Monstera Deliciosa care comes down to bright indirect light, water when the top 3cm of mix has dried, and something for the stems to climb. Skip the support and the plant sprawls sideways instead of up. Below: light, watering by season, moss poles, pet safety and what usually goes wrong.
| Care need | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Light | Bright, indirect, filtered sunlight |
| Water | Water moderately, allow the top 3cm of soil to dry |
| Pets | Not pet friendly — toxic if chewed (RSPCA Australia) |
| Difficulty | Needs a routine |
Needs a routine rather than easy-going, because a Monstera left unstaked in a pot it has outgrown will lean and stop making the leaves people buy it for.
How much light does a Monstera Deliciosa need?
Bright, indirect, filtered sunlight. In an Australian home that means within a metre or two of a north- or east-facing window, with a sheer curtain if direct sun lands on the leaves. North is the bright aspect here, which most care advice online gets backwards.
Brisbane and Perth are where light tips from good to too much, since glass concentrates afternoon summer sun and a leaf that catches it bleaches before the edges go crisp. Melbourne is the reverse: winter light is weak enough that a corner which worked in January is too dim by July.
Too little light shows up in the new growth: fresh leaves come out smaller and solid, on longer, floppier stems. If the only spot you have is genuinely dim, Devil’s Ivy care covers a plant that will be happy there.
How often should you water a Monstera Deliciosa?
Water moderately, letting the top 3cm of mix dry before the next drink. Push a finger in to the second knuckle: damp means wait, dry and crumbly means water until it runs from the drainage holes. Then empty the saucer.
Spring and summer, September to February, is when a Monstera does most of its growing and drinking. Check the top 3cm about once a week and water whenever it has dried.
Autumn and winter, March to August, the plant slows right down and the mix holds water far longer. A fortnightly check is usually plenty, and some weeks the answer will be no.
Winter overwatering is the usual cause of trouble here. A fixed schedule works well enough from September to February and quietly rots the roots from June onwards, because the mix never gets a chance to dry. Check the soil, not the calendar.
Is a Monstera Deliciosa safe for cats and dogs?
No. Monstera Deliciosa is toxic if chewed, and that goes for the leaves, the stems and the sap. It wants a high shelf or a room the cat does not get into.
RSPCA Australia covers plants and pets in its knowledgebase, and the ASPCA lists Monstera deliciosa as toxic to cats and dogs under Cutleaf Philodendron, for the insoluble calcium oxalates in the leaves and stems. If your pet has had a chew, ring your vet or the Animal Poisons Centre.
If you have a cat that treats every shelf as a walkway, the swap we would suggest is the Baby Rubber Plant: same glossy dark leaves at tabletop scale, and Peperomia obtusifolia is listed non-toxic by the ASPCA.
Potting mix, feeding and repotting
A Monstera wants a chunky indoor potting mix with bark and perlite through it, in a pot with drainage holes. Decorative pots without a hole are the fastest way to lose one. Ours drop straight into something like the Pierre Terrazzo Pot in white.
Feed from September to February only. Stop over winter, when the plant is not growing and the fertiliser has nowhere to go.
Repot in spring, September to November, going up one pot size rather than three: a 20cm plant into a 25cm pot. In the weeks before spring, get the mix and the next pot size ready so you can move as soon as new growth appears.
Does a Monstera need a moss pole?
If you want the leaves to keep getting bigger and splitting further, yes. Monstera is a climber, and its aerial roots are looking for something to grip. Given a totem it grows upward and the leaves mature; given nothing, it sprawls and they stay small.
Fit the support when you repot, so you can seat it deep in the mix. A coconut coir totem holds a little moisture for the aerial roots to grab. Tie the stems on loosely and check the ties each spring, because one that was comfortable last September will be cutting in by autumn.
Common Monstera Deliciosa problems
- Yellow lower leaves and a soft stem base. Too much water, or a mix that never dries. Stop watering, let the top 3cm dry properly, and check the pot actually drains.
- Brown crispy edges with pale bleached patches. Direct sun through glass, most often a west-facing window in summer. Move it back or hang a sheer curtain.
- Aerial roots reaching out of the pot. Normal, not a fault. Guide them onto the totem or tuck them into the mix.
Where our Monsteras come from
Monstera Deliciosa is dispatched from our Queensland nursery in its nursery pot, so the plant you see is the plant you get.
“Just like cheese needs crackers, you may want to pop a mossy wooden stake in the middle of my pot to support my stems…” — from our Monstera Deliciosa care card
Every plant arrives with a printed care card, packed in low-waste, plastic-free packaging and backed by our 30-day plant guarantee, which covers a plant that turns up in poor condition rather than one left dry for a month.
Shop the Monstera Deliciosa.
Monstera Deliciosa care FAQs
Is a Monstera Deliciosa the same as a Swiss Cheese Plant?
Yes. Swiss Cheese Plant is the common name for Monstera deliciosa, and it is the subhead on our care card. The confusion is with Swiss Cheese Vine, a different plant, Monstera adansonii, with smaller leaves and holes through the middle rather than splits cut to the edge.
Why doesn’t my Monstera have holes in its leaves?
Young plants make solid leaves, and the splits arrive as the plant matures. Light and support are what speed that up, so a Monstera in a dim corner with nothing to climb can stay hole-free for years. Move it closer to a north-facing window and give it a totem.
Can I keep a Monstera Deliciosa outside in Australia?
On a sheltered verandah or under a shady tree, yes, through the warmer months. It wants filtered light and no direct afternoon sun, and it will not cope with a cold snap, so bring it in before winter. Wind is the other issue, because those big leaves tear along the splits.
The Good Plant Co nursery team · Last updated 12 September 2026
Part of The Indoor Plant Care Library.