How Long Do Monsteras Live for? Is this the houseplant you grow old with, and what can you do to let it age gracefully? Read on to find out!
As a plant parent, you know too well the joy of watching your saplings become robust young adults. But here’s a houseplant that can watch you get old as well! Prized for their perforated glossy green foliage, here’s everything on how long Monsteras live!
About a Monstera
Also known as the Swiss Cheese Plant, Monsteras are gorgeous tropical epiphytes native to the rainforests of South and Central America. With leaves that either split at the edges or grow with enclosed ridges known as fenestrations, this houseplant is a keeper for life!
Thriving in warm, mild-wintered USDA zones 10-12, this jungle plant can scale up to 50 feet outdoors easily and sometimes even more. But as your indoor bff, it can grow as tall as you, live through your crucial years, and multiply easily, so you’ll never run out of its lush, tropical company!
There are several Monstera varieties to choose from. Popular ones like M.deliciosa and M.adansonii are differentiated by their leaf structure—one splits when mature, while the other is tinier and forms shapely closed holes.
While the larger ones should be tethered to a structure to support their upright growth, the compact ones can even cascade from hanging baskets. But how long do they live for, and do they ever stop growing? Let’s find out!
How Long Do Monsteras Live?
If you do things right, your Monstera could live up to 50 years—depending on the variety! If they can survive in their wild, tropical jungle homes, these resilient plants can easily thrive in your home. A key reason for this impressive lifespan is dormancy.
There are even Monsteras that outlive humans and live for centuries; consider the one in Longwood Gardens, which has been there since the mid-19th century!
These tropical plants switch to dormancy to conserve energy and slow their growth in hostile conditions. Different varieties among the 50 species in the Monstera family may have differing lifespans, but our popular M.deliciosa lives the longest indoors and outdoors.
Do Monsteras Live Longer Inside or Outside?
If you give your indoor Monstera everything it needs—perfect weather, water, nutrients, pruning, protection from pests and extremities, etc.—it can certainly live out its full years in peace and grace in your home!
But outdoors, it is more natural for the plant to adapt and become resilient, allowing it to scale up to impressive heights freely! So, it depends on your space and how well you maintain your Monstera!
How to Extend the Life of Your Monstera?
1. Dappled, Filtered Sunshine
Much like its rainforest home, where this epiphytic vine catches dappled rays filtering through humongous tree canopies, your Monstera needs similar light indoors as well. This easy-to-handle houseplant cannot tolerate too much or too little sunshine.
Place the plant in a bright spot—such as near a south, west, or east-facing windowsill—with plenty of filtered or indirect sunlight, and it will thrive for years.
2. Get Your Potting Mix Right
When growing Monstera in a pot, use well-draining soil that stays evenly moist. To help with airflow and drainage, blend three parts of houseplant soil with shredded bark and perlite.
In its natural environment, Monstera deliciosa grows in mediums that can be a mix of light sand, medium loam, or heavy clay. It does well in soil with an acidic or neutral pH.
3. Consistent Watering Routine
Water your monstera when the top few inches of soil feel dry. To check, stick your finger in the soil. When you water, do it slowly and thoroughly until you see water coming out of the drainage holes at the bottom. The soil shouldn’t always stay wet; only water when dry.
If the leaves start looking limp or curling, it’s a sign that your monstera needs water. In the growing season, a monstera kept in bright, indirect light might need watering more frequently. During winter, you can pull back to watering once every few weeks.
4. Pruning
Prune indoor Monsteras during spring and summer, just before its growing season. Being slow-growers, pruning helps Monsteras push out fresh growth and keeps diseases and dullness in check. You can pick out damaged foliage anytime, though!
5. Repot When it’s Time
Your Monstera deliciosa will probably need a bigger pot every few years to allow it to spread out. Move it into a pot a couple of inches wider and deeper than the root ball to give it room to grow. Pick any material for the container and ensure ample drainage holes.
Here’s how to choose the best pots for different types of Monsteras.
6. Optimum Use of Fertilizer
During the growing season, fertilize your M.deliciosa every few weeks. Use a balanced 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer. Dilute half a teaspoon of fertilizer into a gallon of water, and water your plant with it.
7. Look Out for Pests
Wipe dust or dirt off the leaves with a damp sponge or paper towel to keep your Monstera glossy and deter pests. Common pests that might appear include sap-sucking mealybugs, aphids, thrips, scale insects, and spider mites.
If you see any on the leaves, spray the plant with water or diluted neem oil. You can also rinse the leaves with insecticidal soap.
