Monstera dubia

A trunk-climbing vine across tropical America

Monstera dubia is native from southeastern Mexico and Mexico’s Gulf region through Central America and tropical South America. Its range includes the western Amazon, the Guianas, Venezuela and Trinidad. It grows mainly in humid tropical forest, including primary forest, secondary growth and open areas. Most populations are lowland, although wild plants also occur in mountain forest around 1,600–1,800 m and occasionally higher.

The support a vine finds shapes how it grows. Juvenile shoots lie flat against tree trunks, while vines on large trees can climb higher and develop much larger leaves or hanging fertile shoots. On a weak or narrow support, a plant may flower before it develops its largest mature leaves.

Care for fenestrated aroid roots and climbing growth

Growth and support: Cut a runner into sections containing healthy nodes, or root a node against moist material before separating it. A node is required for each new vine. Give the young vine a broad, flat board, bark slab or similar surface. Keep it close enough for the stem and leaves to lie against the support as aerial roots attach.

Roots and substrate: Water when the surface of the rootball has begun to dry, then wet all the potting mix around the roots and let it drain. Do not let a mounted or shallow-rooted plant dry out completely again and again.

Temperature and watering: Avoid cold draughts and let water dry from behind the shingled foliage after watering or cleaning.

Health checks for Monstera dubia

• Papery old leaf bases are normal when the stem underneath stays firm. If the soft area advances into the green stem, set the plant apart from the collection and cut back to a healthy node.
• Yellowing, wilt or brown edges: The shingled vine may draw water from roots. In both its pot and a moist backing. Check each place separately when the leaves lose firmness. If roots decay, remove the completely soft sections and use a smaller pot around the healthy roots that remain.
• Spots, scorch or physical damage: Water trapped between a flat leaf and its support can leave soft marks. Improve airflow and direct water to the roots without repeatedly soaking the foliage. A soft mark behind a shingled leaf needs drier foliage and more airflow. An unchanged dry mark on one old leaf is previous damage.
• Pest signs on leaves and nodes: Thrips leave silver scars and black deposits, while scale or mealybugs can leave sticky residue in sheltered areas.
• Smaller leaves or lost climbing contact: Flat overlapping juvenile leaves and a narrow searching runner are normal. Guide the runner onto a broad surface where its nodes can attach. The silver juvenile panels can disappear as adult growth begins. Later leaves may become much larger and stand away from the support. Attached leaves becoming progressively smaller point to weaker. Light or root stress, while an unattached runner mainly needs a new climbing surface.

Monstera dubia is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

Why is it called Monstera dubia?

Monstera comes from Latin monstrum or monstrosus, words for something unusual or abnormally formed, referring to the striking holes and divisions in the leaves. The epithet dubia means doubtful; the species was first described from sterile juvenile material that was difficult to place.

Michel Adanson established the genus Monstera in 1763 in Familles des plantes, volume 2, page 470.

Karl Sigismund Kunth first described it as Marcgravia dubia in 1825 in Nova Genera et Species Plantarum, volume 7, page 212. Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler and Kurt Krause later placed it in Monstera as Monstera dubia in 1908 in Das Pflanzenreich, IV, 23B, page 117.