Why are my leaves turning yellow?

This is usually a sign of overwatering or poor drainage.

Does it need direct sunlight?

No, it prefers bright, indirect light to maintain its leaf color.

Plant guide

Monstera Adansonii.

Monstera adansonii

Pronounced mon-STAIR-uh ad-an-SO-nee-eye

Also known as Adanson's Monstera, Monkey-Mask, Mountain Ears, Swiss cheese-plant, Swiss-cheese-plant, five holes plant, tarovine

Swiss cheese-plant — Photo by Francis Pérez (CC BY) via iNaturalist

This charming vining plant is famous for the unique holes, or fenestrations, that develop on its heart shaped leaves. It loves to climb and will happily scramble up a moss pole or trail beautifully from a hanging basket. It is a fantastic choice for adding a lush, tropical feel to your home.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Tropical vine
Light: Bright indirect light
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: Up to 2 meters indoors
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 10 to 12
Bloom time: Rarely blooms indoors, occasionally in summer

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy to prevent root issues. Watch for yellowing leaves, which often signal overwatering or poor drainage. Provide bright, indirect light to encourage those signature leaf holes to form.

Watering: Water when the top few centimeters of soil feel dry to the touch.
Feeding: Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Trim back long stems to encourage a bushier shape and remove any damaged foliage.
Repotting: Repot when the roots begin to circle the bottom of the container.
Soil: Well draining aroid mix
Soil pH: 5.5 to 7.0
Temperature: 15 to 27°C
Humidity: 60 to 90%
Drought tolerance: Low
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 5 to 10 years
Deer and rabbits: Low

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water running straight through the pot without soaking in.
Stunted growth during the active growing season.

Safety

People: All parts of the plant are toxic to humans and pets if chewed or swallowed.
Pets: This plant is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.
Children: Keep this plant out of reach as the leaves are a choking hazard and toxic if ingested.
Contact allergens: The sap can cause skin irritation or rashes in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: There is no significant evidence of respiratory allergies from this plant.
Edibility: The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals which cause severe irritation if ingested.

How to identify it

Heart shaped leaves with holes
Vining growth habit
Deep green leaf color
Textured leaf surface

Height: 1 to 3m
Spread: 0.3 to 0.6m
Leaves: dark green, evergreen
Flowers: white, cream, 5 to 10cm
Fruit: green, Rarely produced indoors

Problems to watch for

Brown Leaf EdgesCommon
Fungus GnatsCommon
Root RotCommon
Spider MitesCommon
ChlorosisUncommon
MealybugsUncommon
Scale InsectsUncommon
ThripsUncommon

By symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: cuttings, division
When to plant: spring, summer
Overwintering: Bring indoors before temperatures drop. Keep away from cold drafts and heating vents.
In containers: It is an excellent container plant that loves to climb a moss pole or trail from a hanging basket.

Stem cuttings

1. Identify a healthy stem with at least one node.
2. Cut just below the node using sterilized shears.
3. Place the cutting in water or moist sphagnum moss.
4. Keep in bright, indirect light until roots form.
5. Transplant into a well draining potting mix.

Group tropical plants together to create a microclimate that boosts ambient humidity.

Grows well with

Peace Lily — They share similar requirements for humidity and indirect light.
Philodendron — These plants thrive in the same tropical conditions and look great together.

Similar species

Monstera deliciosa — A larger relative with much bigger, split leaves.
Epipremnum aureum — Another vining plant that is much easier to care for in low light.

Science

Family: Araceae
Genus: Monstera
Order: Alismatales
Class: Liliopsida
Native range: Central and South America
Conservation: Not currently listed as endangered in its native range.

It grows as a climbing vine in tropical rainforests, utilizing trees for support to reach better light.

Value to wildlife: provides shelter in native canopy
Pollinators: beetles
Uses: houseplant, hanging basket, vertical climber

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Nutrients: 5/9
Moisture: 6/9
Light: 5/9
Temperature: 8/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Why are my leaves turning yellow?: This is usually a sign of overwatering or poor drainage.
Does it need direct sunlight?: No, it prefers bright, indirect light to maintain its leaf color.

Where the name comes from

The genus name honors the Monstera's unusual appearance, while the species name commemorates the French botanist Michel Adanson.

Good to know

It is often called the Swiss Cheese Vine due to its unique leaf holes.
This plant is a hemiepiphyte, meaning it starts life on the ground and climbs trees.
The leaves can grow significantly larger when the plant is allowed to climb a moss pole.

Also in

Plants toxic to cats and dogs

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This guide was generated with AI and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.