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Monstera Peru is a rare and sought-after plant with pretty little rippled and shiny leaves. Read on for everything you NEED to know to successfully care for and propagate this Monstera!
Monstera Peru is sometimes referred to as Monstera Karstenianum or Monstera Karstenianum Peru.
However, upon doing some research for this post, it appears that this plant is actually a Philodendron, not a Monstera! The Philodendron is known as Philodendron Opacum, with its proper name being Philodendron Karstenianum.
That being said, I’ll still refer to it as Monstera Peru throughout this post since that is what it’s most commonly known as.
Where can I buy a Monstera Peru?
You can find a Monstera Peru for sale on Etsy. Check out this beautiful Monstera from one of my favorite Etsy shops!
Is the Monstera Peru easy to care for?
Yes! The Monstera Peru is relatively straightforward to care for. Beginners should be able to care for this plant just fine.
However, the only reason I’d say to avoid it is that larger Monsteras can get pricy, and I wouldn’t recommend starting out with an expensive plant in case something goes wrong while you’re learning!
How do you care for a Monstera Peru?
Monstera Peru is easy to care for! Its basic care requirements are the following:
- Water when the top one to two inches of the potting mix is dry
- Provide with bright, indirect light
- Use a well-draining potting mix that can still hold some moisture
Now, this doesn’t mean you can skip the rest of my post 🙂 Read on for ALL of my important care tips, plus, a propagation guide!
Water
Water your Monstera Peru when the top one to two inches of the potting mix is dry. As a tropical plant, it doesn’t want to totally dry out, but still, it should not be sitting in a sopping-wet pot—that’s a recipe for root rot.
How does one know when the top one to two inches is dry? You have to stick your finger in the potting mix! Yep, you gotta get a little bit dirty for the good of your plants.
Never water your plant without feeling the potting mix to determine the moisture level first.
Light
Bright, indirect light is best for keeping your Monstera Peru flourishing.
If you don’t have enough a high enough natural light in your home, I highly recommend grow lights! Below is one of my absolute favorite grow lights because it can be easily adjusted for just about any position:
Never give your Monstera direct light, as this could really harm the leaves.
Potting Mix
Use a well-draining potting mix that can still hold some moisture. This means the majority of the water will drain out of the bottom of the pot, but the potting mix will still hold onto the light amount of moisture this plant likes.
This doesn’t have to be anything complicated—a general houseplant potting mix with some additional perlite added in will do just fine. I tend to eyeball the perlite—a handful to a few handfuls depending on how large the pot is.
You can even add in some orchid bark to further loosen up the mixture and create even more drainage.
Repotting
Monstera Peru does not like to be rootbound, so it’ll need to be repotted every two to three years, depending on how fast it grows.
Signs of a rootbound plant include:
- Stunted growth, a general sad-looking plant
- Roots coming out of the drainage holes
- Roots heavily swirled around the bottom of the pot (you’ll have to slip the plant out of its pot to check)
Use a pot the next size up from its current pot, and make sure it has a drainage hole. Try to save your repotting until the growing season (spring and summer), unless your Monstera is desperately rootbound.
Humidity
While Monstera Peru will be fine in normal household humidity levels, it will THRIVE in above-average humidity levels because it’s native to tropical environments. This is especially true in the winter when the air is suuuper dry.
There are a few different ways to provide humidity to your houseplants, but my favorite is by using a humidifier. It can help many plants at once and it’s low maintenance!
I really like the humidifier below because it can last up to 96 hours…which means less refilling for me to do!
Temperature
Your Monstera Peru will be happy in a range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (about 16 to 27 degrees Celsius).
While you don’t need to worry about the exact temperature, you should consider moving it away from cold areas (e.g., windowsills) in the wintertime.
Fertilizing
To fertilize your Monstera Peru, use a balanced houseplant fertilizer once a month in the spring and summer (the growing season). Never overdo it with the fertilizer!
Foliage and Blooms
- Fenestrations – The first thing you think you think of when you hear the word “Monstera,” right? Well…Monstera Peru does NOT have fenestrations, so as beautiful as this plant is, don’t purchase it in hopes that you’ll get those holey leaves someday.
- Foliage – The Peru has bright-green, shiny, bumpy leaves with dark-green veins. It looks similar to Monstera Siltepecana and also a junvenille Monstera Pinnatipartita.
- Blooms – Just like other aroids, this Monstera produces a spathe and spadix. The spathe is actually a modified leaf that protects the spadix, which has tiny flowers on it.
- Variegation – There are also variegated Monstera Perus, but these are rare and can get very expensive for just a cutting! If you get your hands on one of these, you’ll absolutely need to keep it in bright, indirect light so this expensive plant can maintain its variegation.
You can buy a gorgeous Monstera Peru here!
Pruning
You can prune your Monstera to control its size, remove any leggy vines, and encourage new growth.
New growth comes from the plant’s nodes. So when you’re pruning and you want to encourage new growth, make sure to cut ABOVE a node. This means the node will remain ON the main plant—it should not be on the part you cut off.
New growth will then sprout from around that node on the plant!
(Note: A “leggy” plant means the vines or stems have grown very long and stretched out with fewer leaves. It means your plant needs more light!)
Cleaning the Foliage
Occasionally wipe down the foliage with a damp cloth, supporting the underside of the leaf.
While this is not something you need to worry about regularly, keeping your plants’ leaves free of any dust and grime layers will help them photosynthesize more effectively!
Climbing
Providing your Monstera Peru with a moss pole to climb will help it grow larger and stronger. Why? Because this is exactly how it grows in the wild! It uses its aerial roots to climb up trees.
I especially love the moss pole below because it’s stackable and extremely easy to just add more right on top once my plant outgrows the pole’s current height.
Monstera Peru Propagation
Monstera Peru is about as easy to propagate as most other Monsteras and, actually, most other vining plants! Two of the most common and easiest propagation methods are:
Monstera Peru Propagation in Potting Medium
- Identify a healthy vine that has at least one leaf and one node. The vine does not have to be very long, but it must have a leaf and a node.
- (While you can propagate without a leaf, it’s much harder.)
- Using clean scissors, cut the vine off of the main plant BELOW the node.
- This means the node will be included ON the part you cut off of the main plant. This is important because new roots will sprout from the node!
- Stick the vine into moistened potting medium so the node, but not the leaves, is buried.
- I like to use sphagnum moss or the normal potting mix I use for the mature plant. Some people even like to root their cuttings in perlite!
- Put your cutting in a place where it will receive bright, indirect light. Provide it with additional humidity to help it along. You can use a clear plastic bag over the top of the plant, a humidifer, or another method to do this.
- As the roots develop, make sure to keep the potting medium lightly moist (not WET).
- After a few weeks, give your cutting a gentle tug and feel for resistance. If there is resistance, that means a root system has developed and you can start treating it like a normal plant!
- If there is no resistance, no worries, your cutting just needs some more time 🙂
Monstera Peru Propagation in Water
This follows the same general process, but with water instead of potting medium.
- Identify a healthy vine that has at least one leaf and one node.
- Using clean scissors, cut the vine off of the main plant BELOW the node.
- This means the node will be included ON the part you cut off of the main plant. This is important because new roots will sprout from the node!
- Stick the vine into a jar of water, making sure the node is under the water, but not the leaves.
- Place the cutting in bright, indirect light. Refill the water as needed and replace it totally when it gets grimy.
- Once you see the roots are two to three inches long, you can plant your cutting into its permanent pot.
- Water it and start caring for it like a normal plant! Note that your new plant will need some time to adjust to its new home, so it most likely will not start growing right away.
Common Monstera Peru Problems
These are some of the most common causes of issues you might experience with your Monstera Peru, but they might not necessarily be THE cause.
It’s important to examine your plant’s environment to help determine the exact cause of the problem (e.g., light level, watering amount, pests, etc.).
- Yellow leaves – The most common cause is overwatering. Remember to feel the potting mix for moisture BEFORE you water your plant to help prevent overwatering. A few yellow leaves are not usually something to worry about, just ease up on the watering.
- Root rot – Root rot is caused by consistent overwatering. Leaving the plant sitting in a wet pot for too long will drown the roots and kill the rest of the plant. See my post on root rot for more help!
- Curling or droopy leaves – This usually means your plant is too dry. Give it a good watering and it should perk back up soon.
- Brown, crispy leaf edges or tips – This can also mean your plant is too dry. The potting mix could be too dry or it could be a humidity issue if the air is very dry.
- Leggy vines – As I mentioned in the “Pruning” section of this post, leggy vines means your plant isn’t receiving enough light—you can think of it as trying to stretch out to find more! Ensure you’re providing your Monstera Peru with bright, indirect light.
- Pests – Potential pests for Monstera Peru include mealybugs, scale, spider mites, and aphids. Make sure you’re checking your plant regularly to catch any infestations early. For general pest control, I like Bonide Systemic Houseplant Insect Control. I use it on all new houseplants I bring into my home.
Additional Information
Is the Monstera Peru rare?
Yes, the Monstera Peru is considered rare. Because of this, larger specimens can get pricey! However, if you’re willing to have a little patience, you can definitely save money by purchasing a smaller plant.
Check out this beautiful Monstera Peru from one of my favorite Etsy shops!
Growth Rate and Size
A full-grown Monstera Peru can get as large as 20 feet tall, but this usually only happens in its natural habitat where it has optimal conditions and can keep growing higher and higher up in the trees.
It is also a relatively fast grower in optimal conditions. Yay!
Is the Monstera Peru toxic to pets?
Yes, Monstera Peru is toxic, so keep it far away from your furry friends.
Monstera Peru Care Summary
- Water when the top one to two inches of the potting mix is dry
- Provide with bright, indirect light
- Use a well-draining potting mix that can still hold some moisture
- Repot when rootbound
- Provide with humidity and warm temperatures
- Use a balanced houseplant fertilizer once a month in the spring and summer
- Provide with a moss pole so it can use its aerial roots to climb and grow stronger
More Monstera Posts
- Monstera Epipremnoides
- Monstera Siltepecana
- Monstera Deliciosa
- Monstera Adansonii
- Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma – This plant is NOT actually a monstera but it’s commonly referred to the “mini monstera” and if you like tropical vines you might be interested in it 🙂
Den Bagus says
I once tried propagation in water and it worked,, in 2 weeks it took root… thank you, very useful