Are you looking to expand your houseplant family? Today I’m sharing three foolproof methods for propagating one of my all-time favorites—the Monstera Adansonii plant.

I got my first Monstera Adansonii plant in 2021. When I brought it home it was only about 4 inches tall. But now it has grown up its moss pole and also has started to vine outward. It has grown so much I’ve been giving it frequent hair cuts and then propagating pieces and sharing them with my friends.

Monstera Adansonii is a species of flowering plant from the family Araceae and is a slightly smaller version of its well-known cousin, Monstera Deliciosa. Originating from South America, this lush jungle plant grows deep in the rainforest and relies on indirect, bright sunlight to thrive. Monstera adansonii is also known as the “Swiss Cheese” plant, thanks to its iconic heart-shaped leaves with holes in them.

This post is designed to teach you how to successfully propagate your Monstera adansonii using the three most widely used methods: water propagation, soil propagation, and moss propagation. Let’s get started!

Three Tried and True Methods to Propagate Monstera Adansonii

What you’ll need to propagate your Monstera Adansonii:

Before attempting to propagate your Monstera adansonii at home, ensure you’ve gathered the appropriate tools and materials. Here’s what you’ll need:

• A healthy Monstera adansonii plant with mature stems
• A sharp pair of houseplant shears or plant scissors
• Clean, chemical-free water
• Small planting pot with drainage hole
• Well-draining potting mix

These are additional or optional items you may need depending on the propagation method that you choose:

• Rooting hormone powder
• Sterilized jars or glass cups
• Sphagnum moss
• Clear plastic bag
• String or a twist tie

How to Prepare Cuttings for Monstera Adansonii Propagation

Whether you have chosen a water or soil-based approach, both propagation methods will start with a cutting. For your best chances at growing a healthy baby Monstera adansonii plant, follow these steps for the perfect clean cutting every time:

1. First, sterilize the tool you have chosen, making sure it’s sharp.
2. Next, identify a mature leaf or stem from the parent plant that includes a root node or aerial root.
3. Make the cut about a half-inch below the root node, which contains all the cells needed for the growth of new stems, leaves, and roots.
4. (Optional) Dip the clean edge of the fresh cutting into your chosen rooting hormone. Although some people swear the synthetic auxins in rooting hormones make their plants stronger, it is rarely considered essential for propagation.

How to Propagate Monstera Adansonii in Water

Water propagation is probably the best method for multiplying a collection of Monstera adansonii plants. I tend to prefer it because I can easily monitor how quickly the roots are growing on my babies through the clear glass of my propagation jars. Here’s how you can turn your simple stem cuttings into a fully propagated plant in water:

1. Make your leaf and stem cutting using the perfected technique outlined above.
2. Fill a sterilized vase or glass jar with clean water. The volume of the container may depend on the size of your cutting.
3. Put your fresh cutting upright into the jar and place it in a spot with exposure to indirect light.
4. Monitor your Monstera adansonii cutting over the next 2-4 weeks. Refresh the jar with clean room temperature water every week or so, making sure to rinse the roots of any accumulated muck.
5. Once the roots are well-developed (I like to wait until they’re 4-5 inches long), it’s time for planting! First, transfer the cutting into a pot that has been prepared with your favorite nutrient-rich potting mix.
6. Water your new Monstera adansonii regularly for the first week, then step back to watch it grow!

How to Propagate Monstera Adansonii in Soil

1. Fill your chosen pot with the potting mix of your choice. Then, thoroughly saturate the soil with water, ensuring good drainage.
2. Prepare your cutting.
3. Without burying any leaves, plant the stem of your cutting in the pre-moistened soil so that at least one node is fully covered.
4. Place the planted cutting in good proximity to indirect lighting and keep its soil continuously moist but not overwatered. Within 2 weeks, its roots should have developed enough to withstand regular care and maintenance.

How to Propagate Monstera Adansonii in Moss

The final propagation approach I’ll outline uses a kind of peat moss called sphagnum to encourage new roots to grow on a stem before you cut it. This advanced method is also called air-layering and can successfully propagate healthy new Monstera Adansonii.

1. Choose a stem on the parent plant and locate a suitable node.
2. Use your sharp knife to make a small cut into the stem about an inch below the node. Do not cut all the way through; you just want to make a wound to signal the plant to grow fresh roots.
3. Wrap dampened sphagnum moss around the cut and node, and secure the wrapping with a piece of string.
4. Next, loosely wrap the bundle of moss with a small amount of plastic wrap. Put a few holes in the plastic to allow airflow to reach the moss.
5. Keep the moss nice and damp by gently unfolding the wrapping and watering the moss. Now comes the waiting game!
6. After a few months of regular upkeep, the node inside your moss bundle should be sprouting new aerial roots. Once they are several inches long, they’ll be ready for cutting.
7. Remove the plastic and moss for good, and use your sharp shears to remove the stem from the plant well below your fresh roots.
8. Plant your new baby in a prepared pot of moistened soil, and enjoy your new Monstera adansonii plant!

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