Variegated Monstera Adansonii Best Plant Care Guide

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin

The Variegated Monstera Adansonii is also known as the Monstera Adansonii Variegata or the Variegated Adansonii. As you already guessed, this is the variegated version of the Monstera Adansonii.

And just the same, this Variegated Monstera Adansonii is a very rare plant. There aren’t many in the wild which is why the supply is very low. Therefore, if you want to get your hands on one you need to find a collector or breeder who is willing to give you a stem cutting.

On rare occasion there will be someone willing to sell their Variegated Monstera Adansonii.

If you’re really lucky, you may find one being sold in an online store. However in most cases, there’s likely to be some kind of auction involved due to the low supply and high demand. This way the seller gets the best price the can.

The problem is if you want to get one, the price is very expensive.

And it is expensive because it is both rare and very popular therefore, there’s very little supply and tons of demand.

How much do you expect to pay for a Variegated Monstera Adansonii?

Anywhere from $500 to over $5,000. Yest, that much. This is likewise the case for other subspecies of Monstera Adansonii. Although how much for each ultimately depends on the actual species, how big the plant is and how well taken care of it is.

Table of Contents

Variegated Monstera Adansonii Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Variegated Monstera Adansonii needs more light than the non-variegate form because the white and yellow sections of the leaves do not collect light nor do they participate in photosynthesis.

The reason is that you get the green color in the leaves from chlorophyll.

But the variegated areas are the colors that they are because they lack chlorophyll. Unfortunately, chlorophyll is also the substance that absorbs light for the plant to use in photosynthesis.

Thus, the more variegated the plant is, the more light is needs.

The other aspect of light because of the Variegated Monstera Adansonii’s many holes (fenestrations), there is a lot less surface area in the leaves to absorb light with.

This makes placing the plant in a well-lit location very important.

If there is lack of light you will see the variegations turn more green as the plant does what it can to get more light from whatever its source can offer.

In times that it is not able to do this, growth will slow down and you’ll see it produce fewer leaves and smaller ones at that.

The reason here is that light is what he plant uses for photosynthesis, which in turn creates the sugars it uses for energy. Lack of energy manes the inability to grow.

That said, too much light especially intense exposure or direct sunlight is likewise harmful. This can burn its leaves or dull its colors.

As such, while the plant will be okay and survive, it means you end up with ugly leaves that you’ll need to remove later on.

So for the best results, an east, west or north facing window are ideal. With the western exposure avoid direct sun as that side gets the afternoon rays which are intense.

You can likewise use artificial lights if you don’t get enough natural lighting.

Temperature

The ideal temperature for the Variegated Monstera Adansonii is between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It likes this condition because of its tropical nature.

Thus, the plant likes moderate to warm weather and is ill-equipped to handle the cold.

This means that it does not have any problems with 90 degrees temperature. But, you want to avoid going below 50 degrees as it will being to struggle.

The longer it stays there and colder it gets, the more problems it will encounter.

According to research, leaves get damaged by cold once the conditions reach 32 degrees Fahrenheit, while the stems will likewise experience injury at 28 degrees and below.

Humidity

Ideal humidity for your Variegated Monstera Adansonii in between 60% and 90%. Again, this is influenced by its native habitat.

Since it comes from the tropics, it is not only used to warm climate but also very humid conditions. This makes it easy to care for the plant if you live somewhere near the equator where there’s sunshine all year round with relatively warm weather.

Unfortunately, this is not the case in most households as humidity is often lower. If you live somewhere that’s dry like the desert or desert-like, you’ll want to keep an eye out for how low humidity gets.

The same is true during hot, dry summers and cold winters which tend to create low humidity.

The good news is, the Variegated Monstera Adansonii can tolerate moderate humidity. While it can take as low as 30%, try to keep levels at 40% or higher to give yourself some leeway.

This way you won’t just wake up one day and see crispy, brown leaf tips.

If you do, it means the air is too dry an you need to employ humidity boosting measures like:

Misting the plant regularly
Using a humidifier
Putting it on a pebble tray
Grouing it with other plants

How Often to Water Variegated Monstera Adansonii

On average, water your Variegated Monstera Adansonii once a week during the warmer months and once every 2 to 3 weeks during the colder months.

As always use these time figures as a guide since the exact time will depend on your plant’s living environment. The more sun it gets, the faster the soil will dry. Similarly, the size of the plant and pot will affect how quickly the soil dries. And the kind of soil also affects this.

For this reason I prefer to rely on what the plant is telling me.

And with watering you can use one of two benchmarks.

At the minimum, wait until the top 1-2 inches of soil dries out before adding any more water.
If you want to be conservative, wait until 50% of the soil is dry. Anywhere between 50% to 75% of the soil drying out is a good range as it prevents overwatering and is very far from leaving the plant lacking water.

The reason for waiting is that the Variegated Monstera Adansonii is sensitive to overwatering. At the same time it is kind of drought tolerant.

Therefore, you want to allow part of the soil to dry before watering again. Otherwise, with overwatering you run the risk of root rot.

When watering, do so thoroughly so the plant’s roots get enough moisture.

You can do this by soaking the root ball until it starts dripping then stop. Allow any excess moisture to drain after that.

Also avoid wetting the leaves. Instead use a watering can and pour right into the soil. Try to distribute the water instead of just pouring in one spot as well.

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Variegated Monstera Adansonii Potting Soil

The best soil for Variegated Monstera Adansonii is an aroid mix. And you can create your own by combining sphagnum peat moss with perlite, orchid bark and charcoal.

You can likewise use other potting mixes as well.

The important thing is to make sure that the soil is well-draining, loose and airy. This will prevent overwatering and waterlogging.

The plant also likes soil pH of 5.5 to 7.0.

Here are other options you can use if you want to use fewer ingredients.

Potting soil with perlite
Potting soil with orchid bark
Potting soil with coco fiber

In addition to using a well-draining mix, it is a good idea to use a pot with drainage holes. This way any moisture that drains from the soil can exit the container instead of just pooling at the bottom.

Fertilizer

Because of the Variegated Monstera Adansonii’s fenestrations and variegations. It is important to use fertilizer to make sure the plant gets enough nutrients.

Feed the plant once every 2 weeks with a standard houseplant fertilizer. You can use a balanced mix as well (N-P-K of 20-20-20). Make sure to dilute it to half strength and only fertilize the plant when the soil is moist (not when it is dry).

Don’t feed the plant during the winter.

Pruning

The Variegated Monstera Adansonii can grow to a big plant indoors if you let it, reaching between 8 to 10 feet. As such, you may need to prune the plant quite regularly if you don’t have a lot of space in your home or high ceilings.

This is why some owners don’t like their plant to grow as fast as possible.

Considering that it can grow 1 to 2 feet within 12 months, this may be a problem if you don’t have a lot of extra space at home.

The more sun, humidity and fertilizer you give it, the faster it will grow. The also means you need more room to accommodate the plant.

If not, you’ll find yourself pruning quite a bit or having to divide it to control its sizes.

In addition to size control, trimming also lets you shape the plant.

I know some owners who like a taller, tighter look. Therefore, the let their plant climb while trimming off outliers that get too long on the sides.

In contrast you may want to keep it shorter but bushier. So, you’ll be trimming more on the top and letting it get fuller.

How to Propagate Variegated Monstera Adansonii

How to Repot or Transplant Variegated Monstera Adansonii

Repot your Variegated Monstera Adansonii once every 2 years. Again, take this as a guideline instead of a strict rule.

Depending on how quickly your plant grows, you may need to repot a bit earlier or later than 24 months. The important thing to so do so once the plant is root bound.

Since it has an extensive root system, its roots like having enough space to grow. Thus, once you see them sneaking out from under the pot’s drainage holes or coming up from the crevices between the soil and pot above the soil, it is time to repot.

Move it to a container that is 2 inches larger than the current one. And replace the soil with fresh potting mix.

You can also take this opportunity to divide the plant if you wish. This way you reduce its size and have multiple smaller plants instead.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

Yes, the Variegated Monstera Adansonii is toxic to dogs, cats and humans when consumed or ingested. It does not do any harm if you touch the leaves of other parts of the plant.

But upon chewing and ingesting, it can cause irritation and pain within your digestive tract causing swelling, drooling, vomiting and other unpleasant side effects.

Problems & Troubleshooting

Brown Leaves and Tips

Lack of light will cause browning leaves. With the Variegated Monstera Adansonii, insufficient light can easily happen because of its leaf structure.

Therefore, make sure that the plant stays in a well-lit location away from direct sun.

Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves are often caused by overwatering. This is also the more serious problem so you want to check for it first.

If the soil is soggy and mucky, it means you’re either watering too often or the soil is holding too much moisture. Check both and adjust.

In case, overwatering is not the cause, it could be too much sun or intense exposure.

Drooping & Wilting

Lack of water will cause your Variegated Monstera Adansonii. Plants are mostly made up of water (up to 95%). Therefore, when they lack water, they will wit as there isn’t enough water “filling” the stems.

Again, check the soil to verify

If it is very dry, add water and this should fix the issue.

Pests

Pests are always going to be an issue. And form the many bugs around, the most common attackers to your Variegated Monstera Adansonii are spider mites, scale and mealybugs.

While they all look different, they operate very similarly.

That is, they cause damage by robbing your plant of its sap. Sap contain water and nutrients. And this is distributed to the extremities of the plant to give the leaves sustenance.

While the pests are not a big issue when they’re few, they do quickly grow in number which makes them drain a lot of nutrients from your Variegated Monstera Adansonii.

This is why catching them and treating the bugs early is important.

Diseases

Leaf diseases and root rot are the biggest problems when it comes to diseases. These are caused by too much moisture.

With leaves it is watering and wetting the leaves especially in the evening where there’s no sun to help them dry fast enough.

With soil, it is watering too frequently, using water retentive soils or lack of drainage that causes root rot.

Therefore, avoiding these overwatering issues will help stave off diseases.