The Monstera adansonii is a plant that goes by many names. Five-hole plant, Trailing Split-leaf, Swiss Cheese Vine, and Adanson’s Monstera are other titles this trailing plant is known by.
Monstera Adansonii belongs to the same family as the other Monstera. In comparison, this plant has smaller and more perforated leaves and more of a trailing vine character.
Although Monstera adansonii is easy to care for, improper watering practices can lead the plant to wilt and die – as is often true with Monstera and novice plant owners.
Table of Contents
How Often Should I Water My Monstera Adansonii?
Monstera Adansonii likes evenly moist but well-draining soil. The plant should be watered when the potting mix’s top 3-4 inches are dry. This converted to days would be every 7-8 days in the summer and every 13-14 days in the cooler months. The exact watering frequency depends on your climate, humidity conditions, the pot size, and the potting mix your Monstera Adansonii is living in.
Monstera Adansonii in Its Natural Habitat
The Swiss Cheese Vine is native to the tropics of South America and the West Indies. The tropical plants live on the forest floor, cling to tree trunks, and trail upwards.
As it naturally grows as a climber, it grows aerial roots that dig into the tree barks and support the plant.
The fact that Monstera adansonii grows in tropical forests indicates that the plant likes to have water available at all times.
The soil in the tropics is always kept evenly moist by frequent rains and high humidity levels.
You must mimic similar soil moisture for your Monstera Adansonii to thrive. A well-draining and moisture-retaining mix will do well.
The plant can also get extra water from the aerial roots by absorbing the moisture trapped inside the bark of the trees.
The tropical plant will not thrive if the soil dries out quickly. So don’t pour in the same potting mix for your Monstera Adansonii as you would for your succulents.
How To Know My Monstera adansonii Needs Water
When thirsty, the Monstera adansonii leaves tend to curl up or sag, but these are only prominent when your plant has not been watered in a long time.
You never want to wait for such signs to appear before watering because this stresses the plant and can hinder proper growth.
A better and more reliable method is checking for soil moisture manually. You can check the soil moisture by poking your finger or using a sharp object to see how moist the soil is.
Poke a dry finger into the potting mix and try to feel if the soil is moist. This will usually give you a good idea of whether your Monstera Adansonii needs watering.
Use a bamboo stick or a sharp wooden object if the soil is too compacted or you don’t want to get your hands dirty. Wood has the propensity to appear darker if it’s exposed to moisture.
Another indicator of soil moisture is how easy it is to insert a wooden object into the soil. It is relatively harder to push a bamboo stick into dry soil.
The Weather Impact
Evaporation and transpiration rates will directly affect your watering schedule. In the winter, evaporation, and transpiration are significantly reduced—conversely, both increase in the growing season.
This is why you will not follow the same watering plan in winter and summer. But there is more to it than just the seasons.
If you live in an arid climate, the natural humidity in the air is already quite low. So, you must provide your Monstera Adansonii with ample water to keep up with the high transpiration rates.
The plant will also need a humidifier to thrive in low-humidity conditions.
On the other hand, you would want to water your plant less if it’s the rainy season or you’re in a humid environment.
The Pot Size Impact
The key to watering plants is that your plant should have access to adequate water at all times. This is when the pot size comes in.
The soil in smaller pots tends to dry out more quickly than in larger pots. In small pots, the roots are already taking up most of the space available inside the pot, and the soil volume is low too.
Just like a smaller pond takes less time to dry up than a larger one, a smaller pot will dry faster than a larger one.
In a large pot, you can add much more water than in a smaller one. Furthermore, the greater the soil volume, the more water it can retain.
Another factor that influences soil moisture is the exposed surface area of the soil. Soil covered by rocks, moss, or leaf debris tends to dry out much slower than completely bare soil.
Exposed soil increases the surface area for soil moisture to evaporate into the air.
Frequently Asked Questions about Watering Monstera adansonii
What do I do if my Monstera adansonii is completely dry?
Your plant needs a good soak in this situation. Fill a wide tub 2-3 inches with water and place the Monstera adansonii pot inside. Let the dry soil soak up the water from the drainage hole below. This will ensure the soil is evenly moist throughout.
Should I mist Monstera adansonii on a moss pole?
When growing on moss poles, Monstera Adansonii develops aerial roots that burrow into the moss and help the plant cling on. These aerial roots can also absorb moisture, so it is a good idea to mist the moss pole once in a while to keep the aerial roots stimulated and provide extra water to the plant.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.