering from stress or growing new shoots after pruning may produce smaller, less divided leaves.
The pattern forms while a leaf develops. An already expanded, unsplit leaf does not later acquire natural splits because you improve its care. Assess subsequent leaves, and never cut holes or slits into a leaf.
Why Have New Leaves Stopped Getting Bigger?
Compare fully expanded leaves from the same growing stem. One pot may contain several plants at different stages, so comparing a small side shoot with the largest leaf can be misleading.
First check whether light has fallen or the stem has grown beyond its support. Then consider root crowding, persistently wet compost, pests, recent pruning or repotting, and the feeding history. Correct the limiting condition rather than changing everything at once. There is no reliable deadline for the next larger or more divided leaf.
Common Monstera Problems
Use symptoms to guide an inspection, not as a diagnosis on their own. Check where damage starts, whether it is spreading and what changed recently.
| Symptom | Possible causes | Check first | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow leaves | Old-leaf ageing, wet or dry roots, cold, pests or nutrient problems. | One old leaf or several? Is the compost wet below the surface? | Match watering to moisture; inspect roots if decline is widespread. Do not add feed automatically. |
| Brown crispy edges | Repeated drying, dry air, strong sun or excess fertiliser salts. | Root-ball moisture, heat exposure and feeding history. | Correct the likely stress and monitor fresh growth; dead edges will not turn green. |
| Brown or black soft areas | Cold injury, root or stem decay, or a leaf-spot problem. | Stem firmness, roots, wet foliage and recent chilling. | Investigate promptly; separate a plant with spreading lesions while identifying the cause. |
| Drooping | Dry compost, water-damaged roots, heat or recent disturbance. | Moisture and root condition before reaching for water. | Water a dry root ball thoroughly; do not add more water to a sodden one. |
| Curling leaves | Water stress, heat, strong sun or pests; a new leaf may simply be unfurling. | Leaf age, undersides, compost and position. | Leave an emerging leaf alone; address the cause of curling in established leaves. |
| Small new leaves | Low light, unsupported growth, root restriction or damage, poor nutrition or stress. | Fully expanded leaves on the same stem and recent care changes. | Improve the limiting condition, then assess later growth. |
| No fenestrations | Juvenile growth, low light or reduced vigour. | Maturity, light and support. | Keep healthy solid leaves and judge future leaves, without a fixed timetable. |
| Webbing or sticky residue | Spider mites, mealybugs or some scale insects; other causes are possible. | Leaf undersides and stem joints for the pest itself. | Separate the plant from others and identify the pest before choosing treatment. |
Root Rot: When a Drooping Plant Is Already Too Wet
If several leaves decline while compost stays wet, ease the root ball out while supporting the heavy stems. Rotten roots are often soft, collapsing or easily broken; colour alone is not enough to judge them. Healthy roots should feel firm.
Where damage is limited, remove clearly decayed roots with clean tools and repot into fresh, freely draining mix in a clean container suited to the remaining roots. Correct trapped runoff and watering frequency. Do not feed immediately to compensate for root loss.
A soft, rotting main stem or extensive root loss makes recovery less certain. Follow the fuller root rot guide for houseplants for inspection and recovery steps; repotting alone is not a guaranteed cure.
Common Pests
Monstera’s broad leaves and sheltered joints give pests plenty of hiding places. Check both sides of the leaves and around new growth.
- Spider mites: pale speckling, tiny moving dots and sometimes fine webbing.
- Thrips: silvery scarring, small dark droppings and distorted new growth; inspect for slender insects.
- Scale insects: attached bumps on stems or leaf undersides; some types leave sticky honeydew.
- Mealybugs: white cottony clusters, often tucked into leaf joints.
Separate an affected plant, inspect nearby plants and identify the pest before treatment. The indoor plant pest guide helps distinguish the signs. Follow any treatment label for the plant, pest and indoor use; check again for survivors and new activity rather than assuming one application worked.
Is Monstera Deliciosa Toxic to Cats and Dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Monstera deliciosa as toxic to cats and dogs. Its calcium oxalate crystals can irritate the mouth and throat when chewed, causing pain, drooling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing.
Keep leaves, stems and cuttings out of reach of pets and young children. Wear gloves when pruning or handling sap, which can irritate skin. A high shelf is only useful if the plant and any trailing growth are actually inaccessible.
If a pet may have chewed the plant, contact your vet or an animal poison advice service promptly, particularly if symptoms occur. Seek urgent veterinary help for breathing or swallowing difficulty. Do not attempt home treatments.
Pruning and Propagation
Prune to manage an overlong stem or remove dead tissue, rather than stripping off healthy juvenile leaves. Use clean, sharp tools and gloves. Leave healthy stem nodes on the parent plant; new shoots may initially have smaller leaves and fewer splits.
To make a cutting, include a piece of main stem with a healthy node and growth bud, ideally with a leaf. A node is the point where a leaf joins the main stem, often near an aerial root. A leaf stalk by itself will not grow into a new Monstera plant.
Root the node in water or a suitable moist propagation mix, keeping the leaf clear of the water or compost. Choose healthy material and avoid damaged or rotting stem sections. For jar care and the move into compost, see how to propagate houseplants in water.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Watering a drooping plant without checking whether its roots are already wet.
- Moving straight from a dim corner into strong sun.
- Using an oversized pot to stabilise a top-heavy stem.
- Tying leaf stalks to a pole or cutting healthy aerial roots unnecessarily.
- Removing solid juvenile leaves or feeding heavily to force splits.
- Missing pests because only the upper leaf surface was checked.
FAQs
Is Swiss Cheese Plant Always Monstera Deliciosa?
No. Monstera deliciosa is widely sold under that name, but M. adansonii also shares it. Botanical labels are more useful than common names, particularly for young plants that do not yet have mature leaf shapes.
Can I Keep a Monstera Without a Moss Pole?
Yes. A board, trellis or sturdy stake can support a climbing stem. A small plant may not need support yet; a larger sprawling plant needs enough space and stability to avoid damaged stems.
Should I Remove Every Yellowing Leaf?
Investigate the cause first. A fully yellow or dead leaf can be removed carefully, but removing leaves does not correct a watering or pest problem. Keep healthy green leaves, including those without splits.
Can I Put My Monstera Outside in Summer?
Only when conditions are reliably warm. Start in sheltered shade, increase light gradually and protect it from wind. Check the forecast and bring it indoors before cold nights; inspect for pests before returning it to other houseplants.
Will Every New Leaf Be Larger Than the Last?
No. Leaf size varies with growing conditions, the shoot’s maturity and recent stress or pruning. Compare expanded leaves from the same stem over time rather than treating one smaller leaf as proof of a problem.
Final Thoughts
For a struggling Monstera, decide first whether the problem is limited light, wet or dry roots, a stem needing support, or pests. Make the change that fits those checks. Keep healthy juvenile leaves, allow new growth to develop and judge progress by its condition rather than a promised number of splits.
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