Monstera deliciosa, often called the Swiss Cheese Plant, naturally grows as a vine in the tropical understory. While it adapts well to indoor environments, its climbing nature requires artificial support to truly flourish. Providing a stake or pole mimics the large trees the plant uses for vertical ascent in its native Central American jungles. This intervention encourages the plant to mature, leading to the large, perforated foliage enthusiasts desire.
Understanding Why Monstera Requires Vertical Support
The biological foundation for staking a Monstera lies in its classification as a hemiepiphyte. This means it spends part of its life cycle rooting in the ground but primarily grows by climbing vertical structures to reach canopy light. In its natural setting, the plant’s main stem adheres to bark using specialized brown, wiry growths known as aerial roots. These roots function as anchors, securing the vine and allowing the plant to absorb moisture and nutrients directly from the tree trunk.
When a Monstera is allowed to trail or hang, it retains its juvenile form, producing smaller, solid leaves. Vertical support signals to the plant that it has found a stable structure, triggering a developmental shift toward maturity. This shift causes the leaves to increase in size and develop the characteristic fenestrations, or holes. Providing a stake facilitates the plant’s natural drive to climb, resulting in a healthier, more robust specimen.
Selecting the Appropriate Staking Materials
Choosing the right materials involves selecting the primary support structure and the soft material used for securing the stem. The most popular choice for support is a moss pole, typically made from sphagnum moss encased in a mesh cylinder. The porous moss retains moisture, which attracts the Monstera’s aerial roots, encouraging them to penetrate the pole and provide organic support. A coir, or coconut fiber, pole offers a similar rough texture for aerial roots to grip but holds less moisture than sphagnum moss.
Simple wooden or bamboo stakes are also effective, especially for younger plants. However, they provide only structural support and do not offer a medium for aerial root attachment. When selecting a pole, ensure it is tall enough for the current growth and can be extended later, which is simple with modular poles.
Securing Materials
For securing the plant, select something soft and non-abrasive that will not cut into the expanding stem tissue. Soft materials such as plant Velcro, cushioned garden ties, or strips of nylon stocking are ideal for gentle, flexible restraint. Avoid using thin string, wire, or twist ties, as these rigid materials can easily girdle the stem. Girdling restricts nutrient flow and causes irreparable damage as the plant grows.
Step-by-Step Guide to Tying the Plant
The process begins with the careful placement of the stake into the pot. Insert the stake deep into the soil to ensure stability, positioning it close to the main stem. Take care to avoid piercing the primary root ball. Gently push the stake down until it firmly rests against the bottom of the container, usually placed on the side where the aerial roots emerge.
Identifying the Tie Point
Correctly identify the part of the plant to secure: the thick, central stem where the leaves emerge from nodes. It is crucial to tie the main stem and not the leaf petioles—the slender stalks connecting the leaf blade to the stem. Petioles need freedom of movement to track sunlight, and securing them restricts their function, often leading to damage. Focus your efforts on the nodes along the main stem, as these points are where the plant naturally wants to anchor.
Tying Technique
The tying technique involves creating a loose loop or a figure-eight pattern with the soft securing material. Wrap the tie around the main stem at a node and then around the pole. Leave a small gap between the tie and the stem to allow for future expansion. The goal is to hold the stem flush against the pole without cinching or compressing the plant tissue. Secure the tie firmly enough to prevent the stem from pulling away, but loosely enough that you could easily slide a pencil between the tie and the stem.
Gently guide any existing aerial roots so they are facing or touching the surface of the pole. Training the roots toward the pole enables the plant to transition from relying on artificial ties to using its own biological anchors.
Long-Term Maintenance for Continued Vertical Growth
Once the Monstera is secured, ongoing maintenance ensures the plant continues its upward progression. As the vine grows past the top of the support, you must extend the pole to accommodate new growth. If using a modular pole, easily attach a second, smaller pole to the top of the existing one, ensuring the growth surface remains continuous. This prevents the top of the plant from tipping over and allows the newest, largest leaves to continue forming.
Regularly check the ties to prevent them from becoming too tight as the main stem thickens. Periodically loosen or replace any securing materials that appear to be digging into the stem tissue. This prevents constricting the plant’s vascular system, ensuring unrestricted growth and maintaining health.
For moss or coir poles, hydration promotes aerial root adherence. These poles should be kept consistently moist, achieved by misting them daily or slowly pouring water directly into the top. A moist pole encourages the aerial roots to root into the material, creating a more stable, self-supporting structure.