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Plante

Monstera deliciosa in a two-tone concrete and cork pot on a side table beside a white chair

Monstera deliciosa

Monstera deliciosa

The most recognisable fenestrated foliage in contemporary interiors, generous and sculptural.

Light
Partial shade
Water
Moderate watering
Care
Easy
Heat
Moderate heat
Pets
Toxic

At a glance

Botanical name
Monstera deliciosa
Also known as
Plante gruyère · Swiss cheese plant · Faux philodendron
Mature height
200 to 300 cm
Growth
Fast growth
Environments
Indoor · Office
Pets
Toxic to pets

Care

What this plant needs

For each area, the instruction specific to this plant, then the general principle that explains why.

Water

For this plant

Water when the top 3 cm of soil are dry, roughly weekly in summer and every ten to fifteen days in winter.

The principle

A moderate need asks for regularity rather than volume. Water when the top three to four centimetres feel dry: in practice weekly from May to September, every ten to fifteen days the rest of the year. Adjust for the pot — terracotta dries twice as fast as fibreglass.

Light

For this plant

Bright, indirect light; a metre from an east- or north-facing window suits it perfectly.

The principle

Partial shade is bright but filtered light: a metre back from a glazed door, behind a sheer curtain, or morning sun only. It is the broadest and easiest exposure to achieve in a Moroccan interior. Direct afternoon sun, by contrast, leaves irreversible bleached patches on the leaf.

Feeding

For this plant

A liquid organic feed every four weeks from March to October.

The principle

A fast grower exhausts its substrate quickly: a half-strength feed every two to three weeks from March to October beats one strong monthly dose. A new leaf smaller than the last almost always signals depleted soil or a pot that has become too tight.

Temperature

For this plant

Ideal between 18 and 28 °C; keep it away from direct air-conditioning vents.

The principle

This plant is comfortable between 15 and 30 °C, the range of a Moroccan interior all year. Above 35 °C, move it out of direct sun and water more often without watering more heavily. The most common enemy is not the heat but the dry stream of an air conditioner aimed at the foliage.

Yearly rhythm

Indicative calendar

Calendar derived from the plant's profile — water need, heat tolerance, environment and growth rate — applied to the Moroccan climate; adjust it to your city, your exposure and your substrate.

Indicative twelve-month care calendar
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
WateringWatering in January: ReducedWatering in February: ReducedWatering in March: RegularWatering in April: RegularWatering in May: RegularWatering in June: RegularWatering in July: RegularWatering in August: RegularWatering in September: RegularWatering in October: RegularWatering in November: ReducedWatering in December: Reduced
FeedingFeeding in January: Nothing to doFeeding in February: Nothing to doFeeding in March: RegularFeeding in April: SustainedFeeding in May: SustainedFeeding in June: SustainedFeeding in July: SustainedFeeding in August: SustainedFeeding in September: RegularFeeding in October: Nothing to doFeeding in November: Nothing to doFeeding in December: Nothing to do
PruningPruning in January: Nothing to doPruning in February: Nothing to doPruning in March: RegularPruning in April: RegularPruning in May: Nothing to doPruning in June: Nothing to doPruning in July: Nothing to doPruning in August: Nothing to doPruning in September: Nothing to doPruning in October: Nothing to doPruning in November: Nothing to doPruning in December: Nothing to do
IntensityNothing to doReducedRegularSustained

Morocco

Where this plant thrives in Morocco

Our observations city by city, crossed with the local climate. A city that is missing is not a refusal: it simply has not been documented for this plant yet.

Thrives

  • Casablancacoastal · moderate humidity · 33 °C in summer, 7 °C in winter
  • Rabatcoastal · moderate humidity · 33 °C in summer, 6 °C in winter
  • Tangiercoastal · humid air · 31 °C in summer, 8 °C in winter
  • Agadircoastal · moderate humidity · 34 °C in summer, 8 °C in winter
  • Mohammediacoastal · moderate humidity · 32 °C in summer, 7 °C in winter

Well suited

  • Marrakechinland · dry air · 45 °C in summer, 4 °C in winter
  • Fezinland · dry air · 42 °C in summer, 2 °C in winter
  • Meknesinland · dry air · 41 °C in summer, 2 °C in winter
  • Kenitracoastal · moderate humidity · 36 °C in summer, 5 °C in winter

Possible with care

  • Oujdainland · dry air · 41 °C in summer, 1 °C in winter
  • Laayounecoastal · dry air · 42 °C in summer, 9 °C in winter

We deliver to all of these cities.

Diagnosis

Three signals worth reading

The three most common disorders on a plant with this profile, and the move that corrects them.

  1. 1

    What you see

    Dry brown leaf tips and edges, foliage that droops late in the day and recovers overnight.

    Likely cause

    Alternating neglect and compensation: the root ball dries out completely, then receives too much at once.

    The right move

    Fix one watering day a week and check with a finger before you pour. Trim brown parts with scissors, following the leaf's shape; they will not turn green again.

  2. 2

    What you see

    Bleached then brown patches in the middle of the most exposed leaves.

    Likely cause

    Direct afternoon sun through glass — the magnifying effect scorches the blade in a matter of hours.

    The right move

    Pull it back a metre or hang a sheer curtain. Marked leaves will not repair, but the next ones will be clean; remove them only if more than half is scorched.

  3. 3

    What you see

    Grey dust on the foliage, growth slowing with no obvious cause.

    Likely cause

    A dusty blade captures markedly less light, and city dust in Morocco builds up fast.

    The right move

    Wipe the leaves with a damp sponge every month, upper and lower surfaces. Avoid leaf-shine products, which block the stomata.

Monstera in a wicker planter on a bedside table in a grey-walled bedroom

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Monstera deliciosaFrom290 DHAvailable
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Journal

Further reading on this plant

The journal articles that mention it.

City by city

Which plants for Casablanca?

Ocean, salt spray, mild winters and temperate summers: the white city is a paradise for plants — as long as you reckon with wind and salt.

6 min read