Monstera dubia – the shingle plant

Monstera dubia is a relative of Monstera deliciosa and is native to Central and South America. As it matures, this plant undergoes a dramatic transformation in its foliage – the taller it gets the more impressive it becomes. It starts out as a tendril growing from a seed on the jungle floor. It creeps over to the nearest tree and the leaves then start growing with smaller spaces between the nodes which causes them to overlap like shingles. As it gets higher the leaves continue to become larger until mature leaves form. These mature leaves form fenestrations that look like those on a Monstera deliciosa and Monstera Thai Constellation.

This radical change in leaf shape over the life of the plant is called leaf dimorphism.

The term dubia refers to dubious, because originally the scientists who were naming and writing about this plant were dubious that it should belong to the genus Marcgravia where it was originally located.

What does it need?

Monstera dubia is a unique and attractive houseplant that has different care requirements compared to other Monstera species. Here are some special considerations to keep in mind when growing Monstera dubia as a houseplant:

1. Light: Monstera dubia prefers bright light – but no direct sun. It will even be happy in filtered light and shade. Direct sunlight will scorch the delicate leaves. Give it a location where it can see the sky but not have the sun touch it.
2. Temperature: Monstera dubia prefers warm temperatures between 18°C (65°F) and 29°C (85°F). Avoid exposing it to cold drafts or temperatures below 15°C (60°F). Maintaining a consistent temperature is important for its growth.
3. Humidity: Monstera dubia is native to tropical rainforests, so it appreciates higher humidity levels. Aim for humidity levels around 60-70%. Most households will hold at least 50% humidity. It’s always best to know what your humidity levels are – don’t just guess or assume that it’s high or low. You gotta know. Use a humidity monitor or hygrometer. Do not attempt to increase humidity by misting the leaves. This just makes the leaves wet and let’s them stay wet which is a prime breeding place for fungal diseases. Don’t mist your plants – that mist isn’t the gaseous form of water, it’s just fine water droplets. The plant can’t take up water droplets. It can only take up moisture through its leaves that comes as a gas = humidity. Avoid placing it near air-conditioning vents or heaters, which can reduce humidity.
4. Watering: Provide regular water. Unlike a cactus, the Monstera dubia doesn’t like to be very dry at any time and great fluctuations of moisture and dryness will cause stress. Growing the plant up a moss pole will help to avoid this drying issue, and will also help to boost the humidity around it. Water the moss pole the plant is growing up – rather than watering the potting mix. Keep the moss pole damp and the plant will be happier. The water in the moss pole will trickle down and provide sufficient moisture to the roots. Avoid overwatering or letting the plant sit in standing water, as it can lead to root rot. Adjust the watering frequency based on the temperature and humidity levels in your home.
5. Potting mix: Use a well-draining, chunky potting mix that retains some moisture while allowing excess water to drain away. A mixture of orchid bark, coconut husk chunks, tree fern fibre and perlite works well. Ensure that the pot has drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
6. Fertilisation: Feed Monstera dubia with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength when it is growing. If your indoor conditions are consistent throughout the year, you can reasonably expect it to grow all year. Follow the instructions on the fertiliser package for application frequency and dosage. If the plant is not actively growing, do not apply fertilser.
7. Support: Monstera dubia is a climbing plant that produces aerial roots to attach itself to supports. Provide a sturdy, flattened moss pole for the plant to climb. This will help maintain its upright growth habit and prevent it from sprawling. You will need to extend the moss pole at some point, perhaps even to 1.2m high (6 foot) in order to get those lovely large, fenestrated leaves of a mature plant.
8. Pruning: Regularly check for any dead, damaged, or yellowing leaves and remove them. Pruning can also be done to manage the size and shape of the plant. Use clean, sharp pruning shears to avoid damaging the plant.

By following these care considerations, you can help your Monstera dubia thrive and enjoy its unique foliage as a beautiful addition to your indoor space.

Potting up your Monstera dubia

Before you pot up your Monstera dubia with a moss pole, make sure there is enough root mass for a bigger pot. Let’s say you have purchased a single leaf cutting, that has established roots and is in a little pot with Monstera-appropriate potting mix – as in the picture below.

It is important to wait until this plant has grown enough roots before you pot it on. Wait for little white noodly looking roots to start to grow out the drainage holes at the bottom before you repot. If you disturb this tiny thing so early in its life, it will experience a set back and won’t be such a willing plant as it could possibly become.

This is what it looks like underneath. You can see on right the dry scarred-over part of the petiole where it was cut from the parent plant. This must be kept dry and above the level of the potting mix in order to reduce rot. You can see below that portion where a good sized root is growing into the mix. That’s an excellent sign – thick roots are great on Monsteras. Thin, dark, mushy roots are death and a sign of pythium infection which is root rot. It was too risky for this little plant’s happiness to tip it out to take a photo of the growing roots. Just be patient and wait for them to grow through the bottom of the pot.

Adding a moss pole to your Monstera dubia

When you add a moss pole to your pot, start with an empty, clean pot. Make sure your moss pole is thoroughly moistened and not dripping wet. Be sure to remove the moss from the bottom of the moss pole to the depth of the pot you are going to use, and stuff in that black space of the pole some of the chunky potting mix. This is important for a few reasons:

• Preventing excessive moisture retention: Moss has a high water retention capacity, which means it can hold onto moisture for an extended period. When moss is left on the bottom of a moss pole under the potting mix, it can trap excess water and lead to overly wet conditions around the plant’s roots. This can promote the growth of harmful bacteria, fungi, and root rot, which can negatively impact the plant’s health.
• Promoting aeration and drainage: By removing the moss from the bottom of the moss pole and swapping it with chunky potting mix, you create a space that allows air to circulate more freely around the plant’s roots. This improved aeration helps prevent the roots from becoming waterlogged and allows excess water to drain away effectively. Adequate drainage is crucial for houseplants to prevent root suffocation and encourage healthy root development.
• Your moss pole will be dry when you take it home, and may shed a little in its packaging. That’s all to be expected. If any has trickled out, collect it up and keep it on hand to add into the top of the pole later as the moss may settle a little over time.
• The moss shouldn’t be too tightly packed so as not to be wettable, and it shouldn’t be so loose that it settles to less than half the height when it’s upright. Expect some changes over time as the material settles into place. As tree fern fibre is looser that sphagnum moss, there may be a small amount of detritus on the floor if the pole is bumped or jostled. That is a sign that the moss is too dry, so keep it moist and it’s less likely to trickle out.
• To secure your plant to the moss pole, you can use clear budding tape or small loosely tied twist ties – just until the roots of the plant have grown into the moss and it can hang on by itself. It is important to remove the tape or ties before the plant grows and it becomes too tight.

When should I add a moss pole?

Small plants that are potted up with a moss pole early on do better than larger plants which have a moss pole added once they are already tall. The one I used here is a moss pole tube that I flattened to give the plant a wide, flat surface on which to grow, using small hairpin like wire loops to secure the tendrils in place. It grew roots into the moss as well as into the potting mix only because I watered the pole. I didn’t directly water the potting mix.

It is a good idea to only add as much pole filling as the plant needs, and top it up from the top as the plant grows. This saves on having a great long length of the moss pole dry out too quickly, and also reduces the amount you need to water each time.

If the plants don’t come all the way up the pole you don’t need to fill the pole all the way to the top. You can top up when needed. Of course it’s completely up to you. Some people just want to do the moss pole once only and leave it, happy to keep the whole thing moist all the time. My preference is to only supply as much filling as the plant currently needs to the highest node point, tie it in place and keep that much of the filling damp. As the plant grows, top it up. Try that, and if you find it too fiddly or messy then fill the whole thing. Whichever suits your style.

When I add in the filling, I use a length of straight poly pipe with a cap on the end to tamp it down as I go, to reduce the gaps – but not so hard as to compress it to a pancake. Have a chop stick handy to poke the material around whatever holes are spotted, in order to allow the filling settle.

Placement of the moss pole in to pot

I like the look of the pole in the rear of the pot and the plant fixed in the front portion. This results in one obvious front side that faces out. It allows for the fixings and joiners at the seam of the mesh to be positioned at the rear of the pot so they’re not visible. Then with all that space in the front of the pot, I can fit 2 or 3 plants in and train them directly upright. I haven’t has such good performance or leaf size when I have allowed the plant to wind around the moss pole.

What about keeping it moist?

Keeping a moss pole moist is essential to provide the right environment for climbing plants and encourage healthy root growth into the pole. Here are a few ways to maintain moisture in a moss pole for a houseplant:

1. Regular misting: Use a spray bottle filled with water to mist the moss pole. Mist the moss pole daily or as needed to keep the moss damp. This helps to maintain the moisture level required by the climbing plant’s aerial roots.
2. Drip irrigation: Set up a drip irrigation system or use a watering spike specifically designed for moss poles. These devices allow a slow and steady release of water, ensuring that the moss remains moist without becoming overly saturated.
3. Watering the moss pole, not the plant: when you do water, pour the water into the moss rather than onto the potting mix. Watering the moss pole will allow for excess moisture to trickle down through the moss and into the potting mix. Be mindful to thoroughly moisten the moss pole but avoid overwatering the potting mix as excessive moisture can lead to root rot or other issues.
4. Humidity control: Maintain a humid environment around the moss pole and plant by grouping plants together. Higher humidity levels help prevent the moss from drying out too quickly.
5. Covering the moss pole: To further retain moisture, you can cover the moss pole with a plastic wrap, leaving the top exposed for plant growth. The cover helps to trap humidity and reduce moisture evaporation from the moss. This is a good temporary measure if you are taking a vacation, but is not recommended as a long term option. Besides which, it is unsightly.

It’s important to note that while keeping the moss pole moist is beneficial, it’s equally crucial to ensure proper drainage to prevent waterlogging. Avoid allowing excess water to accumulate at the base of the moss pole, as this can lead to root rot and other issues. Monitor the moisture level and adjust your watering routine accordingly to maintain a balance between moisture and proper drainage.