Monstera Borsigiana (Monstera Deliciosa Borsigiana) Growing & Caring Guide

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin

The monstera borsigiana is often called the yellow variegated monstera because the patterns of its leaves carry that color. If you look closely, it looks very much like the monstera albo.

But, they differ significantly in the color of the variegations. The albo has white or creamy white patterns, whereas the monstera borsigiana has yellow ones.

The reason they look very similar to one another is that they are variations of the monstera deliciosa. As such, if you look closely, you’ll see both resemble that plant.

As such, grow to similar sizes. That is, getting very large outdoors which allows them to live up to their name monstera, which means “monster”. Obviously, from their looks you know they’re not monsters because all three are stunning plants.

Instead, it is the size to which they grow to and the large leaves with holes that conjure up this image.

Indoors, they’re much smaller. But, can still get up to 8 to 10 feet. So, you’ll need to prune them as needed.

Table of Contents

Monstera Borsigiana Plant Care

Monstera Borsigiana Light

The monstera borsigiana thrives in bright filtered or dappled light. It cannot tolerate long periods of direct sunlight. So, it is a good idea to keep it away from a location that gets a few hours of the sun’s direct rays on a daily basis.

Doing can lead to leaf burn which destroys the look of your plant not to mention damage it.

Similarly, you don’t want to keep it under lots of shade or in a dark corner. It can tolerate some low light. But, if you keep it there, monitor it for a few weeks to see how it reacts.

Grow may slow depending on how low the light is. If there’s sufficient light, its growth won’t by affected my much or just slow a little. This is fine.

But, if growth slows considerably, you may consider moving it. Keep adjusting until you get that sweet spot. If it gets dim enough, growth completely stops.

Similarly, you’ll see it start to lose it variegations. The darker the location, the more yellow color loss as the plant adjusts to absorb more light from what little it can get.

This makes the north, northeast and northwest good spots. An east facing window also works.

However, you’ll need to filter the afternoon sun in a west or south-facing window.

Monstera Borsigiana Temperature & Humidity

Your monstera borsigiana is not a thirsty plant. On average, it requires watering about once a week.

But, the frequency will depend on the time of the year

During spring and summer, the plant is actively growing. These are also hotter months, especially summertime. Thus, you’ll likely once or twice a week.

Fall is cooler. And, winter gets really cold in most areas of the country. Plus, the plant rests during this time. As such, it doesn’t use up or need the same amount of resources it does when actively growing.

So, you’ll be watering at most once a week.

Because of the variability, it is never a good idea to follow a fixed schedule.

Instead, test the soil before watering. Always.

This ensures that you don’t end up overwatering it which could waterlog the soil. Which, in turn, can lead to root rot.

Regularly checking also lets avoid allowing the soil to dry too much, which will dehydrate your plant and cause it to wilt. While it can tolerate this, it cannot do so for very long periods of time.

Monstera are a big drought tolerant. So, you don’t have to worry if you miss a few watering sessions here and there. But, don’t make it a habit. And, don’t let it completely dry for too long.

The easiest ways I’ve found to monitor the soil it either by using a moisture meter or using your finger. The latter is self-explanatory. Use the device and it will instantly tell you how moist the soil is.

This makes it easy to know when to water. And, it allows you to be precise.

You can likewise go by hand. Just stick your index finger down 2 inches into the potting soil. If it feels dry, water now. If it is still moist, wait 1 or 2 days before testing again.

How to Water Monstera Borsigiana

Similarly, how you water is important.

Here, you want to wet the soil until it start dripping from the holes below. Don’t water the plant from overhead which will wet all the leaves. Doing so, can run the risk of fungal infection, especially if the foliage doesn’t dry quickly enough.

Instead, position the hose under the leaves and onto the soil. Then turn the water on.

Once the pot starts dripping, turn the water off.

Now, it is time to wait. You want all the excess water to completely drain out. This reduces the risk of root rot or letting your plant sit in water.

This method works because it ensures the entire root ball gets moisture. As such, water easily reaches the roots.

Soil

The yellow variegated monstera borsigiana likes moist, well-draining soil. That’s because its natural habitat are the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.

As such, it is used to rich, moist soil. This is likewise what you want to give it. Or, at the very least, closely mimic to get optimum growth.

Similarly, it enjoys soil pH of between 5.0 to 7.5.

The best way to do this is to use loose, airy, well-draining potting mix. You can use regular potting soil. Then add peat moss, perlite and orchid bark to improve drainage while letting it hold enough moisture to keep soil slightly damp.

Since the borsigiana is prone to root rot, which in turn is caused by overwatering, you need to make sure that the mix removes excess moisture quickly. That’s what the perlite and orchid bark do.

Fertilizing

Your monstera borsigiana is a light to moderate feeder. It will be perfectly happy with regular houseplant fertilizer. Apply once a month from spring to fall, then stop or reduce significantly during the winter. Make sure you dilute it based on the instructions.

Plants grow faster with fertilizer. But, too much fertilizer is harmful to your plant’s roots and leaves. Unfortunately, like water damage, it is irreversible. So, you can only work through what has happened.

Also, if you bought the plant, check to see if the potting soil comes with fertilizer or not. Make sure to ask what kind also.

Some come with an initial starter dose that lasts from 2 weeks to a month or so. Others include slow release fertilizer in the soil. This means you won’t need to feed it for 6 months which is when the dose runs out.

Knowing this is important so you don’t double up on the dose which can lead to root burn.

Besides liquid fertilizer, you can likewise use slow release fertilizer. This allows you to fee the plant 3 times a year. And, it will be happy.

Monstera Borsigiana Pruning

In nature, the monstera borsigiana can grow up to 15 or so fee tall. This size is somewhat limited indoors to around 4 to 10 feet. Nevertheless, it is still a sizable plant with large leaves that layer over one another.

Without pruning, it not only gets big but also somewhat messy. This makes trimming it every so often important for aesthetic purposes.

Similarly, you want to remove damaged or dead leaves which not only look ugly but also cause the plant to use up valuable resources.

Finally, if you find and diseased parts, be it bacterial or fungal, it is important to trip these sections off along with treating it. This keeps it from spreading.

Propagation

Stem cutting is the easiest way to propagate your monstera borsigiana. There are other methods as well that work if including division which works really well if you want to reduce the size of your mother plant.

How to Propagate Monstera Borsigiana from Stem Cuttings

Before you begin, have fresh, well-draining potting soil on hand. Also, you’ll want a small pot, glass jar with water and sterilized pruning shears.
Find a healthy stem that has as least 2 leaves.
Cut a stem that’s about 4 to 6 inches long just below a node.
You can root the stem cutting in water or go straight into soil.
If you start with water, place the stem cutting in the jar with water.
After 3 to 4 weeks you’ll see roots developing.
Wait for the roots to get to about an inch or two. Then, move them into a pot with fresh, well-draining potting mix.
If you want to go directly to soil, plant the stem cutting into the soil.
Water the soil and keep it moist. Leave it in a warm, humid place with bright, filtered light.
In 4 to 6 weeks, gently pull the cutting to test how much resistance it gives you. You don’t want to pull it out completely, just tug on it. If it resists, that means roots have formed and are developing. Otherwise, something likely went wrong.
From there, just keep caring for it like you would its mother plant.
Soon, you’ll see leaves sprout.

Transplanting & Repotting Monstera Borsigiana

Your monstera borsigiana doesn’t mind being rootbound. As such, you don’t need to hurry when in repotting. In fact, it is best to only repot when needed.

That is, when the plant’s roots start coming out from the holes of the pot. This means it is spreading outward in search of more soil.

When repotting, move to slightly bigger pot. Don’t go up more than 1 or 2 pot sizes because it will stress the plant out. Also, too large a container increases the risk of root rot due to the added amount of water relative to the size of the roots.

Another helpful reminder when repotting is to water the plant 24 or so hours before you repot. This will soften the soil making it easier to slide the plant out. This can be tricky when pot bound.

Toxicity

As with other monstera plants, the borsigiana is toxic. This means it is very important to keep it away from the curious hands and mouths of young kids, dogs, cats and other pets you may have.

Pests and Diseases

The monstera borsigiana doesn’t have a lot of issues with pests or diseases.

However, if pests do come, two of the common ones are spider mites and scale. Both damage your plat but sucking on the sap. This robs it of nutrients and moisture.

As such, you’ll see leaf damage and yellowish specks caused by the mites.

If you notice any of these, apply insecticidal soap or neem oil. The latter is often used to keep pests away and helps to prevent worsening of the situation.