Monstera albo, or Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo Borsigiana’, is a sought-after but elusive plant among horticulturists. Due to its amazing variegation and prestige reputation, this monstera is at the top of many wish lists throughout the world, with even little plants selling for several hundred dollars. Large, white, naturally-occurring variegation patches can be found on the split leaves of this subspecies of the well-liked Monstera deliciosa. Warning: it’s poisonous to pets.

Albo Monstera Care

These beautiful houseplants originate in the humid tropical woods of Central America. The albo’s care is very similar to that of the Monstera deliciosa, so you’ll have a good start if you’ve worked with that plant before. There are some subtle distinctions to be aware of when caring for Monstera albo, which are notoriously fussy.

Provide a moss pole for your monstera albo to help it thrive and produce enormous, beautiful leaves. Vining plants like these thrive when provided a moss pole to mimic their natural habitat.

Light

Bright, indirect light is essential if you want your monstera albo’s variegation to remain vibrant and abundant. It’s suggested that you get at least six or seven hours of filtered light per day. The variegated areas of these plants’ leaves are particularly vulnerable to sunburn and should be kept out of direct sunlight. Monstera albos lose their variegation if they don’t get enough light, so they aren’t the best low-light plants.

Soil

The soil should be rich and drain well. To give your monstera albos the drainage and nutrients they need, mix equal parts of perlite, orchid bark, coco peat, and coco coir. The addition of natural fertilisers, such as worm castings, is also recommended.

Water

The soil should be allowed to dry out slightly between waterings to prevent root rot in these tropical plants. After the top inch or two of soil has dried off, give your plant a good soaking and let the excess water run out of the drainage holes in the container.

Conditions of Heat and Dampness

Temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit are optimum for the albo, as they are for most Monstera species. In USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11, it can be cultivated outside during the summer or all year round.

They require more humidity than most homes provide, ideally between 60 and 70 percent. In order to keep it alive, you’ll probably need to increase the humidity by using a humidifier, putting it in a group with other plants, or relocating it to a location with high natural humidity, such a bathroom or kitchen.

Fertiliser

Albo Monstera deliciosas need more careful feeding to create its distinctive variegated foliage. However, these monsteras can die from overfertilization if not given the proper care. Feed your plant once a month with a balanced liquid fertiliser in addition to a potting mix that is enhanced with natural fertilisers, following the recommendations on the product label. In the autumn and winter, when the plant is dormant, you can stop feeding it completely.

Monstera Albo Varieties

If you have trouble locating a specific Monstera albo variety, I recommend exploring the many others available.

• Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo Variegata’ has glossy, dark green foliage with white variegation.
• Monstera adansonii ‘Albo Variegata’ is exceedingly uncommon, and its cream and green split leaves feature several holes.
• Leaves of the Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo Borsigiana’ are large and predominantly white, with a few green veins.
• A. adansonii var. variegata (Monstera) Glossy, tricolored dark green, light green, and white leaves characterise the variegated Laniata Albo.
• Monstera Albo Marmorata: Extremely rare, with severely split leaves and contrasting white and green spots.

Developing New Monstera Albo Plants

Monstera albo are incredibly sought after due to their magnificent white variegation, which can only be created by propagation. The process is straightforward and quite similar to that used for growing standard Monstera deliciosa. It takes significantly more time than with conventional monsteras to propagate a variegated monstera. These striped monsteras can also be purchased as cuttings of either new or established stems, so if you’re wondering what to do with your brand-new monstera albo cutting, here are some pointers.

In the first place, you should know that monstera albo can only be grown from stem cuttings. The stem must have at least one node, and ideally more than one, for the cutting to be successful.

1. Take a cutting of a healthy monstera albo stem using sterilised, sharp pruning shears or scissors. The ideal stem cutting will have between one and three nodes along the stem and the same number of leaves.
2. Leave at least one leaf on the cutting and remove the bottom one or two to expose the nodes at the base of the stem.
3. The next step is to select a medium for rooting your cutting. Sphagnum moss, water, leca (lightweight expanded clay aggregate), and perlite are your options.
4. Put your medium of choice into a small jar. Keep in mind that the sphagnum moss, leca, and perlite you use for rooting should be pre-wetted and kept at a steady moisture level during the entire process.
5. Place the cutting in the prepared medium so that the nodes at the bottom are covered but the remaining leaves are above ground.
6. Cut in a spot that gets lots of indirect sunlight. Over the next few weeks, roots should start to develop. If you’re rooted your plants in water, replace the water once a week and make sure the medium stays moist.
7. When the roots on your cutting are at least 2 to 3 inches long, you can move it to a potting mix that drains well and is rich in nutrients. Prepare the soil by watering it before planting the clipping.
8. For the first week or two, your newly potted cutting should be exposed to bright, indirect light, and the soil should be kept at a consistent moisture level.

Monstera Albo Planting and Transplanting

The monsteras you buy will only need to be repotted every two or three years because of their modest growth rate. Monstera albo thrives when repotted in early or late spring, or in the summer. Do not repot your plant in the autumn or winter when it goes into dormancy. Select a container that is at least one size, or two to three inches in diameter, larger than the preceding container.

The first step is to loosen the rootball as much as possible without damaging any roots and then carefully unpot the plant. As much of the previous soil as possible should be dug out. Put the plant’s root ball into the new container, fill the space around it with new potting soil, and give the whole thing a good soaking. Put it back where it was and start watering it again on a regular basis.

Prevalent Pests and Diseases

Spider mites, scale, mealybugs, fungus gnats, and thrips are only some of the typical pests of houseplants. The best approach to discover any potential infections early is to routinely inspect your plant. As a precautionary step, you can also spray the plant with insecticide on a regular basis.

Growing a Flowering Monstera Albo

The plant’s rarest feature, however, is its tubular greenish flower (spadix) of 4 to 6 inches in length, which is surrounded by a white spathe. Because its bloom is so small in comparison to its spectacular foliage, the monstera albo flower is rarely seen when the plant is cultivated inside. It may also take a monstera albo several years to attain maturity and produce flowers.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try your hand at helping the plant blossom by cultivating it in a greenhouse. Bright light (direct sunshine in the winter) is required, as is a warm environment (about 79 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit) and high humidity (60 to 80%).

Monstera Albo Is Prone To Several Common Issues

If you have experience caring for other types of monstera, you should have no trouble taking care of Monstera albo. However, like with any houseplant, you may experience a few typical problems when cultivating these tropical plants indoors.

Faltering Leaves

There are a few reasons why your monstera albo could have limp, drooping leaves. If you just brought the plant home, it may be experiencing some initial shock. It may take some time for someone who is highly sensitive to environmental changes to settle into a new surroundings. Give it conditions similar to those it was likely born into, such as high humidity and warm temperatures. You may have underwatered your plant or caused root rot if its leaves continue to droop after it has become established in your home.

Change to Yellow

If your plant’s leaves are turning yellow, it’s a sign that something is wrong with its habitat. Overwatering, underwatering, a lack of light, or poor fertilisation are common causes. The most likely cause will be found by analysing the conditions in which your plant is flourishing.

Reduced Variety

Your plant probably isn’t getting enough light if you’ve seen it losing its variegation. Light it with intense indirect light for at least six or seven hours. If you are unable to give your albo enough natural light, a grow lamp could be a good option for your arrangement.

Fallen Leaves

Leaves turning brown due to a lack of humidity, underwatering, or overexposure to sunlight. White Monstera albo leaves are more likely to develop brown spots than their green Monstera deliciosa counterparts.

FAQ

The high cost of albo monstera plants.
Because of their scarcity, difficulty in propagating, and high demand, the cost of these monsteras has skyrocketed. Simply speaking, supply and demand is at play here, and there is a high desire for these hip plant species.

How are monstera albos and monstera Thai constellations distinct?
Monstera genus Albo and Monstera genus Thai Constellation are both variegated, but the latter’s variation was artificially induced in a laboratory. Furthermore, their patterns of variation are unique. Large areas of brilliant white variegation characterise the albo, while the Thai constellation is more commonly seen in the form of tiny spots.

How fast do monstera albos mature into adulthood?
The monstera albo grows more slowly than standard Monstera deliciosa because the leaf variegation slows down photosynthesis.

Does my monstera albo need to be misted?
Monstera plants, like this one, benefit from regular misting. You should mist it once a week, but if the leaves are wrinkling, it means the air in your home is dry and you should increase the frequency to twice a week. Too much misting might encourage the growth of mould and insects.

To what extent do monsteras last?
With proper care, a monstera plant grown indoors can have a 40-year lifespan.