Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin
The Monstera Pinnatipartita is a rare species that is highly sought after. It is native to South America where you’ll find it in the forests climbing up large trees using its aerial roots.
The most fascinating thing about the plant is how it transforms from its young juvenile state and after it matures.
If you compare both phases, you’ll see how significantly different they look.
When young, the plant features beautiful green-colored lobed leaves. But as it gets bigger and matures, its foliage will start splitting at the edges giving you its large, dramatic, pinnated leaves.
The best part of caring for the plant is watching the transformation as the divisions develop.
In terms of texture, the Monstera Pinnatipartita has a similar foliage feel and look to the Monstera Peru, thanks to its very pronounced vein indentations
Monstera Pinnatipartita vs. Split Leaf Philodendron
Because they look similar, many people confuse the Monstera Pinnatipartita with the Split Leaf Philodendron. Of course, it does not help that some shops also mislabel them for reasons I don’t know why.
The important thing to know is that the two are different plants.
One is a monstera and the other is a philodendron. While both belong to the Aroid family, they fall under different genera.
As such, not only do they look different since their pinnation (or divisions) and shaped of their leaves are vary, caring for them is likewise different as well.
Monstera Pinnatipartita Plant Care
Light Requirements
You can position your Monstera Pinnatipartita anywhere because It will tolerate a wide range of lighting conditions.
However, if you want it to achieve the fastest growth, keep it somewhere that gets moderate to bright, indirect light. The more light it receives, the faster it will grow.
That said, avoid direct sun and very intense light as this will affect its leaves. It the exposure gets too strong it can scorch the leaves as well.
Note that when this happens, the plant will survive and be okay. However, you’ll end up with ugly, dull leaf color with brown burn marks.
So, in case this occurs, prune off the affected foliage and move the plant to a spot with less intense bright lighting.
In low light, it will likewise do well. But it won’t grow as quickly as when it gets bright lighting.
However, you can use this strategy if you don’t want your plant to get very big very quickly.
The thing is, avoid too little light as the plant will grow very slowly and it will look sad and weak. Remember, plants get their energy from the sun because they use the light for photosynthesis whose end product is sugar that the plant uses as energy.
Thus, avoid locations with too little illumination.
An easy way to gauge this is to try to read a book or newspaper in that spot. If you can do so without turning on the lights or a lamp, then the light is sufficient.
Temperature
The Monstera Pinnatipartita is a South American native and you’ll find it in the forests of a few countries there. One of the things these nations have is tropical and subtropical weather since they are situated near the equator.
This means moderate to hot climate all year round with winters. The sun 365 days a year and they don’t experience freezing conditions or frost.
As such, the Monstera Pinnatipartita is not used to the cold and can only tolerate temperature above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Below that it will start experiencing stress.
And when things get down to below 35 degrees, it will begin to sustain cold injury starting with the leaves followed by the stems.
in contrast, its ideal temperature range is between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Here, it is happiest will grow give you the most growth potential.
Thus, the plant is well-suited for USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12.
Humidity
Similarly, the South American climate is humid. This is why the Monstera Pinnatipartita enjoys humid environments preferably 60% to 80%. It will likewise do well above that range.
Fortunately, the plant is quite tolerant of average humidity.
Still, it is a good idea to keep it at 40% and higher. This will avoid brown and crispy leave tips, which are signs that the air is too dry.
If this is the case, you’ll want to help it out by employing some humidity boosting measures. Here are some options you can try.
I like to have a digital hygrometer near my plants. This helps you keep track of which plants need what kind of humidity since you can use the hygrometer for reference.
In any case, you can increase room humidity (or just around the plant) by:
- Using a humidifier
- Spritzing (or misting) the plant regularly
- Grouping it together with other plants
- Putting it on a pebble tray
Note that if your plant has aerial roots, it will likewise use those to try to get moisture from the air. Thus, misting its air roots also helps.
How Often to Water Monstera Pinnatipartita
The most important thing with watering is to allow part of the soil to dry before adding more water.
The Monstera Pinnatipartita enjoys moist soil but is susceptible to overwatering.
Unfortunately, overwatering is the #1 cause of houseplant death because it can lead to root rot.
The problem here isn’t necessarily the moisture but that it prevents the roots from getting oxygen when there’s too much liquid.
A good analogy of this is holding your breath underwater. Down there, you cannot get extra oxygen. And if you don’t go up for air, you’ll suffocate.
However, the plant’s roots cannot move nor can they avoid the water that surrounds them. So, they eventually suffocate which causes the roots to rot.
Therefore, overwatering and waterlogged soil is something you want to avoid at all costs.
The best way to do this is to wait until part of the soil gets dry before adding more moisture. This way, you eliminate the risk of watering too frequently.
The saftest way to water your Monstera Pinnatipartita is to wait until 50% of the soil is dry before watering again. You also don’t need to be precise since you can wait until the soil is 75% dry to do so.
Thus, withing this range, you have no risk of overwatering and are far from allowing the plant from getting dehydrated.
source: wikimedia commons
Monstera Pinnatipartita Potting Soil
The best soil for Monstera Pinnatipartita is well-draining and has good aeriation. Again, this has to do with the plant’s susceptibility to overwatering which increases its risk of root rot.
Therefore, in addition to making sure you let the soil dry out a bit before watering using the right kind of soil helps drain any excess liquid (to avoid overwatering).
This also means you want to avoid any water-retentive soil like clay or anything that is heavy.
If you use them, even if you water with the proper frequency, the soil will not drain the excess but in fact retains it. Thus, the roots still end up in a waterlogged environment.
The good news is that there are many ways to achieve the right soil for your Monstera Pinnatipartita. The important thing is to include a component that provides drainage.
For me, the easiest potting soils you can use are:
- An Aroid mix
- Or if you prefer to make your own, combine 1 part potting soil with 1 part perlite.
- Another option is 1 part potting soil with 1 part orchid bark.
Does the Monstera Pinnatipartita Climb?
Yes! The Monstera Pinnatipartita is an epiphyte. And in the jungle it will climb up large tree trunks in order to get closer to the light source.
It knows that the higher up it goes, the bigger it can grow because there’s brighter light there with fewer plants to block the sun.
Thus, if you want your plant to get bigger and grow faster (as well as produce larger leaves) it is a good idea to give it a support or a pole to climb on.
Fertilizer
The Monstera Pinnatipartita is not a big feeder. However, it does need fertilizer to grow optimally and get the nutrients to stay healthy.
So, the most important thing here is to feed the plant.
Since you’ll be focusing on foliage development, nitrogen or the N in the large N-P-K figures in front of the fertilizer label is what you want to focus on.
You can use a produce that is 20-20-20 or 20-10-10 to help it produce larger leaves (and more of them as well).
Feed your plant a liquid formulation of this during the spring and summer. You can extend to early or mid fall if the plant is still growing by that time. Don’t fertilize during winter.
Also, dilute the dose to half strength when you apply. This reduces the risk of overconcentration which the plant’s roots don’t appreciate. This is easy to do with a liquid fertilizer as all you need to do is add water to dilute.
Pruning
In its native habitat, the Monstera Pinnatipartita can grow to over 30 feet high depending on the size tree it climbs up. As it grows it will produce aerial roots to cling onto the tree and go upwards.
However, its size is more manageable indoors.
Nevertheless, it will still grow into a fairly large plant.
What you’ll see are large split leaves with somewhat long stems. And they will spread outwards as it gets taller as well.
This means that depending on how much free space you have, you may need to regular prune it to keep its size in check.
I do recommend letting the plant get bushy. Although you can decide whether you want it short or tall because both produce very different looks.
If you don’t have a lot of space, you can trim off the sides when they get longer and just allow the plant to get taller by giving it a support to climb.
How to Propagate Monstera Pinnatipartita
Stem propagation is the most common way to grow more Monstera Pinnatipartita at home. Although you can likewise use air layering division or seed to propagate the plant.
Each of the methods work, but the process is different for each one.
You can use division when repotting especially when the plant has gotten large in size and you want to reduce the space it takes up.
That said, you’re limited by how often you can separate the plant based on how big it is.
This makes stem propagation more practical in most cases.
Here’s how to propagate Monstera Pinnatipartita from stem cuttings.
- Choose a healthy stem (stems if you want to grow more than 1 new plant). Ideally take a stem cutting that is 4-6 inches long with at least 1-2 leaf nodes. Having a few leaves on likewise helps the plant grow.
- If your plant has aerial roots, it would be a good idea to pick a stem with aerial roots as this increases the odds of success. Aerial roots also allow the plant to root faster, produce shoots and leaves sooner based on my experience.
- Cut the stem cutting below the leaf node (and aerial roots).
- Once you have the stem cutting on hand, decide whether you want to propagate it in water or in soil.
- If you want to propagate in water, place the cutting into a glass container with water. Make sure the leaf nodes are submerged but remove any leaves that end up in the liquid. If the cutting has aerial roots submerge them in the liquid as well.
- If you want to propagate in soil, plant the cutting into a well-draining mix. Bury the leaf node under the soil but keep the leaves under the soil. If the cutting has aerial roots you can cut them off if you don’t like them, place them on the soil or leave them outside the pot. Don’t bury them into the soil unless they voluntarily dig into the potting mix.
- Place the cutting in the pot in a warm spot with bright, indirect light.
- It will take about 4-6 weeks for the cutting to root.
- Once the roots in the water grow to 2-4 inches long, you can pot up the plant in soil.
How to Repot or Transplant Monstera Pinnatipartita
Because the Monstera Pinnatipartita will eventually get bigger in size, repotting is needed to keep it healthy.
That said, you can limit its growth and size by keeping it in a tighter pot. However, be careful not to overstress the plant as this will cause some unpleasant effects after a while.
That said, average repotting time is around every 2 years.
You only want to do so when the plant is root bound because it does not like being bothered from its home.
When moving choose a container that is one size bigger (2 inches wider) with a drainage hole at the bottom. Both will help prevent overwatering.
Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs
Yes, the Monstera Pinnatipartita is toxic when ingested. It will cause side effects in people, cats and dogs. So, keep the plant away from curious young children and pets who may accidentally consume the leave or stems.
Monstera Pinnatipartita Problems & Troubleshooting
Leaves Are Not Splitting / No Splits in the Leaves
This is usually caused by insufficient light. Therefore, check how much light the plant gets. Make sure it receives bright indirect light for at least 6 hours a day.
Brown Leaves and Tips
Brown leaves and tips as well as crispy edges are caused by lack of moisture. This can be from low humidity or underwatering.
So, check the soil to see if it is very dry, if not check the average humidity in your home. If air is dry, then employ one of the humidity boosting measures above like misting or using a humidifier.
Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves are commonly caused by overwatering. Therefore, always wait until part of the soil is dry before adding more moisture.
If the soil feels wet or soggy, it means the plant is getting too much water too frequently. So, scale back and increase the interval between waterings.
Pests
The most common pests that will bother the Monstera Pinnatipartita are spider mites, thrips, mealybugs and scale.
These are very small bugs which independently don’t pose much of a risk to your plant. However, once they grow in population, they become a problem because of how much sap they can suck from your plant.
This robs it of nutrients and water which weakens the plant.
Fortunately, if you spot them early it is easy to get rid of them. I like to just spray them off with water. For smaller plants you can sue the sink. But if your Monstera Pinnatipartita is big, use the shower or a garden hose outside.
Make sure to cover all the spot since you want to spray off the adults, their larvae and the eggs. Otherwise, the pest problem will come back in a few days.
Diseases
Bacterial and fungal infections likewise affect the plant. And they often attack the leaves and roots.
With leaves, you want to look out for anything abnormal. This includes spots, stripes, mosaic patterns, yellowing and disformed foliage.
Root rot is harder to spot since you’ll only realize it when the leaves and stems show symptoms. As such, try to avoid overwatering the soil.
