The Monstera adansonii variation laniata is the most common Monstera type in the US. There is an ongoing debate on whether var. laniata is rare or common, and countless posts online argue about the differences between Monstera Adansonii, Adansonii var. laniata, and Monstera lechleriana.
The Monstera adansonii var. laniata needs indirect sunlight. You want to use well-draining soil because it needs the perfect hydration balance. And make sure the soil is always slightly moist.
This plant is a subspecies of the Monstera adansonii. It originates from South America. It’s a climber that can grow to great heights.
The juvenile plant has green and narrow leaves. Once the plant matures, it develops Swiss cheese-looking holes in the leaves. The holes on the leaves of the Monstera adansonii var. laniata are closer to the midrib than the Monstera adansonii and are often highly fenestrated. The Monstera adansonii plant is called the “Swiss Cheese Plant.”
This particular plant may be hard to find, but it’s not hard to care for. You can compare it with Monstera adansonii care.
To give you a helping hand with your Monstera adansonii var. laniata, we wrote this article. Everything you could need to know about its care is in this article.
Table of Contents
Monstera Adansonii Variation Laniata Plant Care
The care for Monstera adansonii var. laniata is similar to the care of Monstera adansonii.
Soil
The soil for the Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant should always be well-draining. Well-draining soil offers two major benefits for this type of plant.
First, this type of soil helps to prevent under-watering. It holds all the moisture your plant needs for days at a time. Most well-draining soils use sphagnum peat moss to absorb water.
Second, it also prevents over-watering. Once the soil holds onto the needed moisture, the excess can drain to the bottom. Perlite or pumice is a great ingredient to add for water drainage.
We can’t emphasize enough how bad over-watering is for your plant. It can lead to various plant diseases, and it even attracts pests.
Saturated soil prevents oxygen from coming in. Without oxygen, the roots of a plant can die. When all the roots die, your plant will die.
This is called root rot and is one of the worst conditions over-watering causes.
Light
The Monstera adansonii var. laniata needs indirect sunlight. Even though it’s considered a tropical plant, direct sunlight scorches the leaves. It can even dehydrate this type of plant.
You must place your plant in a north or east-facing window during the morning sun. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, make sure you rotate your plant. Otherwise, light is going to hit only one side of your plant.
Once the sun gets more intense, you should move it to an area of your home with partial shade. This way, the plant’s not getting too much light throughout the day.
If you use artificial lights, set the Monstera adansonii var. laniata a few inches away from the light.
Watering
A Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant thirsts for slightly moist soil.
Keep in mind the soil should be moist but never saturated. Keeping a nice balance is hard, but please avoid over-watering your plant.
The soil should be able to tell you whether it needs moisture. Stick your finger into the soil, down to your big knuckle. This is about two to three inches deep.
When the soil is moist down to your fingertip, wait to water your plant. When the soil dries down to your fingertip, water it immediately.
This means you should check the soil at least three times a week. The temperature can determine how long the soil will hold the moisture. The colder the temperature, the longer the moisture will hang out.
Temperature
A Monstera adansonii var. Laniata should be in an environment ranging from 60F (16C) to 80F (26C).
This plant doesn’t like cold weather or freezing temperatures. It can stunt the plant’s growth or stop it altogether.
Keep it away from air conditioning or any cold drafts in your home.
Humidity
The Monstera adansonii var. laniata doesn’t need high humidity, but it makes a difference. We suggest a humidity level of 60%+ up to 90% for optimal conditions.
But this plant will also grow with lower humidity levels.
There are several ways to create humidity in your home. It helps to invest in a hygrometer. These devices measure the amount of humidity in the surrounding area. You’ll always know if you’re hitting the mark or not.
If you live in a dry environment, you’ll want to consider buying a humidifier. It creates humidity and gives you some control.
An easy method is to spritz your plants whenever the humidity drops in the room. All you have to do is spray the leaves of your plant. Ensure you don’t overdo it; you don’t want to drown the roots.
Another method is the pebble tray method. You start by filling a tray to the top with pebbles. Then you fill the tray with water. The water shouldn’t flow over the pebbles at all.
Once it’s ready, you only sit the plant pot on the pebbles. The water will evaporate slowly, which creates moisture in the air.
Fertilizer
Normal houseplant fertilizer works fine for the Monstera adansonii var. laniata. If you’re concerned about the strength of the fertilizer, try half-strength instead.
You need to fertilize the plant every three weeks or so during the growing season. But don’t fertilize once the cold months hit in autumn and winter.
Propagation
You have two choices regarding propagating the Monstera adansonii var. laniata.
You can propagate with stem cuttings in soil. Or you can propagate with stem cuttings in water. Keep reading to learn how to do both methods.
Growth
The Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant can grow to 12 feet in height. This plant gets pretty all as long as it’s given space. The leaves can grow to be up to 24 inches in length.
Potting
You know when your Monstera adansonii var. Laniata plant needs re-potting. You’ll see the roots coming through the drainage holes. On average, you’ll be re-potting this plant every one to two years.
When you go to re-pot this Monstera plant, use a pot that’s only a bit bigger than the original.
The roots on this plant get stressed out if there’s too much room to stretch. And a stressed plant is more susceptible to plant diseases and plant pests.
Monstera Adansonii Variation Laniata Propagation Steps
The fun thing about the Monstera adansonii var. laniata is that you have options for propagation.
We’re going to go over the two easiest propagation methods. You’ll learn how to propagate with stem cuttings in soil. And you’ll learn how to propagate with stem cuttings in water.
Using Stem Cuttings and Soil
- You need to get your Monstera adansonii var. laniata stem cutting. And that stem cutting should be at least three inches in length. Make sure there are two leaves attached to the cutting. You can cut from the stem of the original plant with pruning shears. Isopropyl alcohol works well to sterilize the shears.
- You want to cure your stem cutting. Let the cut callous over for 10-15 minutes.
- While you’re waiting, get the plant pot ready. The plant pot should always have drainage holes to prevent over-watering. Make sure you’re using well-draining soil.
- When your stem cutting is ready, it’s time to plant it. Stick the cut end of the stem cutting into the soil. It should be at least three inches deep. Pack the soil around the cutting tight. This usually helps keep the stem cutting standing straight up.
- You can use a straw if you struggle with keeping the stem cutting up. Stick the straw into the soil a few inches above the soil. Tie a string connecting the stem cutting to the straw.
- You need to make sure your Monstera is getting bright but indirect sunlight. Remember to move it from the window to inside your home after the morning. Keep the soil moist but never saturated.
Using Stem Cuttings and Water
- Like with a stem cutting for soil, you need a cutting three to four inches long. Two leaves should be attached to the stem cutting, if not more. You’ll want to use sterilized pruning shears to do this. You can use 70% isopropyl alcohol for sterilization.
- You’re going to cure the Monstera adansonii var. laniata stem cutting. Let it sit in a warm environment for around a week. This allows the end of the stem cut to callous over.
- You’re going to need a jar or pitcher for the next step. Place the stem cuttings into the jar and fill it with room-temperature water. Make sure not to soak the leaves or submerge the stem cutting all the way. If you’re using tap water, leave it out for a night before using it. This allows chlorine to dissipate so it won’t harm your Monstera plant.
- You need to switch out the water for fresh water at least once a week. Otherwise, bacteria will grow and infect your plant.
- It takes at least a month for the roots to be long enough to move. In the meantime, get your plant pot ready. The plant pot needs to have drainage holes at the bottom. And you should be using well-draining soil.
- When the roots are at least three inches in length, you can move it from the jar to the pot. Be careful not to injure the roots of your plant and make sure they’re all the way under the soil. Pack the soil tight around the new plant to hold it up.
- It’s time to care for your new Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant. Place it in a window during the morning. Once the morning sun is gone, move it inside your home so it gets partial shade. Keep the soil moist.
Varieties of Monsteras
Monstera plants are gorgeous tropical plants. And they’re simple to care for. If you don’t enjoy the Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant, there are plenty more to check out.
Here are some other amazing Monstera species.
This plant is a fun and funky green plant. It has a gorgeous shiny sheen. The oval leaves grow to be bigger than average. Unlike many other Monsteras, this one doesn’t have holes in the leaves.
The Monstera obliqua plant is still not easy to find on the market and much rarer compared to Monstera adansonii var. laniata, although this plant has become more available recently. Its most well known type is the Monstera Obliqua Peru which produces largely fenestration leaves. It makes you wonder how the leaves stay together.
The Monstera pinnatipartita plant grows to be tall. And the leaves grow pretty large as they fan out from the plant.
Monstera minima
This Monstera isn’t an actual Monstera but it looks so much like one we had to add it to the list. Its real name is the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. The leaves have holes like many Monstera plants. These holes almost take over the entire leaf.
Common Problems with the Monstera adansonii Variation Laniata
Monstera plants are prone to plant pests. This is why it’s super important to check every plant before you bring it into your home. This is the easiest way to get a pest infestation.
Over-watering is also another major way to attract plant pests. Over-watered plants get stressed out and sick. Plant pests love stressed plants.
Thrips love the Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant. These plant pests are hard to see. But you know you have an infestation when you see white larvae or tiny brown insects with wings.
If you shake the plant, it startles the adult thrips. They try to fly away but they can’t get very far. They have weak and thin wings.
Thrips feed on the sap on your plant. When an infestation grows, there are hundreds of pests stealing nourishment. This can lead to stunted growth. A bad infestation left untouched can lead to the plant’s death.
Mealybugs love all plants. So, it’s not surprising to come across this plant infestation no matter what type of plants you care for.
You know you have a mealybug infestation when you see a cotton-like substance. This cotton covers the pest’s body to protect it.
The mealybug steals the hydration and nutrients from your plant. They have straw and needle-like mouths. They use their mouths to pierce the leaves of a plant. Then they suck up the sap.
Spider mites are another common plant pest for this Monstera plant. Unlike the others on this list, spider mites aren’t insects. They’re arachnids with eight legs.
These tiny spiders are difficult to see. You can place a white sheet of paper under your plant. Shake the plant gently. A bunch of tiny black dots will fall onto the paper. If you look close enough, you should see their little legs.
You can trim the affected leaves when you catch a plant infestation early. This should get rid of the pests right away. But it’s rare to catch an infestation when it’s still so small.
Neem oil is our favorite way to rid plants of pests. It’s an all-natural oil. You still want to test a small area of your plant to make sure there isn’t an adverse reaction. But most plants get along well with neem oil.
You start by diluting the neem oil with water in a spray bottle. Shake the liquids up. Then you can spray your plant down.
This type of oil is heavy. So, it weighs the pests down and even suffocates them. They die within minutes. All you have to do now is to wipe the plant down to remove the dead insects.
You want to repeat this process three days later. This makes sure you get all the pests and their eggs or larvae.
Tips for an Unhealthy Monstera Adansonii var. Laniata
The Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant is good at letting you know it’s unwell. It drops you hints by how the leaves are fairing.
Below we’ll give you some tips on the most common problems you’ll face.
Your Monstera Adansonii Var. Laniata Leaves are Brown
A Monstera adansonii var. Laniata with brown leaves is a sign of several ailments. But the most common causes are a lack of light or over-watering.
If you’re unsure which problem is, stick your finger in the soil. You should be able to tell if it’s moist or saturated. Check the bottom of the plant pot to ensure no excess water is hiding out.
If everything looks good, your issue is a lack of light. Keep your Monstera in the window for a longer time before you transition to partial shade. Always rotate the plant whenever possible. This makes sure all areas of your plant are getting plenty of sunlight.
Try moving it closer to the light when you’re using artificial light. If this doesn’t work, consider using sunlight instead.
Your Monstera Adansonii Var. Laniata’s Leaves are Crisp
When your Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant has crisp leaves, you’re dealing with too much sunlight.
You can fix this by lessening your plant’s time in the light. Please don’t keep it in the window as long.
Make sure it’s not getting direct sunlight. Or move it further from the artificial light if need be.
You’ll want to prune the damaged leaves. You can do this with a pair of sterilized pruning shears.
Once you remedy the situation, the plant will be fine. There won’t be any further damage coming for your plant.
Your Monstera Adansonii Var. Laniata Plant has Brown Spots
Brown spots on a Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant are a sign of Leaf Spot Disease. It can sometimes make it look like there are scorch marks on the leaves.
Either fungi or bacteria can cause Leaf Spots. It spreads the quickest during humid conditions.
You want to treat Leaf Spot immediately so it doesn’t spread to all your plant. The first thing you need to do is to remove all infected leaves. Use sterilized pruning shears to remove them. Make sure you get rid of these infected parts as soon as possible.
If the infection is serious, consider using a fungicide for indoor plants. Keep in mind fungicides don’t fix infected leaves. Fungicides only stop the fungi from spreading. You need to use it during the spring season.
You always want to test an area of your plant to ensure it can handle the chemicals. This should be a last resort.
Monstera Adansonii Variation Laniata FAQ
Is the Monstera adansonii var. Laniata toxic to pets?
Yes, the Monstera adansonii var. laniata is toxic to pets and humans. It can swell up the throat and make it difficult to breathe. Go to the doctor or vet right away if ingested.
Do I need to prune my Monstera adansonii var. laniata?
Pruning your Monstera adansonii var. laniata is a good idea. This plant grows fast. To keep healthy growth going, you need to prune occasionally. Plus, the plant can get leggy if you don’t.
Should I pot my Monstera adansonii var. laniata or put it in a hanging basket?
This is all up to you. The Monstera adansonii var. laniata plant fairs well in a pot and a hanging basket. If you chose a plant pot, you’ll need a moss pole eventually.
Conclusion
The Monstera adansonii var. Laniata, in my opinion, is the most beautiful variation of the Monstera adansonii and the true OG for every lover of fenestrated leaves.