Top Qualities of Monstera Peru

Houseplants have a way of improving the general look of your home. You might have nursed the thought of growing and caring for a houseplant like Monstera Peru. However, you might lack the necessary details to grow the plant into good health. This reason is why we are here to help you highlight this houseplant’s amazing qualities and help you make the right decisions.

Are you ready for some exciting details? Let’s dive in!

What is Monstera Peru?

Monstera Peru is a houseplant that is also called Monstera Karstenianum. It has gained popularity over the previous years because of its beautiful foliage and low-cost maintenance.   This houseplant is just one among other Monstera varieties. However, it stands out as one that has thick leaves with dark green colors, and it also features a deep ridge-like texture.

However, other Monstera species like monstera dubia are different because they have fenestrated leaves. When kept indoors, this plant grows 6 to 8 feet tall while the leaves are about 9 centimeters.

Family and Origin

The Monstera Peru is a plant from the Araceae family that naturally has over 60 species. You can easily find most of these plants in tropical areas in America. Interestingly, the family name is derived from the Latin word “monstrous,” which translates as “huge.” This family is distinguished by the unique leaves that have holes and patterns.

It is popularly known as Monstera Karstenianum and other times as only Karstenianum. However, these names are not scientific; they are most popular among cultivators and gardeners.

Qualities of Monstera Peru

The Monstera Peru plant has fascinating qualities, and you must note them. They include:

• Monstera Peru is a low-maintenance plant that is difficult to get. However, it performs well indoors.
• It is a slow-growing plant that would take time before it can take your space. This can be attributed to the low light and water that it requires compared to its counterparts in the same family.
• This houseplant is a Hemi epiphyte that climbs other plants for support and grows its roots into the soil to support the Monstera Peru plant. However, the roots of this houseplant don’t run deep, which is why the plant cannot rely solely on them for support.
• This toxic plant can have a deadly effect if ingested by pets or children. This plant should be kept far from them, especially for safety reasons.
• It can be grown in a hanging basket or planter while the vining foliage trails downwards. As an extremely rare plant, you might not find flowers on them as you grow them indoors. However, that’s no cause for alarm because that’s normal.

How to Care for Monstera Peru

When you care for your plant, you will gain exceptional results. If you can follow these steps on caring for your Monstera Peru, your plant will grow healthily. No need to worry, the steps are easy to execute. They include:

Water

You don’t have to water this plant every day as it is a low-maintenance plant. Watering it once or twice is enough to make it grow properly. If you put too much water, it can cause discoloration of the leaves. However, you also need to create a balance to prevent the entire plant from withering.

Soil

The best type of soil for a Monstera Peru plant is light soil, and it can also perform well in acidic soil. To grow healthy for your Monstera Peru plant, you need to keep the P.H levels between 5 and 7.5. There are also readymade soils that you can use to grow this houseplant.

Humidity

Monstera Peru houseplants are naturally found in tropical areas and rainforests, which means they love humidity. Closely monitor the humidity levels of your environment; if it is low, there are various measures you can use to improve it. You can place buckets of water close to the plant or just purchase a humidifier if you can afford it.

Light and Temperature

Unlike most plants, Monstera Peru can take some sunlight because its leaves are thick. However, if it takes too much direct sunlight, the leaves can start burning. Also, as a tropical plant, the ideal temperature for this plant ranges between 16 to 25 degrees celsius.

Fertilizer

This plant only requires low quantities of fertilizer in spring and summer. However, it is best not to use fertilizers in other seasons.

Potting

Monstera Peru is a unique plant that requires additional attention for effectiveness. Use a normal pot with moss or totem to support the plant’s weak roots. Also, if you decide to re-pot, you can do that after about three years. Either way, clean the plant’s leaves to ensure that photosynthesis enters the plant.

How to Propagate Monstera Peru

Propagating this plant is more technical than other houseplants. This step-by-step guide will teach you about the various methods you can use for propagation. The perfect season for you to propagate your plant is in early spring in March. You can either propagate it with the soil or water.

How to Propagate Monstera Peru in Water

• Use sharp scissors to cut a stem from a fully grown Monstera Peru plant.
• The stem should already be long enough to have nodes. Put the stem in a big bowl of water until the root starts developing.
• Afterward, transfer it into the soil. Make sure to keep it in an environment with high humidity.

How to Propagate Monstera Peru in Soil

• Get clean scissors to cut the stem of about 10cm in length as a fully grown plant.
• Make sure the roots are seeable on the stem that you choose.
• Leave the stem exposed by plucking out the leaves. You can decide to leave some leaves on the stem’s upper side. 
• Keep the stem a few inches into the pot; about 2 to 3 inches is ideal. Ensure that the soil is a little wet.
• Let the plant access filtered sunlight and water it once a week.
• Once the shoots begin to appear, the propagation has succeeded. This would only happen after a couple of weeks.

Conclusion

Monstera Peru is an interesting plant with dark green leaves. As hemi epiphytes, their roots are shallow; thus, they must climb other plants for support. However, you have to remove that as attractive as these plants are, they are highly toxic and fatal when consumed. Overall, it is a low-maintenance plant that requires little effort to make sure that it grows healthily. Once you follow all the steps in this article, you can easily grow your plant into vitality.