What are the benefits of Monstera deliciosa? A detailed guide to its latest uses

Monstera deliciosa is a common indoor potted houseplant. Placed in the home, Monstera deliciosa has ornamental value, air-purifying effects and feng shui benefits, and if it flowers and fruits, the fruit can even be eaten. If you like this unusual plant, you can grow a few pots at home. Let's take a look together at what the benefits of Monstera deliciosa are!

Benefits of Monstera deliciosa

1. Ornamental value: Monstera deliciosa has a very graceful plant shape and unusual leaves that stay emerald green all year round, lush and dripping with green. Its aerial roots extend very long and can coil around, giving it considerable charm and a special beauty, making it outstanding among foliage plants. Large Monstera deliciosa plants are suitable for large displays in entrance halls, living rooms and conference rooms, while small and medium-sized plants are suitable for the home, giving the environment an elegant atmosphere. In some places it is planted beside trees or in corners of houses and other slightly shaded spots, left to grow and climb, where it grows extremely luxuriantly.

2. Air purification: Monstera deliciosa has the ability to absorb carbon dioxide at night, which greatly helps improve indoor air quality and increase oxygen content. Monstera deliciosa has the characteristic of preferentially absorbing harmful gases such as formaldehyde, benzene and TVOC, achieving an indoor air-purifying effect, making it an ideal indoor plant.

3. Edible value: Besides beautifying and being ornamental, its flowers and fruit also have a certain edible value. The spadix is tender and juicy, and in the places where Monstera deliciosa originates it is often eaten as a superior vegetable, cool and refreshing. The yellow spathe outside the inflorescence is quite thick and fleshy and can be eaten raw, or coated in batter and fried in oil. The flavor of the Monstera deliciosa berries is even better and can be eaten as a fruit; the taste is similar to pineapple, and it can also be made into a beverage to drink, with an excellent taste.

4. Feng shui effect: Placing Monstera deliciosa in the home has a certain feng shui effect, but attention must be paid to where it is placed. In the north, the place of Ren and Gui water, Monstera deliciosa is used as the Dark Warrior; specifically, placing Monstera deliciosa at the study door can increase official luck and add fortune and prosperity. Placing Monstera deliciosa in an elderly person's bedroom can add fortune and longevity and benefit the elderly.

How to propagate Monstera deliciosa

1. Division propagation: Carried out in summer and autumn, cut an entire section of a side branch from a large Monstera deliciosa, with some aerial roots attached, and plant it directly in a wooden tub or pot. Not only is the survival rate high, but the finished effect is also quick. It is one of the most commonly used and simplest methods of propagating Monstera deliciosa today.

2. Cutting propagation: Monstera deliciosa can be propagated by stem-node cuttings in both spring and autumn, with cuttings taken in April-May in spring and September-October in autumn giving the best results. This is because the temperature during these periods is suitable for the cut stem nodes to heal and take root, and they survive quickly. Choose current-year side branches with substantial stem tissue and robust growth for the cuttings; the cuttings should be 20-25 cm long, and the leaves at the base should be cut off. Keep the small leaves at the upper end, cut off the long aerial roots, and keep the short aerial roots to absorb water and help rooting. Use a mixed substrate of coarse sand and peat or leaf mold for the cutting bed. After inserting, maintain 25-27°C and relatively high air humidity; rooting only begins about 1 month after insertion. After the cuttings take root, the axillary buds on the stem nodes also begin to sprout and unfold leaves. To speed up seedling growth, keep the room temperature above 10°C and strengthen fertilizer and water management. In the second year after insertion, the seedlings are fully formed and can be sold as merchandise.

3. Seed propagation: Sowing seeds is also a fairly commonly used propagation method for Monstera deliciosa, but compared with the previous two it is used relatively less. Monstera deliciosa blooms in summer. To increase the seed-setting rate, artificial pollination is needed; pollinating twice, at 9-10 a.m. and 3-4 p.m., is best and gives a high pollination success rate. From pollination to seed maturity takes 15 months. During the seed development stage, pay attention to ventilation and fertilizer and water management to encourage plump seeds. Before sowing, first soak the seeds in 40°C warm water for 10 hours, and the sowing soil should be sterilized at high temperature. Monstera deliciosa seeds are relatively large, so spot sowing can be used. After sowing, keep the room temperature at 20-25°C and cover the box opening with plastic film, maintaining humidity above 80%. After sowing, they generally germinate in 20-25 days. If the room temperature is too low during the sowing process, it will not only affect emergence but may even cause the seeds to become water-soaked and rot.

How to grow Monstera deliciosa

1. Light: Monstera deliciosa likes a warm and humid environment, is averse to drought, and is afraid of direct sunlight, otherwise it very easily causes leaves to wither. In summer, Monstera deliciosa should be placed indoors or under a shade shed, and must not be placed on a balcony with overly strong sunlight to bake, as this very easily kills it. When the winter temperature drops to 6°C, Monstera deliciosa should be moved indoors to keep warm.

2. Watering: Monstera deliciosa needs sufficient water, and the growing medium must always be kept moist. During the summer growing period, water once in the morning and once in the evening, and also sprinkle water on the leaf surface from time to time to keep the leaves bright and the air humid. In winter, water evaporates slowly, so water once every 3-4 days; for routine watering, once a day is enough.

3. Fertilizing: Monstera deliciosa is a plant that relatively likes fertilizer, so be careful to fertilize it appropriately. During the growing period of Monstera deliciosa, apply dilute cake fertilizer water once every half month. With sufficient and appropriate fertilizing, Monstera deliciosa will grow with pleasing leaf color.

4. Pests and diseases: Monstera deliciosa is extremely susceptible to damage by scale insects, and the stems and leaves are most easily attacked by scale insects. They can be cleaned with an old toothbrush and then sprayed with a 1000-fold dilution of 40% omethoate. Common diseases of Monstera deliciosa include leaf spot, gray spot and stem blight, and timely prevention and control should be paid attention to.

5. Repotting: Potted Monstera deliciosa needs to be repotted once a year, and the best time to repot is between March and April. When repotting, remove the old soil, cut off the dead roots of Monstera deliciosa, and then add decomposed organic fertilizer or phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to the pot as a base fertilizer.