How to Grow & Care for Monstera Deliciosa ‘Albo Variegata’ (2023)
The Monstera Deliciosa has become one of the hottest plants in the market because of the stunning foliage on the leaves. You can deny planting the plant in their home. They belong to the subspecies of monstera deliciosa. They are basically tropical species that are native to Central and South America. The plant does have heavy variegation, glossy heart-shaped leaves that make them an ornamental plant. This article will help you with how to grow and care for Monstera Deliciosa ‘Albo Variegata’.
Key takeaways:
- There is no presence of chlorophyll in their creamy stripes like leaves as other plants do have.
- The full name of monstera deliciosa is monstera albo borsigiana.
- The part of plants that doesn’t contain chlorophyll is having mutated cells that don’t make them able to absorb the sunlight.
- Only green parts of the plants contain chlorophyll.
| Scientific Name | Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo-Variegata’ |
| Common Name | Monstera Albo, Swiss Cheese Plant, Windowleaf |
| Light | Bright indirect sunlight |
| Watering | Weekly, water if the top half of the soil feels dry |
| Temperature | 65°F and 80°F (18°C – 27°C) |
| Hardiness Zone | USDA Hardiness Zone 9b to 11 |
| Humidity | 70-85% |
| Soil Type | Rich, quick-draining, loamy |
| Soil pH | 5.5-7.0 (acidic to neutral) |
| Fertilizing | need to apply fertilizer once in a month |
| Repotting | need to repot the plant when the roots start growing out of drainage whole |
| Pruning | prune the plant when the leaves of the plant start turning yellow |
| Propagation | Stem cuttings |
| Toxicity | Toxic to humans and pets |
| Mature Size | 25 to 90 cm or 10’’ to 32’’ long and 30 cm wide |
| Bloom Time | Varies with the season |
How to Grow & Care for Monstera Deliciosa ‘Albo Variegata’
In order to take care of the plant you need to provide the plant with adequate light, sufficient watering, a warm, humid environment, etc. There is not much care needed for the plant as they are a bit hardy. The following are some practical caring tips you need to follow to grow Monstera Deliciosa.
- Light
- Watering
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Soil
- Fertilizer
- Potting and repotting
- Pruning
- Propagation
Light:
You need to place the plant in the east-face window where it will be able to receive an ample amount of filtered light. The other option is to grow the plant near a bright window and the window should have a curtain so that it acts like a filtered light in case of intensive sunlight. Need to choose the place very strategically so that the sunlight doesn’t fall on the plant leaves directly. Avoid the plant to get the full exposure but you need to make sure to give the plant some afternoon shade which will help the plant leaf from scorching and the damage to the foliage.
Watering:
As they are the Hardy ornamental plant consisting of a larger amount of leaves so you need to take care of the water system full stop typically you need to do the watering when the top end of the soil dries out. Also, you will find that the plant will look more beautiful when it is in drier soil than in wet soggy medium soil. You need to avoid over-watering as it will result in causing root rot and damage to the root system.
Temperature:
The temperature range of the monster plant ranges between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant does possess a low-temperature tolerance so we need to attain the adult temperature and don’t keep the plant in a cold draft or near hot air. The hardiness zone of the plant lies between 9b to 11. In case you are growing the plant outside then you need to bring the plant inside.
Humidity:
humidity required by the plant is quite high so you can use the humidifier or set up a Pebble tree to attend to the humidity level of the plant which is between 70 to 85%. Keeping the plant in good humid condition will help the plant to remain vibrant and healthy.
Soil:
The preferred soil for growing should be well-drained and rich in soil mix. To make the proper soil for monstera deliciosa You need to mix an equal proportion of Peat Moss for OM, perlite for drainage cocoa for texture, and fresh Garden soil. The ideal pH level is around 5.5 to 7.0 which is acidic to neutral. You can easily adjust the texture by adding more perlite.
Fertilizer:
You need to give the Monstera albo fertilizer at least once a month but in the growing season, you can increase the amount of applying to twice a month. The ratio that you can feed the plant is 20-20-20. Doing this will help your plant to look happy with healthy foliage. remember not to use excess fertilizer as it will damage the plant.
Support:
As the monstera albo is a climbing plant so you need to give the support of the plants like a bamboo stake, coco air, or a pole climber. If you provide the plant support of the plant there is a high chance of having larger foliage.
Potting and repotting:
For repotting a Monstera Albo you need to have a rich and well-draining mix. Use a pot that does have sufficient drainage holes to get excess moisture out of it. You need to do the repotting when you see the plant root start coming out of the current pot then it’s high time to repot the plant in another pot having inches more in diameter.
Pruning:
The pruning method is very effective to prevent the foliage from turning full green. You need to trim off the stems and leaves that are green. You need to remember to provide the plant ample amount of filtered light. By cutting the plant, damage to leaves and flowers helps to keep them away from pests and disease. In case the plant is infected you need to use sterile shears will help to prevent in spreading of the disease all over the plant.
Propagation:
You can easily propagate the monstera albo by stem cutting with the help of a sterile Pruning knife or shear and then just cut the healthy stem that is having at least one node. After cutting you can plant it into the soil or submerge the cutted stem in water. There are many other factors that help the plant in faster growth such as perlite and sphagnum moss as they have antibacterial properties that help the roots from rotting.
Common Problems of Monstera Albo:
To grow Monstera Albo in your garden there are not many problems you should worry about. But this doesn’t mean you should not take care of them. There are some common problems that you can get while growing Monstera Albo such as:
Pests
Pests are bugs which used to target indoor plants but you can save your plant by using an organic insecticide like neem oil or insecticidal soap. You can also wipe the leaves by using a damp cloth or spraying some water over the foliage of the plants.
- In case of find any yellow bumps that means the plant has got spider mites and when you rinse the plant you can easily get rid of spider mites.
- Aphids are plants that look like small green bugs and you can see them underside of the leaves.
- The plant can also get mealy bugs which look like little white puffs and are used to grow under leaves. To get rid of them you can use a cotton ball by dipping them with rubbing alcohol.
- Scale are the pests that are used to grow on the stems and leaves which look like small brown bumps To get them away you need to scrape them off
Diseases:
- The Monstera Albo are plants which are easily infected by bacteria or fungi when they are overwatered.
- If caught by Erwinia bacteria does cause bacterial blight and stem rot.
- In case you see any dark green circles on the leaves of the plant you need to throw them out but they are just infected leaves. You need to remove the leaves as soon as possible and let the plant recover.
- It can also get fungal infection due to which it gets a Myrothecium leaf spot which causes brown spots and to avoid it you need to cut off the affected leaf and make sure to spray it with fungicide.
Growing Problems:
They used to get growing problems because of improper watering and over-fertilization. To care for them you need to look for the signs of any infection which causes them growing problems.
Make sure to avoid overwatering and underwatering the plant. To prevent any fungal and bacterial infections you need to improve the drainage properties of the plants. Don’t use cheap materials or fertilizers as they will cause damage to the roots of the plants.
Note:
You should water the plants as much as they need, use the proper amount of potting soil, and give them the perfect need for sunlight. Anything in excess will damage the plant.
Conclusion:
There are many problems that you face while planting monstera albo due to overwatering Or underwatering which leads to turning off the plant’s leaves brown and yellow. They are also infected by pests, growing problems, etc. The above-mentioned ways will help you to grow the monstera albo at a fast-growing rate.
