Key Takeaways
- A Monstera dubia plant is a Monstera houseplant that has small heart-shaped small leaves that are dark silver with a light green pattern.
- Sometimes referred to as the “shingle plant” or “shingle vine” because of the way it grows resembling the shingles of a house roof.
- Monster dubia plants are easy to care.
- Grow indoors in temperatures between 60 to 85 degrees.
- Place them in a well-lit area where there is a lot of indirect light.
- Water Monstera dubia plants every 1 or 2 weeks, or when the top 1-2 inches of potting soil is dry.
- Lastly, plan them in chunky peat or orchid bark-based soil mix so that any excess water can drain out.
Table of Contents
What is a Monstera Dubia?
A Monstera dubia plant is a Monstera houseplant that has small, heart-shaped leaves.
In its native habitat in South and Central America, Monstera Dubia is found growing attached to trees.
Monstera dubia leaves are a combination of silver, dark, and light green patterns.
The juvenile plants are different from the mature form, mainly because of the Monstera slits or holes.
Some gardeners refer to it as a “shingle plant” or “shingle vine” because of the growth pattern it produces when compared to large trees.
The leaves lie flat on the tree trunk, just like shingles.
Once mature, the dual-colored tiny hearts will turn deep green with many holes, making this plant a perfect Monstera plant.
Juvenile leaves are 2-3 inches long, and mature Monstera dubia leaves are 1 foot in length.
This perennial plant will reach a mature size of 3 ft (0.9 m) as an indoor plant, but outdoors it can climb up to 10 ft (3 m).
However, Monstera dubia is a slow grower and will take a lot of patience, care, and many years before reaching maturity.
This monstera from the arum family can also bloom, producing salmon-pink flowers when the first few leaves reach maturity.
Caring for this plant is simple if you understand the general plant care guidelines for monstera plants.
It is considered rare as it is difficult to find in local garden centers.
How to Care for a Monstera Dubia Plant
The Monstera dubia plant is a prized possession of many who often invest in this plant with the intent of keeping it alive and well in their home.
When selecting this plant, one should take into account that it is not easy to care for.
This article will outline how to care for a Monstera dubia plant so that it produces fruit and how to avoid common mistakes when growing it.
Temperature
The Monstera Dubia will grow best at indoor temperatures of 60 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 29 degrees Celsius).
Do not expose it to temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).
Since it’s a tropical plant and has warmth, it also needs adequate humidity as it is native to Central and South America.
The average humidity level for this plant is close to 50 %, which is easy to maintain using misting.
However, if you want to do something extra, you can keep a pebble tray near the plant for higher humidity.
If you want to see the ultimate size of the Dubia Plant, you should cultivate outside in USDA hardiness zones 10 or 11.
Light
Unquestionably, the best option is to grow Monstera dubia in a well-lit area where there is a lot of indirect light.
If you have a choice, then grow your Monstera Dubia in a greenhouse or under a grow light.
When it is flowering, it also benefits from bright light. The good news is that this is a tolerant, medium-light plant.
As a result, it may also be cultivated in partial sunlight; direct sunlight destroys the leaves and has an impact on the Monstera plant’s physical appearance.
So, bottom line, place a Monstera dubia plant in a light position in the room.
Watering
The average frequency of watering a Monstera dubia is every 1 or 2 weeks.
It would be best to water this tropical aroid during the active growth period when the top 1-2 inches of potting soil is dry.
To recreate the plant’s natural environment, you can keep your Monstera dubia moist by misting the leaves and surroundings regularly.
If there are no signs of drought stress on the foliage, then you do not need to worry about overwatering.
However, if the plant has been neglected for some time, you may want to give it more frequent attention.
You should also check that the roots have enough space in which they can grow freely without being constricted.
This will help them absorb nutrients from the surrounding soil better.
For more information on watering Monstera plants, read more:
Soil and Fertilizer
Monstera dubia likes chunky soil mixes. A peat-based soil mix is best. You can easily create this by using peat moss, orchid bark, and regular potting soil.
Your potting mix should be fresh soil that is well-draining with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Fertilize the Monstera dubia three times a year with a regular houseplant fertilizer.
Dubia monstera looks and performs best in clay pots, even as a mature plant. These pots can ensure adequate drainage.
Clay pots also allow you to grow plants at different heights without having to repot them often.
If you have an indoor garden, then consider growing it in a hanging basket.
This will give you more space to work with while still keeping the plant close enough to enjoy its beauty.
As the Monstera Dubia grows, the pot should be repotted every 2 years. This helps the plant maintain good health and grow quickly.
Common Pests and Diseases
Monstera dubia is prone to scale insects and spider mites.
It’s best to regularly spray your plant with neem oil to kill the pests even before they take over the plant.
Just like other tropical plants, this plant’s roots can fall prey to root rot infection.
Root rot will cause leaves to turn yellowish-brown in color and eventually die off.
The only way you’ll know if it has happened is by looking at the bottom of the pot where the soil meets the drainage holes.
If there are any brown spots in that area, then chances are high that the plant has been infected.
Ultimately, you may have to repot your plant to give it a better chance to survive.
Repotting
If the Monstera Dubia plant grows slowly or has roots coming out of the drainage hole, it should be repotted.
On average, this plant needs to be repotted every year or two. You can use plastic pots with drainage holes as well as clay pots.
Clay pots have an advantage over plastic because they allow air circulation around the root system, which helps prevent mold from forming on top of the soil. First, move the old pot and roots.
Gently wash the plant in cool water. Fill a pot two-thirds of the way with fresh potting soil. Then, transfer your Monstera dubia into the soil.
Then, press the soil firmly around the plant with your hands. Lastly, water thoroughly until all excess moisture is absorbed by the new soil.
This will help keep the soil moist for several days after planting.
If you are using a container that has been sitting outside or inside during the winter months, it may be necessary to add some fertilizer before transplanting.
Propagation
The easiest method of Monstera Dubia propagation is by using stem cuttings.
Start the process by locating a leaf node on the stem.
New leaves will emerge from this leaf node.
Using pruning shears, cut a few inches of stem with some healthy leaves and let the cut heal for a few hours.
Related post: How To Prune Split Leaf Philodendron and Monstera Plants
You can dust the cutting with rooting hormone powder or mix a propagation promoter into the growing medium.
By the way, if you’re looking at rooting hormones for the first time, we suggest you read our related post on how to use rooting hormones. We’ve used it in the past and it simply works – we see roots sprout every time.
The next step is to decide whether you want to root the cutting in water or soil.
Fortunately, both methods work for Monstera dubia plants, as long as you follow the instructions and take care of them.
If you want to grow it in soil, prepare a peat moss and soil mixture. Fill a small nursery pot with the prepared soil mix and place your cutting.
The leaves should not touch the soil surface. Keep the soil moist and make sure the cutting receives bright, indirect light.
The cutting also needs an ideal temperature to start rooting.
If you want to grow in water, fill a glass jar or bottle with chlorine-free water. Submerge the stem cutting in water with the leaves above water at all times.
You will have to replace the water every few days or whenever it gets murky.
Only water that is at room temperature should be used to keep the newly propagated Monstera dubia cutting from being shocked by it.
For more information on propagating Monstera plants, read more:
FAQ
Are Monstera Dubia fast growers?
Monstera dubia plants are not fast-growing. Because Monstera dubia is a slow-growing plant, it should not need repotting very often. Repotting and transplanting a Monstera Dubia can be done every 2-3 years. However, if you see roots sprouting out of the drainage holes, then you replant your plant.
How do you propagate Monstera Dubia?
The most successful approach to reproducing Monstera Dubia is through stem cuttings, which may be done in water using a propagation station or jar, or in soil. When propagating in the soil, you should apply a high-quality rooting hormone.
How do you mount a Monstera Dubia?
Like other Monsteras plants, Monstera dubia is a climbing plant. You can install a little moss pole or trellis, or place a flat board in the pot. If you tie these plants with plastic zip ties or velcro garden ties, they are an excellent choice to connect your Monstera to the moss pole. They are a way to help your plant stay connected with the moss pole or trellis, and there is no harm to your Monstera’s stem.
Other Monstera Plants to Consider
If you like collecting unique-looking Monstera plants, you need this one in your houseplant collection.
It’s not a popular variety like Monstera adansonii and Monstera obliqua; rather, it’s quite rare as it’s not easy to find, but it’s eye-catching with its heart-shaped foliage.
There are a lot of care factors that go into growing a Monstera dubia. The most important and easiest to regulate is the amount of sunlight it receives.
Too much or too little will cause brown spots and leaf loss, so be sure to keep them in an area where they’ll get between four and six hours of indirect sunlight.
The plant loses its dark green variegation when it is mature, but the Monstera dubia will give you that classic Monstera deliciosa fenestration.
There are many varieties of Monstera houseplants. If you are looking for another type of Monstera plant, check out our other related posts:
References
Lindsey Hyland grew up in Arizona where she studied at the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center. She continued her gardening education by working on organic farms in both rural and urban settings. She started UrbanOrganicYield.com to share gardening tips and tactics. She’s happy to talk about succulents and houseplants or vegetables and herbs – or just about anything in a backyard garden or hydroponics garden.