Variegated Monstera is truly stunning, which makes it among the most highly-priced indoor plants on the market.
But can you grow variegated Monstera from seed to avoid paying the steep purchase prices of the plant?
Growing the seed and propagating the plant might seem like a low-cost way of creating your own variegated Monstera, but is it a viable alternative?
This post answers the most pressing questions about getting and growing variegated Monstera plants.
It also offers a step-by-step guide for growing this indoor plant to help you through the process.
Can You Grow Variegated Monstera From Seed?
No, growing a variegated Monstera plant from seed is not feasible. Variegation in Monstera plants is a recessive trait, meaning that the possibility of carrying that trait in the plant’s seed is incredibly minimal.
Unfortunately, you may come across online ads for variegated Monstera seeds. Such advertisers are usually trying to con you or are downright misinformed.
Whatever the case, you should not wait around to discover their reasons; just don’t buy the seeds.
How Can You Get a Grow Monstera Deliciosa Plants From Seed Plant?
The only practical way of getting a variegated Monstera is to buy a cutting of the grown plant.
Cuttings of different sizes are available for purchase online. You can also find them in local nurseries and garden centers around you.
You can buy a small cutting or a more established plant. A smaller cutting may cost less but will take at least a few years to grow into the beautiful variegated plant you want.
On the other hand, a more established plant will cost a lot more. Prepare to spend north of $100 on the specimen.
The sellers usually charge highly because variegated Monstera grows slowly and takes a lot of time and care to reach a decent size.
The uniqueness of a variegated trait and the associated hype also play a part in driving up the prices.
The steep prices notwithstanding, the beauty that comes with a variegated Monstera plant is worth the commitment.
The only other alternative way to get a variegated Monstera is to have someone with the plant give you a cutting.
But you must be lucky to have such a person in the first place for this alternative to be in the cards for you.
Once you have your cutting (regardless of how you obtain it), you can plant it in a suitable potting mix and watch it grow into an adult variegated Monstera plant.
How to Grow Variegated Monstera Step-by-step
When planting a variegated Monstera, keep in mind that the right care routine is crucial for the plant to retain its variegation.
Failure to follow the recommended care routine could lead to the plant losing its variegation and becoming entirely green. Also, prepare to be patient with the plant as it grows relatively slowly.
This is because the lack of chlorophyll in the white areas of their leaves means they must work extra hard to manufacture enough food for their sustenance.
All said, here is the procedure to follow to grow a variegated Monstera plant.
Step 1. Get a suitable cutting
Since you cannot grow a variegated Monstera plant from seed, your first task is to obtain a cutting.
Few people will be willing to give you a cutting from their variegated Monstera, but if you are lucky to get one, you will save on the purchase cost.
However, your most viable option is to buy a cutting from a seller. You can get a small cutting or a relatively larger one, depending on your purchasing power.
- If you’re getting a small cutting, ensure its tips have new growths with a couple of leaves. The stem should also have at least two nodes.
- If you’re going for a sizeable cutting instead, get one with about four to five leaves and a corresponding number of nodes on the vine. The cutting should also have aerial roots already.
- You will want to divide this specimen into smaller cuttings when planting it.
- More importantly, ensure the variegation on the cutting you are getting is about 50 percent. Having too much variegation may mean too little chlorophyll to sustain the plant, while too little variegation might be lost completely over time.
Step 2. Create your cuttings if you have a sizeable specimen
Suppose you bought or acquired a big cutting, use a sharp, sterilized blade to divide it into smaller cuttings.
Place each cut right below a node or aerial root at an angle of 45 degrees. And cutting must have at least two nodes on the stem.
Step 3. Examine your cuttings
Even though you should have examined your cuttings beforehand to ensure they have the desired qualities, double-checking before planting them is essential.
Just before putting each cutting into its pot, check its stems for any sheaths of vegetation. We recommend removing it to avoid dying away later after planting the cutting.
Too much variegation is bad for your houseplant as it hampers the plant’s ability to manufacture food and survive.
Additionally, variegation can increase in the plant over time if the cutting has too much of the trait.
Step 4. Prepare a rooting medium for each cutting
After double-checking your cuttings to ensure they are sound, set them aside in rooting mediums while you prepare their vases.
Ensure you place the cuttings in an area with bright, indirect sunlight and good air circulation.
Each cutting should have its own container. The container can be a jar, glass, or clear vase.
Thoroughly clean and rinse each vessel before filling them with filtered water, rainwater, or bottled water.
Step 5. Put your cuttings into their respective rooting mediums
Put each cutting in a vessel you just prepared and arrange them somewhere that receives bright, indirect sunlight and consistent warmth.
Once done, add filtered water, rainwater, or bottled water enough to cover the roots but not touch the leaves.
Change this water roughly every three days. While doing so, allow each cutting to dry for a few minutes. This measure will help prevent rot during this rooting process.
Continue this routine for a few weeks. You should start seeing new roots forming in weeks and noticeable growth in about a month.
Step 6. Transfer your plants into their respective pots
You should have prepared a potting mix for each new plant by the time the roots are formed. Transfer each of them into a pot with the right potting soil.
Start by putting a little soil at the bottom of the pot and then add more to cover the roots after inserting the plant.
Overall, you should plant your cuttings in their respective vessels with potting mixes within three months of starting the rooting process.
The fresh potting mix will provide the little variegated Monstera plants with the nutrients they need to grow and thrive.
Also read: Best Pot for Monstera
Step 7. Water the plants regularly and fertilize them after at least six months
As soon as your Variegated Monstera plants are in their final resting places, consider watering them at least once a week or as soon as an inch or two of the soil’s top layer is completely dry.
Begin fertilizing in the springtime after the plant has had at least six months in the pot.
Can You Grow Monstera Deliciosa Plants From Seed?
Yes, you can grow standard Monstera plants from seed. However, you cannot get a variegated one from such seeds since the trait is recessive, making the probability of getting it from a germinated seed very negligible.
But if you are simply looking to grow a standard Monstera plant, you can do it by germinating a seed.
The only downside of growing a Monstera plant from a seed is its slow pace f growth. You may have to wait a long time for the seed to germinate and the young plants to grow.
Additionally, the little plant will take a while before it develops and takes on the beauty of a Monstera.
How Long Does It Take to Grow a Monstera From Seed?
Growing a Monstera from seed to an adult plant can take a year or less. The Monstera seeds typically germinate within a month, after which the plant’s slow growth begins.
You will have to give this plant the right growth conditions, including bright indirect sunlight and nutrients, to thrive.
These conditions mimic their natural habitat where they grow tall and produce fruit. If you want a Monstera sooner, consider buying a cutting instead.
You should be able to get these cuttings relatively inexpensively online or from a local nursery or nearby garden center.
What Conditions Help Variegated Monstera Display Good Color?
Variegation is a delicate trait that requires proper care to maintain. Following the right care routine helps keep the plant from losing the trait.
You also don’t want to let variegation become too dominant since variegated leaves have no chlorophyll in the white areas.
As such, they do not perform photosynthesis with the same efficiency as solid green plant leaves.
That said, here are some things to do to help your variegated Monstera display good color.
- Avoid keeping your variegated Monstera in shady environments, as doing so may lead to the loss of variegation. Shady areas have limited sunlight, so the leaves may revert to solid green to have more chlorophyll for their photosynthesis as a way to stay alive.
- Ensure the plant gets lots of bright, indirect sunlight. Since the plant leaves have fewer chlorophyll cells, they need more sunlight to compensate for their inefficient rate of photosynthesis.
- Avoid overwatering the plant or keeping it in poorly drained soil. The resulting waterlogging can cause the Monstera leaves to revert to all-green versions. Ensure proper drainage holes and water the plant only when the soil is dry.
- Use a light potting mix with plenty of air pockets and good drainage.
- Feed the plant regularly with a half-strength nitrogen fertilizer, preferably with a balanced 20-20-20 NPK rating.
What Happens if You Germinate Variegated Monstera Seeds?
If you plant seeds from variegated Monstera deliciosa and they germinate, the baby plant will typically not have the variegated trait.
This is because variegation is a recessive gene that will not be replicated in its true form from the variegated Monstera seed.
Some people who plant seeds believed to be from variegated plants often end up with odd things that are not Monstera plants, such as basil or carrots.
Are Variegated Monstera Plants Rarer Than Ordinary Monstera Plants?
No, variegated Monstera plants are not rarer than their ordinary cousins. However, they are often expensive, which causes fewer people to go for them.
The variegated Monstera plants grow relatively slowly, so they will take longer to grow into a mature plant.
Nonetheless, if you want variegated Monstera albo, you should be able to find them easily in various parts of the world.
You can find the plant’s cuttings readily available at online stores, garden centers, and nurseries in various places.
FAQs
How do you plant variegated Monstera seeds?
Seeds are not the way to plant variegated Monstera. Instead, you need to use cuttings from an actual plant to propagate variegated Monstera. This is the only viable way of growing this indoor plant type. You can buy a small cutting or a more sizeable plant specimen, depending on how much you are willing to spend.
Can you make a Monstera variegated?
No, you cannot easily induce variegation at home. The trait is created through a sophisticated tissue culture process that you may not be able to replicate at home. So if you want a variegated form of the Monstera plant, consider buying a cutting or getting one from a friend.
How do you turn Monstera into variegated Monstera?
You cannot turn Monstera into a variegated Monstera. But you can promote the trait once you have a Monstera variegata specimen by keeping the plant in an area with plenty of indirect light. Darker rooms will only encourage the plant to produce more green leaves. The longer the plant stays in a shady spot, the more likely it is to lose its variegation entirely.
Conclusion
Some advertisers may claim to sell variegated Monstera deliciosa seeds, but beware that you cannot grow a variegated Monstera plant from seed.
Any claim to the contrary is likely meant to deceive and scam you. Variegated Monstera plants result from tissue culture in laboratories.
If you want to grow one at home, get a cutting of the variegated plant and follow the steps detailed in this write-up to grow and care for it.
We hope you found enjoyed this tutorial. We also hope we adequately responded to your questions about growing variegated Monstera.
If you have any thoughts or addition, we will be delighted to hear them in the comments.
