Monstera Monkey Leaf: Care, Location & Co.

Whether on tablecloths or wallpaper, Monstera window leaves are all the rage. The impressive leaves of the Monstera Monkey Leaf give every room or winter garden a homely character.

A particularly beautiful type of Monstera Window leaf is monkey leaf. Thanks to its smaller leaves, it finds a place in every apartment and gives it a modern touch of the jungle. We will show you how to properly care for the Monstera Monkey Leaf and even how to propagate it yourself.

Monstera Monkey Leaf: Origin and Characteristics

The window leaf type Monstera Monkey Leaf (Monstera adansonii) comes from the tropical forests and river banks of Central and South America. In these natural locations there is a humid climate and the soils are rather acidic with a pronounced humus layer.

You are probably wondering where the name Monkey Leaf comes from. Legend has it that a monkey hid behind a monstera leaf after discovering a botanist. This botanist saw the monkey with the leaf in front of his face and named the plant Monkey Leaf.

Like all window leaves, the leaves of the Monstera Monkey Leaf have holes in the leaf surface. Unlike most of the others Window leaf types However, the holes in the Monkey Leaf are retained by a closed leaf edge. In addition, with a maximum diameter of 30 centimeters, the leaves are significantly smaller than those of other species. The Monstera Monkey Leaf has a liana-like growth. With optimal care, the Monstera shows vigorous growth and forms flowers. These white inflorescences are enclosed with a large leaf sheath. But the monkey leaf is a beauty even without a flower.

Note: All parts of the Monstera Monkey Leaf plant are poisonous. You should therefore make sure that children or pets do not swallow any parts of the Monstera plants. During maintenance work, you should also avoid contact with the sap, as this can trigger skin reactions.

Plant and repot the Monstera Monkey Leaf

A suitable location for a Monstera Monkey Leaf is warm all year round, between 18 and 29 ° C, and as bright as possible. However, it does not tolerate direct sunlight well. The Monkey Leaf can also survive in a darker corner of the room, but growth is clearly stunted here.

Before you plant your monstera, you should consider what type of growth you want. As a liana, it needs a climbing aid for upright growth. Without this support, the Monkey Leaf is very suitable as a hanging greenery, for example in a hanging basket.

The Monstera window leaf feels very comfortable in a loose plant substrate that is enriched with expanded clay, for example. We recommend that you use compost-based soil without peat to ensure a good supply of nutrients and to protect the environment. In addition, a compost-based soil imitates the natural site. Our Plantura organic universal soil Its slightly acidic pH makes it ideal for these and other Monstera species.

If the first roots protrude from drainage holes, growth is stunted or the If water absorption of the substrate is hindered, we advise you to remove the root ball from the planter take out. If you can see a very dense network of white roots, it is time to repot your Monstera. This is usually necessary every three years. We recommend that you plant the window leaf in a pot that is about 5 cm larger in diameter. The optimal time for repotting is spring. As with a new plant, we recommend a compost-based soil like ours as a substrate Plantura organic universal soil. With a 3 cm layer of expanded clay on the bottom of the planter, you will get a good layer of drainage. After repotting, simply pour vigorously and put in the previous location to avoid further stress. No fertilizer should be given for the next two months.

tip: If you want to stimulate stronger growth, you can choose a larger pot. On the other hand, if you want to limit growth, use the smallest possible pot.

Caring for the Monstera Monkey Leaf

The Monstera Monkey Leaf is an easy to care for houseplant. Adequate watering is very important for lush growth. The Monstera does not tolerate waterlogging or drought. We therefore advise you to wait between watering until the surface of the plant substrate has dried off. Up to 80% of the root ball is allowed to be dry before watering thoroughly until water emerges from the drainage holes. In summer you can also put your Monstera outside. You should only note that the Monkey Leaf does not tolerate direct sunlight and temperatures below 10 ° C.

If the Monstera Monkey Leaf feels comfortable in its location, vigorous growth can be observed. Their nutritional requirements are correspondingly high. Therefore, a special fertilizer for indoor plants should be used, with which you can provide a continuously needs-based supply of nutrients. Our Plantura organic indoor & green plant fertilizer is designed for green plants and enables you to easily supply your Monstera with important nutrients. The ratio of the main nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in ours Organic indoor & green plant fertilizer is perfect for your monstera. With this fertilizer you are not only doing something good for your plant, but also for the environment, as our organic house plant fertilizer is produced in a resource-saving and climate-friendly manner. The Monstera Monkey Leaf should be fertilized once a week according to the dosage instructions. In winter, a monthly fertilization is sufficient.

If one or the other shoot of the Monstera Monkey Leaf bothers you, you can easily remove or cut it back. Regular pruning is not necessary, but it can lead to denser growth. You can also use the cut off shoots to multiply the monstera. You should not cut off the aerial roots. When these have reached the ground and are disturbing, you can dig the aerial roots into the planter.

Especially in winter, dry air can cause brown tips on the leaves. Spraying the Monkey Leaf with water at least once a week can help prevent this. To increase the humidity, you can also put a few stones in a saucer and fill it with water so that the pot does not come into contact with the water. You can then simply refill it regularly.

Tip: The humidity is usually higher in the bathroom or kitchen. If there is enough light, these rooms are a very good location.

Monstera Monkey Leaf Propagate

The Monstera Monkey Leaf can be propagated very well by cuttings. The window leaf can form roots at the leaf nodes. This can be used by cutting off shoot pieces that are around 15 to 20 cm long and contain at least one leaf node. You can stick the freshly cut cuttings in moistened soil. A mixture of some sand and a seed soil that promotes root growth, like ours, is suitable here Plantura organic herb & seed compost. The entire shoot, including the leaf nodes, should be covered with soil. Only the leaf should stick out of the earth. Alternatively, you can also put the cuttings in a glass with a little water. You should change the water twice a week. If you see above-ground growth, it is best to wait another three weeks and then plant the cuttings in universal soil.

Propagating plants yourself is not only fun, it is also a great way to swap with friends. As Pull houseplants from cuttings, we reveal to you in our special article.