Botanicals have been one of the leading trends for 2019, and it would be hard to not spot a Monstera print, art piece, or perfectly positioned leaf while flipping through a home decor magazine, or catching up on your favourite HGTV show. These plants have recently been recognized as an art form, based on their unique and abnormal foliage.
Native to the rainforests of Southern Mexico and Central America, scientists have speculated about the reason behind the perforations in the Monstera leaves, coming up with two major theories. Firstly, they believe that the holes maximize the plants surface area and its ability to capture sunlight on the rainforest floor and secondly, they allow the rain of a tropical downpour to pass through the leaves easier, limiting the levels of damage to the plant.
When it comes to choosing the perfect spot in your home for a Monstera, there are a few things to take into consideration. Ideally, you want to place this big, bold houseplant in an area with a lot of space to flourish, we would suggest a “statement-making” spot in a living room or bedroom. Monstera is a climber plant in its natural habitat– providing moss-covered support sticks or a trellis will assist in your plant’s growth. Temperatures should be a standard 20°C /68°F, and sunlight should be filtered, and indirect. Note that these plants can tolerate low light, however, they will grow faster and become more dramatic in a sunny spot.
For those of you who struggle to keep up on your watering, you will be happy to hear that the Monstera is somewhat drought tolerant, so although they do require regular watering to keep the soil from drying out- these plants are survivors and watering is only required when the top layer of soil becomes dry. The standard houseplant fertilizer is recommended in the Spring and Summer, especially if you notice the leaves start to look pale/light green. Fertilize more regularly if you want to encourage more growth.
Some refer to Monstera as the “Hurricane plant”, others “Swiss Cheese” – no matter the name, this air purifying, tropical houseplant can look beautiful in any space and if cared for correctly, can live for many years to come!
