Monstera is a much loved houseplant. Many of us have it on our favorites list for its easy cultivation and exotic beauty. But Did you know that there are different varieties? Without a doubt, the best known of them all is Monstera delicious, a plant that has large, glossy dark green leaves that will beautify any room. Although it is not the only one.
Still and still all types of monstera require more or less the same careSo we are talking about some plants that will be very easy for you to have beautiful all year round. Therefore, if you want to decorate your home with them, take a look at the different types that you can have indoors.
Monstera selection
The Monstera plant is one of the most commonly bought to have indoors. It adapts well to the conditions in the home, and even if the climate is mild, it is possible to have it on the porch or in a covered patio.
But to have variety, you have to know the species that can be acquired in the nurseries. So let's start:
monstera acuminata
Image - Carousell.sg
La monstera acuminata It is a plant native to Guatemala that reaches 2 meters in height. It has dark green leaves with numerous small holes. It can be easily confused with the one that we will see below, but it differs from it mainly due to its color and the size and number of holes it has.
Monstera adansonii
Image - Flickr / spurekar
La Monstera adansonii It is a plant native to Central and South America that reaches a height of 2 meters. It has light green leaves, and large holes, more than those of the previous species. There is a cultivar called 'Archipelago' that has variegated foliage (green and yellow / off-white). It is sometimes called a monstera monkey.
borsigiana monstera
Image - auctions.logees.com
For many, the name borsigiana monstera Is synonymous with Monstera delicious, but after consulting some other website, I think it is better to separate them in this list, since there are some differences that, although they can go unnoticed especially while they are young, they are there. And is that borsigiana has leaves with much fewer grooves, with the stem joining them to the rest of the green and simple plant. In addition, it has a growth habit more typical of a climbing plant.
Monstera delicious
Image - Flickr / Hornbeam Arts
La Monstera delicious: adam rib, is a native plant from Mexico to the north of Argentina. It grows up to 20 meters in height and has very large leaves up to 90 centimeters long by up to 80 centimeters wide. From a young age it develops the furrows that divide the leaf into many leaflets, and the stem that connects it to the rest of the plant becomes wavy or even wrinkled, which makes it more flexible.
Monstera epipremnoides
Image - Wikimedia / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
With the name of Monstera epipremnoides Something curious happens: there are those who say that there is no such variety, and there are others who do. I think that it could be a different species from the others, that is why I include it in the list. It looks a lot like the Monstera adansonii, but we could say that it is his older sister: has larger leaves and, also, larger holes since it is young. Also, if you have the opportunity to compare them , you can see that the 'epipremnoides' has a lighter green color.
Minimal monstera
Image - Wikimedia / Theoperatingsystem,
The monstera minim, is a plant whose scientific name is Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. Sometimes it is also called Philodendron "Ginny" or Philodendron "Piccolo", but it must be clear that it is a different species. Still, let's talk about it. It is a plant native to Thailand and Malaysia, with bright green leaves that reach 4 meters in height. It is a climber, and uses aerial roots to grow.
Monstera pinnatipartita
Image - chooseyourplant.com
La Monstera pinnatipartita it is a very rare species. It is a small climber, about 2 meters long, with bright green leaves that, as the plant matures, divides in a similar way to that of M. delicious.
monstera standleyana
Image - theflowercrate.co.nz
La monstera standleyana, or philodendron cobra as it is also called, is a climber native to Central America. It has entire leaves, lanceolate, and generally dark green. although there is a cultivar, the »Albo Variegata» that develops green and white leaves.
Monstera care
How are these plants cared for? If you have decided to have some at home, but you are not sure how they are to be maintained well, do not worry. Here we leave you a guide:
Location
These plants, being native to tropical forests, are usually kept indoors in temperate regions since if they were left outside in winter they would probably not survive. Because they adapt so well, it is possible to have them beautiful with almost no effort. You only have to put them in a room where there are windows through which sunlight enters, and away from drafts.
Earth
Have them with a universal substrate, but it is important that it has perlite in its mixture (for sale here). These plants do not like to have excess water in their roots, so the soil must be light, not too heavy, and therefore of quality.
I recommend avoiding the typical brands a bit, since they are not always the best for plants grown indoors. In the case of monsteras, brands that are very interesting are: Flower (for sale here), Boom Nutrients (for sale here), Fertiberia (for sale here), or the like.
Irrigation
The monsteras They have to be watered every 3 or 4 days in summer more or less. Every climate and every home is different, that's why you have to check the humidity of the earth if you have doubts, since if they were overwatered, the leaves would start to turn yellow.
During the rest of the year the frequency of irrigation will be less. The substrate remains wet for a longer time, so you have to wait longer before watering again.
Humidity
These are plants that need high humidity. In case it is not, you have to spray its leaves with distilled or rain water every day, or if you prefer, put glasses filled with that liquid around them.
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It is highly recommended to pay monsteras with a universal fertilizer (for sale here) or for green plants (for sale here) during the warm months of the year. It has to be liquid so that it is better absorbed, and it is also important that the manufacturer's instructions are followed.
Transplant
They must be changed pot every 2 or 3 years, in spring. They are relatively large plants, which will need space to continue growing. Therefore, it is necessary to look from time to time to see if roots grow out of the holes in the pot, and / or if the specimen has grown so much that just by looking at it you can already sense that it has occupied the entire container.
When in doubt, stop watering for a few days, and when you see that the soil is dry, try removing the plant from the pot. If the ground bread or root ball remains practically intact, then you have to transplant it.
What do you think of the types of monstera that we have shown you? Do you like any one in particular?