--- title: "CasaVerde | Monstera deliciosa: How to Grow It Indoors" description: Discover how to care for Monstera deliciosa indoors, from light and watering needs to humidity and propagation tips for thriving growth. image: https://blog.treedom.net/hubfs/CasaVerde_Monstera_2-2.jpg --- - [Sustainable Business](https://blog.treedom.net/en/tag/sustainable-business) - [Green light](https://blog.treedom.net/en/tag/green-light) - [Treedom World](https://blog.treedom.net/en/tag/treedom-world) - [Green Focus](https://blog.treedom.net/en/tag/green-focus) Topics - [Sustainable Business](https://blog.treedom.net/en/tag/sustainable-business) - [Green light](https://blog.treedom.net/en/tag/green-light) - [Treedom World](https://blog.treedom.net/en/tag/treedom-world) - [Green Focus](https://blog.treedom.net/en/tag/green-focus) [Go to Treedom](https://www.treedom.net/en/) - ![](https://blog.treedom.net/hubfs/Treedom_April2021/Images/treedom-assets/flag/en.svg) - [![](https://blog.treedom.net/hubfs/Treedom_April2021/Images/treedom-assets/flag/it.svg)It](https://blog.treedom.net/it) - [![](https://blog.treedom.net/hubfs/Treedom_April2021/Images/treedom-assets/flag/de.svg)De](https://blog.treedom.net/de) - [![](https://blog.treedom.net/hubfs/Treedom_April2021/Images/treedom-assets/flag/fr.svg)Fr](https://blog.treedom.net/fr) - [![](https://blog.treedom.net/hubfs/Treedom_April2021/Images/treedom-assets/flag/es.svg)Es](https://blog.treedom.net/es) [Go to Treedom](https://www.treedom.net/en/) - [Blog](https://blog.treedom.net/en) - [vegetable garden](https://blog.treedom.net/en/tag/vegetable-garden) - CasaVerde |... # CasaVerde | Monstera deliciosa: How to Grow It Indoors *Sep 29, 2026* | written by: [*Tommaso Ciuffoletti*](https://blog.treedom.net/en/author/tommaso-ciuffoletti) Condividi - ![facebook share](https://blog.treedom.net/hubfs/Treedom_April2021/Images/facebook-icon-round.svg) - ![Twitter share](https://blog.treedom.net/hubfs/Treedom_April2021/Images/twitter-icon-round.svg) - ![LinkedIn share](https://blog.treedom.net/hubfs/Treedom_April2021/Images/linkedin-icon-round.svg) Few plants are as instantly recognisable as **Monstera deliciosa**. Its large green leaves, marked by splits and openings, have become almost a symbol of indoor plants. And its name, on closer inspection, already tells us something about its appearance. *Monstera* comes from the Latin *monstrum*, meaning “prodigy” or “something out of the ordinary”, probably referring to the unusual size and shape the plant can reach. *Deliciosa*, on the other hand, has a decidedly more tempting origin: it refers to the fruit, which is edible when fully ripe. In nature, Monstera can produce an elongated fruiting structure with a flavour described as similar to banana and pineapple. The unripe fruit, however, contains calcium oxalate crystals and can cause irritation. *Monstera deliciosa* is native to the tropical forests of Central America, where it grows as a **climbing plant**. It climbs trees in search of light and produces aerial roots that help it anchor itself and access moisture. This natural behaviour gives us the first clues about how to care for it indoors. ## First things first: how much light is there? Monstera likes **bright, indirect light**. A position near a bright window is generally ideal, while strong direct sunlight during the middle of the day can damage the leaves, especially if the plant is not accustomed to it. At the other extreme, a poorly lit room will slow growth and can lead to smaller leaves with fewer fenestrations. If possible, therefore, choose the position before choosing the pot: a beautiful Monstera in a dark corner is likely to cause more problems than a plant placed somewhere less scenic but better suited to its needs. There is no single number of hours of light that works for every home, because exposure, season, distance from the window, curtains and other obstacles all make a difference. The plant itself can provide some clues, though: very slow growth and progressively smaller new leaves may suggest that the light is insufficient. ## Water: better to check than to count the days Monstera should not be watered according to a fixed schedule. Frequency depends on the season, light, temperature, pot size and growing medium. Before watering, check the soil with your finger: the top few centimetres should be dry. When it is time to water, water thoroughly until it runs out through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, then empty the saucer. The most common problem is overwatering. Constantly wet soil leaves little oxygen available to the roots and can encourage root rot. In winter, when the plant receives less light and grows more slowly, it will normally need less water. Yellow leaves combined with soil that stays wet for many days can be a sign of overwatering. Drooping leaves accompanied by completely dry soil, on the other hand, may indicate a lack of water. ## Humidity matters One thing we often forget is that a tropical plant does not live only on the water we put into its pot. Monstera is native to humid environments and can struggle when indoor air becomes very dry, especially in winter, when heating tends to lower relative humidity. To find out whether this is actually a problem in your home, there is no need to guess: simply use a **hygrometer**, a small digital device that measures relative humidity as a percentage and often measures temperature too. It is inexpensive and can tell you whether the air is genuinely dry or whether you are trying to solve a problem that does not actually exist. For a Monstera, aiming for relative humidity around **50–60% or higher** is reasonable, without treating this figure as a strict threshold. The plant can adapt to less humid conditions, especially if the rest of its growing conditions are right; very dry air over a prolonged period, however, can contribute to brown leaf tips and margins. Some rooms in the house have a natural advantage. **A bathroom**, if it is bright, is often more humid than the rest of the home because of the steam produced by showers and hot water. It can therefore be a good place for a Monstera, provided it also receives enough light and has adequate air circulation. If humidity is genuinely low, you can increase it by moving the plant to a more humid room, grouping several plants together or using a humidifier. A tray containing expanded clay pebbles and water can create a slightly more humid microenvironment, provided the bottom of the pot remains above the water level. Misting the leaves, on the other hand, mainly produces a temporary effect and is not a reliable way of increasing the humidity of the room as a whole. ## Temperature and airflow: these are part of the environment too ![CasaVerde\_Monstera-2](https://blog.treedom.net/hs-fs/hubfs/CasaVerde_Monstera-2.jpg?width=980&height=653&name=CasaVerde_Monstera-2.jpg) Normal indoor temperatures are generally suitable for Monstera, while prolonged cold and sudden temperature changes are best avoided. Pay particular attention to placing the plant near **radiators**: direct heat can make the air very dry and stress the leaves. A window that is frequently opened in winter can also expose the plant to cold drafts. Humidity, temperature and ventilation should be considered together. A humid environment is not necessarily a healthy one if the air remains completely stagnant. Whenever possible, therefore, ensure some air circulation while avoiding cold drafts. ## Soil and pot The growing medium should be **fertile, well-draining and sufficiently airy**. A good potting mix for houseplants can work well, provided it does not become overly compacted and allows excess water to drain away. The pot must have drainage holes. When the roots have filled most of the container or start emerging from the holes at the bottom, you can repot the plant into a pot that is only slightly larger. An oversized container does not help the plant: it holds more water and makes watering more difficult to manage. As the plant grows, a **support or moss pole** can be very useful. Monstera is a climbing plant and naturally seeks something to grow against. A sturdy support helps guide the plant upwards and encourages a more structured growth habit. ## Why do the leaves have holes? The openings in Monstera leaves are called **fenestrations** and are one of the plant's most fascinating features. They appear mainly on mature leaves: a young plant can therefore produce completely intact leaves without anything being wrong. There is still no definitive answer as to why Monstera evolved this way. One hypothesis is that the openings help the plant manage water from heavy tropical rainfall. A study conducted specifically on *Monstera deliciosa* found that fenestrated leaves can intercept and channel more water towards the roots. Another, more curious hypothesis is that the holes might mimic damage already caused by herbivores, making the leaf less attractive to further feeding. However, experiments have not confirmed this explanation: some herbivores actually consumed more tissue from fenestrated leaves. So we know that fenestrations have an adaptive function, but **their precise function is still being studied**. At home, however, they can serve as a useful indicator of plant maturity: if a young Monstera produces solid, unfenestrated leaves, it does not necessarily mean that something is wrong. ## And what about those roots sticking out? They are **aerial roots**, and they are perfectly normal. In nature, they help the plant anchor itself to trees and can also contribute to absorbing water and moisture. There is no need to cut them off when they appear. You can leave them to grow, guide them towards a support or, when possible, direct them towards the growing medium. Cutting them simply because they “look ugly” offers no benefit to the plant. ## How do you propagate it?   Monstera is also one of the most interesting houseplants for anyone who wants to try propagation. The simplest method is to take a section of stem containing at least one **node**, the point from which roots and new shoots can develop. The cutting can be rooted in water or directly in a suitable growing medium. A leaf cut with its petiole but without a node may remain green for quite a long time, but **it cannot produce a new plant**. This is one of the most common mistakes when trying to propagate Monstera. ## Is Monstera right for your home? Before buying one, take a moment to check: do you have a bright spot? Can you protect it from the strongest direct sunlight? Is the air in the room very dry? Do you have a hygrometer to check it? Can the pot drain properly? Is there enough space for the plant to grow upwards? If the answer is yes, *Monstera deliciosa* can become a long-lasting presence in your home. And perhaps this is one of the most important things to learn about houseplants: **there is no care routine separate from the environment in which the plant lives**. 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