Monstera Albo
Monstera Albo
Monstera Albo Information
Monstera Albo plants are species of tropical vines from the Araceae family, and they are native to Central America. They are known for the natural forming holes in their leaves, which has led to the popularity of its nickname as the Swiss Cheese Plant. The holes in their leaves grow from the centre towards the leaf edge, and will open up to form a complete split when the leaf matures.
In the wild a Monstera Albo produces a fruit that is edible to humans (not pets/animals), however when kept indoors it is rare that the fruit is produced. In its home in the jungle, a Monstera can grow to be enormous, often dozens of feet tall with leaves that spread out almost two feet wide.
The rainforest is lush, and that lets the Monstera grow up the sides of trees. With its ability to climb, adding a small trellis or pole to the pot would help support it and let it reach higher.
Monstera Quick Facts
Monsteras are easy to care for:
- Water them once every 1 to 2 weeks
- Make sure the room gets sunlight
- Great for: living rooms, dining rooms, kitchen, and bathrooms with light
- Perfect at work: from cubicles, to corner offices and board rooms
- No direct bright sunlight
How to Take Care of a Monstera Albo
Sun Requirements
Monsteras do best in bright and medium indirect sunlight - a room with a window will do just fine. Monsteras can not usually handle direct sun - the leaves will let you know if they got too much sun by turning yellow.
How to Water a Monstera Albo
Every 1 to 2 weeks. Be sure to let the soil dry out in-between. If your monstera is in a sunny location you will have to water it more frequently. Leaves will have brown spots appear if the monstera needs watering more frequently.
Humidity for a Monstera Albo
Average household room humidity will do just fine, but monsteras love humid conditions like bathrooms.
Temperature
65°F to 85°F (18°C to 30°C).
Monstera Albo Light Requirements
The lighting requirements of the Albo Monstera plant is very similar to other Monstera plants. They thrive in areas with bright indirect light. They do not like direct sunlight, and if left in the sun will start to look unwell, and their leaves will become scorched.
Placing your Monstera 2 to 3 feet from a window will provide it with adequate light.
Having blinds or window coverings will let you place it even closer to the windows itself, but watch for direct sun hitting the leaves.
Variegated plants can be tougher to grow, because the white on each leaf will repel sun, not collect it. This is much like wearing a white shirt in the summer. If your plant does not receive enough sun, the variegation may start to fade away and your plant will revert to more green colours.
Monstera Albo Watering Requirements
The roots of a Monstera Albo are very sensitive, and like other tropical plants they prefer to be more dry than wet. In the wild, tropical plants do not get soaked on a regular basis, and their soil will dry out.
We want to replicate these conditions in our homes.
Take your Monstera out of it's decorative pot, and soak your plant in water for 5 to 10 minutes. Take it out of the water and let it drain for 5 to 10 minutes. Feel the weight of it. If it's a 6 inch Monstera, it should weight about 2 pounds or so with all that water.
Then place it back into the pot. You should not need to water it for another 2 to 3 weeks. Over those weeks, lift the pot up every few days. You will feel the plant get lighter throughout the weeks. The soil will start to pull away from the sides of the pot.
Around this time the plant will feel light, almost like there's nothing there but leaves and stems. This is perfect. As the soil dries, air can flow in and reach the roots to help your plant grow.
Your plant needs water AND air to grow.
Root rot happens when a plant is watered too frequently. If your plant never gets to dry out, air will not reach the roots.
Be sure that the water being used is clean and free from chlorine or other harmful chemicals. You may use rainwater (put a bowl outside), leftover water bottles, or tap water that has been left out for 24 hours. Tap water contains chlorine, which is safe for humans, but not plants. Leaving tap water out for 24 hours will let chlorine fade away.
Monstera Albo Soil Requirements
Like most Monstera plants, your Albo will thrive in well-draining soil type. It should also be rich soil with enough moisture-retaining capacity. We will already have the Monstera in the soil it needs.
If you would like to mix your own soil, use a well-draining soil, mix in perlite, and some worm castings or other plant fertilizer. The soil should be somewhere between neutral and acidic pH level, between 6.5 and 7.0.
Their potting mix should contain sufficient fertilizer. Using a liquid fertilizer will help maintain growth. Check out our plant fertilizer options here.
Monstera Albo Temperature And Humidity Requirements
Monstera Albo plants love high humidity, like many tropical plants. Your Monstera will grow and adapt to Canadian home conditions (about 30% to 40% humidity, but a room with 55% humidity will help it grow even faster.
Bathrooms and kitchens see more humidity than most rooms.
Monstera Albo Propagation And Pruning
Like any Monsteras, a Monstera Albo can be propagated through stem cuttings. Some people find that the cuttings may irritate their skin, so be careful when handling the cuttings.
Sterilize all tools before pruning the plant. Be sure to cut the white monstera plant leaves from its base. Place the cuttings in clean water for 2 to 3 weeks. Once the cuttings have put out roots, transplant your monstera to soil, using the soil mixtures we discussed above.
What Makes The Albo Monstera Rare?
The variegation on the leaves of this monstera plant are very striking. This varigation is rare in the plant world, and especially for a monstera.
Where To Buy a Monstera Albo?
At Gold Leaf Botanicals of course! These plants are very rare, but we have access to them at certain times. Please send us a message or contact us to buy a Montera Albo
Why Monstera is Expensive?
Yes, the price of Monstera Albo plants can be higher than other tropical plants. This is due to their striking features and the fact that they grow in countries overseas. Our Albo plants are imported, and the costs can add up. The demand for these stunning plants is high, so when a plant is in demand and supply is low, the prices do climb.
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