Monstera Spruceana Plant Care

Last Updated on April 14, 2022 by Admin

The Monstera Spruceana is a rare aroid that has unique looking split leaves. As with other monstera varieties, this will grow into a large plant with impressive foliage.

Interestingly, it looks very different during its juvenile state and when it matures. Similarly, keeping it outdoors will give you a very different looking plant compared to growing it as a houseplant.

The Monstera Spruceana is native to Central and South America.

How do you care for the Monstera Spruceana? This monstera thrives in bright, indirect light. But it can tolerate low light without problems or harm.

It grows best in warm, humid environments. Water regularly during the warmer months but be careful not to overwater the plant.

Table of Contents

Light Requirements

The Monstera Spruceana does best in indirect or filtered light. It will grow faster in medium to bright light. Although it can tolerate low light as well.

As such, if you want to get bigger and produce larger, more vibrant leaves, keep it towards an east or west facing window.

It will do okay as well in low light but be careful about too little light.

The less light it gets, the slower it will grow relative to bright light. Similarly, it may not produce as many leaves. And the leaves will not get a big.

Therefore, if you cannot find an ideal spot in your home with plenty of light and you want the plant to grow optimally, consider using artificial lights.

You can use the fluorescent lights or LED grow lights to supplement the sunshine. Or you can use it on its own.

On the other hand, make sure to avoid very strong, direct sunlight.

This often occurs during the hottest times of the day (10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and during summertime.

Note that the plant can tolerate 1-3 hours or so of direct sun. However, leaving it there for longer periods on a regular basis will cause it to get discolored.

Additionally, if the intensity of the sun’s rays gets too strong, the Monstera Spruceana’s leaves may experience scorch marks.

Also, the plant will do well outdoors.

However, if it has been used to living indoors, don’t just leave it out in the sun immediately. Instead, gradually acclimate it to bright light.

Outdoor light is always brighter than indoor natural light because there are no walls and ceilings to block the sun’s rays.

Once acclimated, keep the Monstera Spruceana in partial or semi-shade. Try to avoid too much full sun.

Temperature

The Monstera Spruceana is a warm-weather plant that enjoys temperatures between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is because it is a tropical plant being a native of the warm climate regions of Central and South America.

As such, the plant is accustomed to moderate to higher temperatures.

And this is the range at which it feels most comfortable in. More importantly, the plant does grow better in this condition.

Fortunately, this is about the same temperature that humans enjoy.

Therefore, most homes have this kind of environment. This makes it easy to bring the plant home.

However, the same is not true for the outdoors.

Here, the plant does best in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12. In fact, if you live in these areas, you can grow the plant outdoors and keep it there for the entire year.

The reason is that the weather stays warm and there’s sunshine throughout the year.

In contrast, if you live in colder areas, you need to take more caution outdoors.

The Monstera Spruceana has a temperature tolerance of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that it will struggle when its surroundings get colder than this level.

As such, it is not a good idea to leave the plant outdoors towards the end of autumn if you have cold winters.

Instead, if you take the plant outdoors during summer, make sure to bring it indoors and keep it some place warm.

Humidity

The Monstera Spruceana has an ideal humidity between 60% and 80%. Although it can tolerate 40% humidity with no harm.

As such, it is important to maintain good humidity around the plant if you want it thrive.

Note that you don’t need to push up the humidity in your entire home or even the whole room where the plant is in.

Instead, as long as the plant’s surrounding humidity stays above its 40% humidity threshold, it will do well.

If you’ve grown this monstera for a while or have other monstera varieties, you’ve probably seen it develop aerial roots or air roots.

These are woody roots that don’t grow under the ground. Instead, the extend out from the base of the plant.

These are designed to help the plant get more moisture from the air.

In case your home does not have high enough humidity to meet what the plant wants, you can mist the plant or get a humidifier.

How Often to Water Monstera Spruceana

The Monstera Spruceana needs moderate watering. This comes out to about once a week.

However, it is worth noting that this particular species is drought tolerant. Therefore, it is a good idea to keep it on the drier side.

That’s because the plant does not like wet feet.

Its roots are susceptible to overwatering. Therefore, you want to avoid leaving them in water for long periods of time.

This can happen if you water too often or add more water when the soil is still wet.

Thus, the best way to know when to water the Monstera Spruceana is to always check the soil before you water. Make sure to do this each and every time.

That’s because all it takes is one occurrence of root rot and the plant may deteriorate and die (if you don’t catch the problem early enough).

This means that you always want to wait until the top 2 inches of soil has dried before adding more water.

If you don’t mind waiting a bit more, it would be safer to take a more conservative approach. That is, to wait until the soil is dry halfway down.

This will prevent overwatering while still keeping the Monstera Spruceana well-hydrated.

Monstera Spruceana Potting Soil

The Monstera Spruceana needs well-draining potting soil that is loose and porous.

This allows excess moisture to drain quickly to prevent overwatering. Additionally, the airy soil will let the roots get the oxygen they want.

What man people are not aware of is that roots enjoy a balance of water and air, not just water. As such, too much water is a bad thing because it prevents the roots from getting oxygen.

To create the perfect potting mix for your Monstera Spruceana, you can use this combination.

30% potting soil
40% bark
20% peat
10% perlite

I also like to add some agricultural charcoal to increase drainage and aeration as well.

On the other hand, if you prefer to just buy your potting soil from the store, look for an Aroid mix. This will have all the features the plant needs to thrive.

Does the Monstera Spruceana Climb?

Yes, the Monstera Spruceana is a climber. And this is how it grows in its natural habitat.

Therefore, it will appreciate you giving it something to climb on.

You can use a moss pole, cedar stake, or other vertical structures to let the plant go up on. Ideally, the best time to let the plant start climbing is when it is young.

Fertilizer

The Monstera Spruceana needs fertilizer to grow optimally. But it is not a heavy feeder.

So, you don’t have to go overboard with fertilizer.

Instead, only apply during the plant’s growing season which is spring and summer. This is when it is growing fastest and producing leaves.

Don’t feed the plant during fall or winter as the cold weather will slow its growth.

You can use a balanced houseplant fertilizer. Make sure to dilute it to half strength as the plant does not need that much concentration.

Doing so also keeps it away from over fertilizing.

The reason why over fertilization is bad is because it can damage this rare Aroid.

Not only can it turn the leaves yellow or brown, it can damage the roots by causing fertilizer burn. As such, avoid feeding the plant when it does not need it. And never give it more than it needs.

In addition to this, it is a good idea to flush the soil regularly as well.

Running water through the soil will allow the excess salts and minerals left in the soil to drain out along with the liquid.

Pruning

The Monstera Spruceana is a fast growing, climbing plant.

This means that you will need space for the plant to grow. Although, this does take time especially if you got the plant when it was still young.

Speaking of which, don’t be alarmed if you see big changes in the plant’s leaves between its juvenile state and when it matures.

That’s normal.

This is one of those plants whose look will vary significantly as it grows.

Additionally, keep in mind that the Monstera Spruceana will grow in to a large plant. Its leaves can reach 2 to 2.5 feet long with proper care.

However, what’s great is that the plant’s large foliage are fairly neat and uniform when they grow. So, you don’t heavily overlap over one another. Nor do you become messy to look at.

As always, remove any yellow, brown, old, damaged or diseased leaves.

How to Propagate Monstera Spruceana

The Monstera Spruceana can be propagated in a few ways. The easiest and most efficient way to do so is by stem propagation.

Here, you take stem cuttings and grow them into new, young plants that will later grow up and mature to be clones of the parent plant.

The best thing about this is that it is easy to do and you an grow several new plants at the same time. And it is free!

Thus, it makes a lot of sense especially for a rare plant like the Monstera Spruceana.

Here’s how to propagate the Monstera Spruceana from stem cuttings.

Take healthy stem cuttings from your mother plant. The most important thing here is to choose cuttings with at least one node.

Nodes are where new roots will develop.

More importantly, without any node, your monstera will not propagate successfully.

Therefore, make sure that each stem cutting you take has at least one node in it. Ideally, the cutting should also have a few leaves. This will allow the new plant to thanks to photosynthesis.

After you take the cutting, plant it into a pot filled with well-draining potting soil.

Then water the soil regularly to keep it moist. But avoid overwatering since it can destroy your cuttings.

Leave the pot in a well-lit space with no direct light.

It takes a few weeks for the roots to develop and start getting established in the soil.

How to Repot or Transplant Monstera Spruceana

The Monstera Spruceana only needs repotting every 2 to 3 years. So, there’s no hurry to move it.

More importantly, the only time you need to repot is when the plant has outgrown its container. Avoid doing so before that because transplanting stresses it out.

The main signs to look out for to know when to repot is if you see roots coming out from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

Additionally, some roots may also start popping up from the surface of the soil.

When this happens, be prepared to move the plant to a larger container.

The best time to repot is during spring to early summer.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

Unfortunately, the Monstera Spruceana is toxic to both people and animals. This makes it harmful but only when ingested.

As such, touching, carrying or working on the plant is safe.

But consuming or swallowing any part of it is when it become poisonous.

Monstera Spruceana Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

The Monstera Spruceana’s large leaves and sap make it attractive to pests. The most common ones that do come around the plant are spider mites, aphids and mealybugs.

All of these can cause damage although they are less of a threat when there are only few of them.

However, they will grow in population very quickly.

So, immediately treat the plant once you see any signs of these bugs.

You can use an insecticide if you wish. But I prefer to use more organic options to avoid applying chemicals and additives around the house.

For the latter, you can go with neem oil or insecticidal soap.

Diseases

Overwatering is the number one enemy of the Monstera Spruceana.

That’s because it can lead to a host of different problems including root rot, bacterial and fungal diseases.

What’s worse is that it can affect different parts of the plant.

Therefore, you want to be wary about when you water and how you water.

This includes the soil for the roots as well as the leaves. Any time there is stagnant water that does not dry for extended periods of time, problems may arise.

So, always let the soil dry between waterings. And don’t leave foliage very wet.

Monstera Spruceana Plant Care – Light, Potting Soil, Watering & Propagation