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There are about 45 plant species that belong to the Monstera genus. The name itself implies that these are large plants that can grow a couple of meters in size. But Monstera Acuminata deviates from this rule. It is smaller in size, decorative and easy to maintain which makes it a perfect indoor vine.
Care essentials: Monstera Acuminata is a cultivar that thrives in a hot and humid tropical climate. It implies that you should provide regular watering once or twice a week regarding climate conditions. If the weather is hot, the watering will be more frequent, and vice versa if the wheater is cold, you can space out watering. The temperature in the room shouldn’t fall below 18 degrees, while optimal humidity levels should be between 40 and 80 %. Lighting should be abundant but diffused. When it comes to fertilization, use slow realizing fertilizer or a liquid one, with an equal ratio of nutrients.
If these highlights have caught your attention, keep reading to find out what are the optimal conditions for the undisturbed and progressive growth of your Monstera Accuminata.
Here’s what we shall discuss:
- What is Monstera Acuminata plant?
- What type of soil does it prefer?
- Does it need too much light?
- How to water it properly?
- Temperature and humidity requirements
- Which fertilizer is ideal for Monstera Acuminata?
- Is propagation complicated?
- How to repot this plant?
- Monstera Acuminata common problems and solutions
- FAQ
What is Monstera Acuminata Plant?
Monstera Acuminata is also called a shingle plant. Although a climber, it starts its life cycle on the ground. It grows horizontally as a prostrate plant until it encounters a tree or some other support. It is when it starts to ascend vertically as the true vine.
While on the ground, the leaves of the plant are smaller and thinner. The Acuminata part of the name is derived from Latin and signifies sharp, pointed leaves.
The plant that manages to climb the tree has thicker, waxed leaves that can grow up to 15 centimeters. The internode space is short, which adds up to the fuller impression of the plant’s exterior.
It is endemic to the northernmost department of Guatemala – Petén. Why is it important to know the origins of a species?
The answer to this question is seemingly obvious but often overlooked. It is good to be familiar with the environment from which the plant arose because it will thrive optimally in similar conditions.
So, our mission as plant lovers would be to mimic those aspects of natural habitat as much as possible.
Did you know that the Monstera plant comes in many various forms and sizes? Check out some of the most impressive varieties of this plant:
- Monstera Borsigiana
- Monstera Deliciosa (which produces fruit)
- Monstera Epipremnoides
- Monstera Karstenianum
- Monstera Vasquezii
- Monstera Adansonii (with impressively large holes)
- Monstera Standleyana
- Monstera Obliqua
- Monstera Variegata
- Monstera Thai Constellation
- Monstera Pinartipatita
- Monstera Dubia (with heart-shaped leaves)
- Monstera Siltepecana
What Type of Soil Does It Prefer?
Monstera Acuminata is a hemiepiphyte plant, which means that it spends part of its life cycle on some other plant. Meaning, it’s a hungry one. You should have this in mind if you decide to cultivate it in the environment of your home.
The simplest compost is the one that only contains a ball of sphagnum moss. However, with this method, there is a risk that your Acuminata plant grows slower. From my experience, the best soil mix is the one that contains sphagnum moss, peat, charcoal, and sand.
Whatever you choose, ensure that Monstera gets planted in a pot with a good drainage mechanism.
If you live in a climate that is not tropical, the best period to plant Monstera Acuminata is between spring to autumn. In tropical climates, any period of the year is suitable for the thriving of this cultivar.
Does It Need Too Much Light?
Every living being needs light to live a good and healthy life. Tropical creatures are sun gazers as well as every other plant, but in their habitat, they usually get shadowed by some other vert.
We often tend to mix hot weather with sun exposure which can result in overexposure that can, as we all know, be very harmful.
When it comes to the lighting of Monstera plants, in general, you should avoid positioning them toward direct sunlight. Always use sheer curtains, window filters, or any other material that diffuses and softens the harsh direct light.
It is not only a protective measure but rather a beneficial one. In diffused lighting, tropical plants will develop swimmingly to their full potential.
How to Water It Properly?
The Monstera genus of plants is a dream come true for all of the forgetful plant admirers. However, this doesn’t mean that you should neglect your Acuminata plant for weeks.
It will tolerate a slightly unregular watering schedule, but make sure to water it when the top couple of inches are completely dry.
Approximately, during hot weather, this should happen twice a week, and in the winter, once a week should be adequate.
Another extreme is overwatering, which is bad for the plant as well as underwatering. No plant appreciates drowning in water.
It may easily lead to rotting of the root and consequently harm the whole plant. My advice is to observe your plant now and then, do a test for soil moisture, and act in addition to the information you collected that way.
Temperature and Humidity Requirements
Like all other Monstera plants, Acuminata is a forgiving plant. It will tolerate the temperature oscillations but never let it stay outside during cold weather.
The air temperature must be between 18 and 30 degrees Celsius, while humidity levels must be between 40 and 80 %. That is the combination that will compliment every Monstera. It is, after all, a tropical creature that enjoys high temperature and great humidity.
You may now ask, how to provide all this indoors, especially during the winter when the heating is on and dries the air massively? If this is the case, you can consider investing in a humidifier. I used to improvise with putting a bowl of water near heating, but the humidifier does much better work. It may be costly, but in the long run, it will be beneficial for your indoor plant health as well as your own.
On the other hand, during hot summer days, I advise periodic misting of the foliage to keep optimal humidity.
Which Fertilizer Is Ideal for Monstera Acuminata?
Fertilization is an important process that is supposed to promote plant growth and progress by providing balanced nutrition.
When it comes to fertilization of the Monstera Acuminata plant, my first choice is a slow-releasing fertilizer because it steadily and regularly releases all of the nutrients that are good and necessary for the plant’s health.
You can also use a liquid fertilizer, but be cautious not to overfertilize since that can lead to certain damage. Follow the instruction regarding the proper dosage of liquid fertilizer. For Monstera Acuminata, I advise a mix that has a 20-20-20 ratio of nutrients.
When is the time to fertilize your Monstera Acuminara?
When you first adopt this cultivar, it is supplied with all the necessary nutrients such as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus through the soil. When these elements get consumed, after about 6-12 months, it’s time to fertilize your plant.
The growing season for all Monsteras is from spring to early autumn. During this period, they should be fertilized approximately once a month. Don’t fertilize Monstera Acuminata during winter since this is a dormant period and the plant won’t absorb the nutrients from the fertilizer effectively.
If You Want to Deepen Your Knowledge: Plant Fertilization-Full Guide
Is Propagation Complicated?
The propagation of the Monstera genus is not a complicated thing to do. That is one of the reasons for their universal popularity. Anyone can get the opportunity to feel like a gardening wizard with these tropical beauties.
The easiest method of propagation is through stem cuttings. First things first – sterilize the pruners. You don’t want to infect the cutting with bacteria or some other pathogens.
Make sure that the stem has an aerial root, and at least two leaves, so it could stimulate growth.
Once cut, leave the stem for a couple of hours to form a callus. Plant the cutting in a balanced moist mixture of peat and sand. Optionally, you can use rooting hormone powder to accelerate the growth. Be patient, as it can take from a couple of weeks to a couple of months for the roots to grow.
Stem cuttings could propagate in water as well. This method is trickier and acquires more patience because the roots tend to grow slower in water. Besides, they are fragile and usually too weak to progress as well as those primarily propagated in soil.
However, if you choose this way of propagation for your Acuminata plant, change the water regularly and provide optimal light, humidity, and temperature in the room.
The third method is known as air layering. This one is very interesting as the propagation takes place on the plant itself.
The process is this – wrap a plastic bag filled with sphagnum moss around the node. Make holes on the bag to enable watering when needed. When the roots form, cut (with sterile tools!) below the node. The last step is to plant the cutting in soil.
How to Repot This Plant?
When the roots overgrow the container, it is time to move the plant into a pot that is one size larger. How will you know that this is the case with your Monstera Acuminata?
Check the roots after some time of owning the plant. If there is still room for them to grow, it’s early for repotting.
But if the roots circle and wiggle inside the pot, it’s time for repotting. However, don’t repot Monstera Acuminata too often.
From my experience, repotting every two years is quite reasonable. Choose the pot that has a draining mechanism built-in.
Monstera Acuminata Common Problems and Solutions
Monstera plants have many things in common. Some are the tendency to a similar set of problems that can be divided into two categories.
The first one concerns environmental conditions, watering or fertilization problems. The other category of Monstera care-related troubles is a result of pest infestation.
How will you distinguish between these two to take proper action regarding the source of the problem?
Observe your plant thoroughly and follow the guidelines that I discovered through my own experience with Monstera Acuminata.
Leaves are changing color and wilting
If the leaves are becoming yellow, darker in color, or even wilted too early, it’s usually an indication that something is wrong with the root. If this occurs, it’s time to introduce some changes in the care regimen before it gets too late.
Firstly, reconsider whether you’ve been overwatering your Monstera Acuminata. It is the most common cause of all root problems.
The roots that are drowning in water can’t perform vital functions very well. The transmission of oxygen, as well as nutrients, is disabled due to too much water in the soil.
There’s a general rule of thumb on how to avoid overwatering. If the top couple of centimeters of the soil are moist, don’t water the Monstera!
Even if days went by after the last watering. Check the soil moisture with your finger first.
Make sure that the drainage mechanism of the pot is functioning smoothly and that the water circulates undisturbedly.
If the issue proceeds, that means that roots are probably rotten and should be trimmed and separated from the healthy ones. Always use sterile prunes for this purpose.
If the leaves are getting black or brown spots, it’s probably due to overexposure to the sunlight. Remember always to move the Monstera from direct sunlight to avoid damage to the foliage.
Pest infection
The other group of problems concerning the Monstera Acuminata plant is related to all those tiny intruders that like to feed on the plant’s fluids and suck the life out of it. When this happens, it is preferable to cut the infection at an early stage before it spreads.
My advice is to observe and inspect leaves from every angle because some trouble-makers are very good at hiding.
If you do spot these nasty, bearly visible creatures and their crime against the greenery, act right away.
The most frequent pests that invade Monsteras are scales and mites. Spider mites will leave web-like traces, while scales leave a sticky, transparent liquid on the leaves.
One option is to give Monstera Acuminata a proper shower with water which will remove the insects instantly.
If this doesn’t help and they keep coming back, give them a bath in a natural pesticide such as neem oil.
You can also wipe the foliage with cotton balls dipped in 70% rubbing alcohol. However, all these approaches make sense if the infection hasn’t overtaken massive areas.
If this is the case, you don’t have much choice, but to remove the infected part of the plant with sterile prunes.
FAQs
Can a Monstera Acuminata plant kill a cat?
With utmost regret, I must say that the Monstera plant can harm your feline friend. What’s worse, it can even be fatal for them. Every part of the plant contains calcium oxalate, a toxic substance that will irritate your pet’s digestive tract.
Fortunately, the Monstera foliage is not appealing to kitties as much as the ones that have more stringy leaves. However, If you are, like me, both a cat and a Monstera lover, make sure these two never get in touch.
What is the difference between Adansonii and Acuminata?
It’s not a difficult task to distinguish these two Monstera plants. Monstera Acuminata has way smaller and darker leaves than Monstera Adansonii. Also, the leaves of the latter are corrugated, whereas Acuminata has flatter leaves.
Why does my Monstera Acuminata have no holes?
Monstera plants get their specific leaf condition called “leaf fenestration” as they grow. The holes on the Monstera plants’ leaves are the result of their natural habitat’s weather conditions.
Constant tropical winds found their way through these holes without ripping the leaf off. Thus, leaving them with functional and decorative looks that don’t stop impressing plant lovers all over the globe.
Can I put my Monstera Acuminata outside?
If you live in a tropical climate, keeping the Monstera outside would be an ideal thing to do. It will thrive in temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius. If the air temperature is below this value, I strongly recommend that you move it indoors. Also, have in mind that keeping it outdoor makes your Monstera plant more prone to insect attacks, so additional attention is advisable.
Should I prune my Monstera Acuminata?
When it comes to pruning, you have two options. One is to enable your jungle climber to grow and to overtake your entire home. For this, you can install coco panels or brass support in the pot.
The other is to cut the leafless aerial roots from now and then to tame it a bit. Pruning is also desirable if there are some yellowish wilted leaves, as with any other plant. Before pruning, don’t forget to sterilize your tools with alcohol.
