Would you like to have a beautiful variegated plant with perforated leaves? A big shout out for this classy plant, the Variegated Monstera adansonii.
This tropical climber can get about 10 feet tall indoors and even taller in the open outdoor space. The juvenile leaves are plane dark-green with portions of white to pale variegations. Moreover, these leaves grow to develop beautiful perforations. This makes the plant look classy enough to decorate any corner of your home or garden.
This Variegated Adansonii can grow in hanging baskets, pots, and containers. Moreover, you can grow them outdoors in yards with a moderate climate.
A little different than the simpler Monsteras, this plant will still be an easy peep for all of you. Sounds interesting right? Please keep reading to learn more about the care and propagation of the Monstera adansonii Variegated plant.
Variegated Monstera adansonii Classification
Family: Araceae.
Genus: Monstera.
Species: M. adansonii.
Genus Monstera:
The genus comprises around 48 tropical flowering plant species. They belong to the rainforests of America. The basic feature of the majority of these plants is the unique perforated structure of their leaves. Moreover, it is responsible for the name coming from the Latin word, meaning ‘Monstera’.
These evergreen Hemi-epiphytes climb upon the trees with the help of their aerial roots. On the other hand, they grow expanded on the soil in their initial age. The low-maintenance and attractive appearance adds the majority among the popular houseplants.
Other Names
- Variegated ‘Cheese Plant’.
- V. ‘Window leaf Plant’.
Variegated Monstera adansonii Plant Features
Height and structure:
- The height is dependant upon several features like the species and the growing space. The indoor peeps remain around 10 feet tall. Howbeit, they can get much taller in the wild.
- The young plants give a bushy look with stems growing upwards. While the grown-up plants develop into vines with long dangling stems. You can shape them according to your taste by adding supporting poles, plant hooks, or making hanging baskets.
Leaves:
- These variegated leaves can get about 2 to 3 feet on maturity. While the average size in the initial years remains around 7 to 10 inches.
Toxicity:
Due to the higher levels of calcium oxalate crystals in the foliage, toxicity runs in the genes. Close contact can cause skin allergy and itching. Moreover, ingestion may lead to irritation of the lips, mouth, and oesophagus. So, make sure kids and pets are not mingling with your Monstera adansonii Variegated Plant. In case of emergency, don’t delay getting emergency medical help.
Variegated Monstera adansonii Care
The Variegated Monsteras need a little more attention than the simpler ones. Still, however, this one comes under a low-maintenance peep.
Quick Guide:
Water: Moist soil.
Sunlight: Very bright but indirect.
Humidity: Loves high humidity but tolerates average range.
Fertilizer: Mild dosage in spring and summer.
Let us dive deeper to learn the details;
Water Requirement
These tropical native Monstera Adansonii Variegata plants love to stay in moist soil. Howbeit, it doesn’t mean you need to keep it drenched all the time. The basic strategy is to water the soil and let the upper layer get dry before the next watering.
The watering frequency usually depends upon temperature, humidity, and sunlight. An estimated limit for spring and summer is around once or twice a week. While the nutritional requirement of the plant decreases on the colder days. Hence, once every two to three weeks is usually enough for the fall and winter.
Wet and soggy soil prevents the oxygen from reaching the roots. This leads to some serious issues like root rot. So, make sure you never over-do with the watering. If you are a beginner, it is better to check the upper 2 inches with your finger. Wait and water right after it gets dry. You may need to check a few times, especially in the beginning.
Sunlight Requirement
A long duration of very bright but indirect light is ideal for these plants. The lack of chlorophyll in the variegated plants increases their requirement for sunlight. A north or east-facing window is ideal for this bright light without the direct sun blaring down the leaves.
You can also consider using artificial light. The plant will need it throughout the year for a duration as long as 10 hours a day. Just make sure to place the light at a suitable distance from the plant according to its size and intensity.
Temperature Requirement
The ideal temperature range for the majority of the Monstera plants is between 19 to 26°C. Don’t ignore their intolerance for severe temperatures especially in winter. Cold and frost can destroy and even kill the plant. So, make sure to place the plant at some warm indoor spot before nature starts showing orangish hues in the fall.
Soil Requirement
These plants need rich and well-draining soil or growing mixture. Moreover, it should be acidic to neutral with the ideal PH level between 5 to 7.5. Adding peat-moss or bark along with the mixture enhances the drainage capacity of the soil.
Humidity Requirement
You can estimate the love for the humidity of these plants by their native habitat. These tropical plants look lush and healthy in an ideal range of humidity higher than 90%. Although they can tolerate medium humidity levels extra dry days can put a troll on their health. So, you need to maintain an adequate level for fall and winter.
There are different methods for enhancing the humidity for your Adansonii Variegated plant. You can mist the foliage mildly once or twice a month. However, make sure the plant is standing at a well-ventilated place to avoid rotting of foliage.
Using a pebble-water tray under the plant pot is one of the most convenient methods. Moreover, you can group the plants or use a humidifier in the surroundings.
Fertilizer Requirement
The variegated foliage having lesser chlorophyll needs additional nutrients. So, fertilizer is more important for this plant as compared to the other ones. Use a common houseplant fertilizer once or twice a month in the growing season. On colder days, the plants don’t grow much and the nutritional requirements. So, make sure you stop fertilizing right before the fall.
Pot and Repotting Requirement
Choose a spacious pot with drainage holes at the base. Your Variegated Adansonii plant is good to go without frequent repotting until about 3 years. Roots growing out of the drainage holes are a sign showing it’s time to repot. Select a pot only 2 inches bigger than the previous one. Any excess place in the pot makes the roots uncomfortable. Also, it stresses out the plant which results in plant diseases like pest attacks.
Place Requirements
The delicate Monstera leaves need to stay away from the drifts. So, don’t place them directly in front of an open window. Additionally, keep the plant away from direct exposure to devices like air-conditioners and heaters.
Growth Zones
The USDA growing zones 9b to 11 have moderate climates. If you are living in these zones, feel free to grow them outdoors as hardy peeps throughout the year.
Variegated Monstera adansonii Propagation
Want to enhance your collection by making some more Adansonii plants? Good news! You can do it easily by planting the stem-cuttings. Start working on some pleasant days in the middle of the spring until the middle of the summer.
Method:
- Take a sterilized pruning hears and cut 4 to 7 inches of stem. 70% isopropyl alcohol can help you to sterilize the shears. Let it get dry and wash thoroughly to remove the solution. Don’t forget to cut right below the leaf-node. Moreover, at least two to three leaves should be attached to the stem-cutting. It is better to take a few cuttings to ensure successful propagation.
- Let the cuttings stay for about three to four days in a warm place. This will help them to callous over.
- Plant the calloused cuttings about 3 inches deep in the moist, well-draining growing mixture. The pot should have drainage holes at the base. Keep the aerial roots under the soil to allow root formation.
- Keep the setup in a warm place with bright indirect light. Water the soil mildly suing a spray bottle right after the upper 2 inches get about 90% dry.
- All things go good and you will see baby shoot popping out after about six weeks.
- After the initial 3 months, simply follow the care as stated in the previous section.
Water propagation:
- You can grow the cuttings in water as well. Just fill a jar with sterilized water. If you are using tap water, let it stay over-night to remove the chlorine by evaporation. Change the water every week so it does not get mucky.
- The rooting system will take about 3 months to develop. At this stage, you can convert the baby plant to soil or a suitable growing mixture. Letting the baby Monstera adansonii Variegated plant develop in water is another nice option.
Feel free to share your experiences. We would love to share them here with our readers. Happy planting!
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Summary
Variegated Monstera adansonii is a rare tropical plant. Green leaves with pale to white variegation develop to form beautiful perforations. This climber usually gets about 6 to 13 feet taller and needs a supporting pole to climb. It is a nice choice for hanging baskets, pots, and containers.
Moreover, you can grow them equally well indoors and outdoors in moderate climates. Coming towards the care, keep them in bright indirect light and water right after the upper soil gets dry. On the final notes, don’t forget to watch out for its toxicity. Kids and pets should not mingle with all the Monsteras, including the Adansonii Variegated Plant.
