How To Propagate Monstera Plants?

What Are Monstera Plants?

If there’s one thing you’ll adore about a monstera, it is those unique leaves. Take a look at a swiss cheese plant and you’ll know what I mean. The holes on the leaves can easily catch attention. No wonder people are going crazy over monstera plants. If you don’t have one, it’s time to grab a pot or two.

To tell you, the leaves of Monsteras have fenestrations. These unique hollows on the leaves are thought to enhance sun fleck capture on the forest floor by expanding the leaf’s spread while minimizing the bulk of leaf cells to sustain. Monstera is also a genus of tropical evergreen vines and shrubs endemic to Central America. They’re known for their natural leaf-holes, which has earned them the moniker.

In nature, a Monstera plant can also sprout aerial roots that allow it to rise up to 70 feet tall! Aerial roots, which grow above the ground rather than in the soil, climb on other plants using these roots.

Do you have any Monsteras at your home? If yes, it’s not a doubt that it’s a beautiful houseplant, right? And it would even be more amazing if you could learn how to propagate the monstera plant. Luckily, you’re in the right place. Read more below to find many ways on how to effectively multiply a pot of monstera.

Benefits of Propagation

Is it okay to propagate your plants? Of course! Here’s a little recap of the knowledge we gain from school. Remember sexual and asexual reproduction? The reproduction of plants via seeds is known as sexual propagation. Asexual propagation is the process of inducing plant vegetative portions (stems, roots, and leaves) to regenerate into a new plant or, in some situations, numerous plants. But wait! Don’t worry, we won’t focus on that topic. Just a little reminder to understand it, I guess.

Similarly, Monsteras too can be propagated through asexual and asexual methods of reproduction! Here are the benefits of propagating them:

• For some species, it may be easier and faster to multiply them through sexual reproduction,
• It could be the only option to keep specific cultivars alive,
• It keeps particular cultivars’ juvenile or adult traits,
• It enables the propagation of unusual growth patterns, and
• It may produce a vast plant more quickly (compared to one propagated by seed).

Ways To Propagate Monstera Plant

Here’s the good news. Monsteras are easy to propagate! Yes, the rapid growth and hardiness of a Monstera make it an ideal indoor plant for propagation. Your Monstera plant is ready for propagation when the gnarly roots start growing outside the pot from the stems.

So, let’s take a look one by one at these methods:

Monstera Propagation Via Stem Cuttings

Here are the steps how to propagate monstera via stem cuttings:

• Remove a lower leaf from your Monstera just below a node. When the plant is propagated, these nodes become new aerial roots.
• Use a knife or pruning shears that are clean, disinfected, and sharp. This way, you’re preventing any infection that might result from any pathogen coming in contact with the plant’s wound.
• The monstera cutting can then be planted directly in the soil or placed in a vase filled with filtered water.
• Keep the vase or pot in a bright, warm location. Every few days, change the water and rinse the stem. You should then start to see new roots growing in no time. This usually takes 3-6 weeks.

Monstera Propagation Via Separation

Here’s how you can propagate Monstera via separation:

• Before you begin, make sure your plant is well-watered.
• Carefully remove your Monstera from the pot by tilting it on its side and gently pulling it out with your hands.
• Then, cut the roots with a sharp knife or shears so that you have two or more plants. Make sure none of the stems or leaves are broken!
• Repot each plant into a clean pot with drainage once you’ve separated them. Make sure the root balls are no more than 2-4 inches larger than the pots.
• These outdoor plants should then be watered and kept in bright areas. In a month, you should see them showing new signs of new growth.

Monstera Propagation via Air Layering

Here’s how you propagate a monstera via air-layering:

• Sphagnum moss is required in this process. The idea is that you get the mother plant’s aerial roots to grow before you remove your cutting.
• Look for a node just below the stem that you’ll want to propagate later. If there are already roots nearby, that’s fine.
• Wrap the damp sphagnum moss over the node and cut and fasten it with string or a twist tie. Wrap everything in plastic wrap and secure it tightly, not too tightly, because the moss needs to be moist.
• Remove the plastic wrap every two or three days and spritz the moss with filtered water in a spray bottle before re-wrapping.
• After a few months, the stem in the wad of moss will have plenty of strong, healthy roots growing from it. After around two months, you can clip the stem from the node of the parent plant. Pot the air layered portion in a separate container.

Monstera Propagation Via Water Propagation

Here’s how to propagate a Monster via water propagation:

• Sharp shears and a disinfecting solution are required to take a cutting from a Monstera.
• Fill the glass, jar, or vase halfway with water, add the cutting, and set it at room temperature with bright but indirect light.
• The root formation of most cuttings begins after one or two weeks, but it can take much longer in rare circumstances.
• While any section of the Monstera can be used to show in water, only cuttings with a leaf node can produce roots and grow into a larger plant. Put your clippings in a transparent container and store them somewhere bright.

Monstera Propagation via Seeds

Here’s how to propagate Monstera via seeds:

• Monstera seed is easy to get by, but it doesn’t have a long shelf life. So, plant it as soon as possible.
• Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 12 hours. It’s normal for the seeds to swell a little as they imbibe water.
• Then, place the seed in a small amount of soil and keep it moist. It’s best to perform this in a warm area. But you don’t need much light, so avoid direct sunlight.
• A tiny seedling will grow from the soil after 1 to 3 weeks. It will take a long time for new shoots to develop the typical fenestrated leaves!

Final Thought

Propagating a Monstera may appear complicated at first, but it will become second nature to you in no time. If one cutting doesn’t work, try a different one. You can always explore the different methods of propagating monstera until you find the one that suits you well.

Monsteras are an excellent plant to start with if you’re new to propagation in general. Remember failing at first is normal. Don’t just get discouraged, but be motivated enough to master it. Enjoy propagating!!