Monstera Aurea Care – The Ultimate Plant Care Guide

If variegated monstera plants are your favorite, then you’ll surely fall in love with the gorgeous variegated monstera aurea. 

It is a very popular yet rare monstera variety that is often referred to as monstera borsigiana aurea, monstera aurea variegata, or simply monstera aurea. 

Other popular monstera varieties like Monstera adansonii have been around for a while, but monstera aurea is one of the most trendy house plants right now. Variegated monstera aurea is considered a luxury plant as it is the delight of plant collectors and it’s pretty expensive as well. 

And, in this article, I will be going through everything about monstera aurea and the kind of care you need to make it thrive indoors. The topic includes,

• Monstera Aurea Identification
• Monstera Aurea Varieties
• Monstera Aurea Care
• Best Place To Grow Monstera Aurea
• Pruning Monstera Aurea
• Monstera Aurea Propagation
• Monstera Aurea Common Problems
• Lot’s more.

Since it is just one of the many variegated monsteras, the first step is to learn how to correctly identify this unique variegated beauty. 

Let’s get started.

How To Identify Monstera Aurea?

Monstera aurea has very unique features that can help you tell it apart from other variegated monstera plants. First, while most variegated monstera plants have common white variegation, monstera aurea features distinct and beautiful yellow variegations. 

Monstera aurea can also be easily identified by its gorgeous large leaves, unique shape, and fenestrations that are very similar to that of monstera deliciosa. This strikingly beautiful variegated monstera plant is currently the most-loved indoor gardening trend in the market now and it’s native to Central America.

Monstera Aurea Varieties

The popular yellow variegated monstera aurea comes in different varieties. If you’re looking to add something unique to your collection, below you’ll find amazing options:

1. Monstera Standleyana Aurea

This variety of the monstera Aurea Variegata can be identified by its oval shape. It also has very glossy, deep green leaves but it also comes with yellow variegation. 

This monstera has various markings on its leaves, some are like speckles, streaks, or marbles. This species of monstera aurea also has half-moon markings on its leaves.

2. Monstera Deliciosa Aurea

This variegated monstera aurea is described as the most popular monstera aurea species. 

It has splits and fenestrations that are glossy, heart-shaped, and deep green leaves. The markings on this monstera aurea species may look blotching, streaking, speckled, splashed, marbled, or even half-mooned.

3. Monstera Adansonii Aurea

This is another monstera aurea variegated species that has deep green and glossy fenestrations on it. 

This variety however is quite different from the monstera deliciosa aurea as it doesn’t have splits.

4. Monstera Variegated Peru

This variety of the monstera aurea is established by research to be the only variety whose leaves remain constant as they mature. 

It has oval-shaped and elongated leaves with yellow variegation. It also has dark and light green markings.

Monstera Aurea Care

Caring for your monstera aurea plant just like every other species of the monstera plant is not a difficult task. You just need to find out what makes the plant happy and supply it to the plant in the ideal measure.  

Your monstera aurea plant would need the ideal potting soil, the right temperature, bright, indirect sunlight, appropriate watering, and ideal humidity level for it to grow well.

You can grow monstera aurea indoors or outdoors depending on your preference.

These requirements are discussed in detail below to help you take care of your plant:

Soil Requirements

Monstera aurea variegata is a tropical plant that thrives in well-draining soil. With this type of soil, excess soil moisture would be released by the soil to avoid waterlogging. If the potting mix for your plant is not well-draining, no matter how adequately you water it, the soil can still retain excess moisture for a long time.

This can cause the roots of your plant to sit in a soggy mix and probably start rotting. Prepare a loose, airy, well-drained potting mix for this monstera variety. An ideal soil for your plant should be rich in organic matter and should maintain a soil PH between 5.0-7.5. 

Avoid heavy soils at all costs because they are likely to retain too much moisture. Sandy soil also tends to drain very quickly and the plan is to maintain a balance in moisture retention. So you’ll need to prepare your monstera aurea potting soil using a mixture of moss, perlite, and compost

Alternatively, you can purchase the ideal potting soil for your monstera aurea from a gardening store nursery.

Temperature Requirements

Monstera aurea is an amazing houseplant, it thrives in a variety of temperature conditions. But it doesn’t do well in extreme temperatures, especially cold temperatures in winter. If you want to keep this plant healthy, you must bring it indoors before the temperature drops below 50° Fahrenheit. 

This tropical houseplant is mostly active in the summer and spring seasons, but its growth ceases in winter. The ideal temperature for monstera aurea variegata ranges between  65 and 80° Fahrenheit. It loves warm, sunny climates. So you also want to keep this plant away from heaters to prevent sudden temperature changes that’ll affect your plant negatively. 

Light Requirements

This gorgeous variegated monstera is happy in bright indirect light. As with most houseplants, you should be careful not to expose them to harsh or too much direct sunlight as you don’t want to burn its elegantly variegated leaves. This is especially important during summertime so your monstera aurea doesn’t lose its variegation. 

Most plant owners try to avoid direct sunlight to the point that they provide insufficient light to their plants. But this doesn’t work well with this monstera variety, placing monstera aurea in full shade will stop or slow down its growth significantly. 

This plant cannot survive in low light conditions. If you want it to grow well and stay healthy, you’ll need to supply adequate lighting. To get the best light supply, you can place monstera borsigiana aurea facing northwest or south window. Shade cloths can also be very helpful in filtering the sunlight and avoiding harsh lighting. 

Watering Monstera Aurea

Monstera aurea watering requirements depend on your climate and season. Ideally, this plant should be watered at least once or twice a week in summer and just once weekly in winter. 

However, it’s very important to always pay attention to your plant before watering, especially during winter. Always dip your finger into the soil up to  1-2 inches, if it appears dry, then you can water it thoroughly. Make sure to water your plant until the excess water leaves the drainage holes.

The easiest way to kill your plant is by watering it incorrectly, so make sure your monstera borsigiana aurea doesn’t sit in water or suffer underwatering. Underwatering can cause leaf drying, curling, and even lead to the death of this monstera variety.

Humidity Requirements

This variegated beauty blossoms in high humidity. It’s a tropical plant, so humidity levels of 65% and above are suitable for monstera aurea. In fact, the higher the humidity level, the happier your monstera aurea would look.

But it can be very difficult to provide your plant with such high humidity levels in certain areas. Fortunately, this monstera variety can equally tolerate lower moisture levels. 

However, endeavor to maintain at least a humidity level of 50%. Even if you don’t live in a tropical climate, you can maintain such elevated levels of humidity using any of the methods below. 

You can increase moisture level by placing your monstera aurea on a pebble tray or grouping it with other plants. Alternatively, you can simply set up a humidifier or regularly mist your plants’ environment. 

Low humidity levels can severely damage your plant, so watch out for signs like browning or crispy leaves. If you observe any of these symptoms, then it could be that you need to adjust your humidity level.

Fertilizing Monstera Aurea

Monstera aurea will thrive without much fertilizing. It can survive with just one or two times of fertilizing throughout the entire year. 

But to ensure this plant grows very well,  you can fertilize it once monthly, make sure to apply the fertilizer about 6 inches away from the plant’s base. 

Organic, slow-release fertilizer is the most suitable option for monstera borsigiana aurea. 

If you want to feed this plant with a diluted liquid fertilizer, then you’ll need to apply it more often. At most twice a week during summer is ideal for this variegated beauty. 

In the winter months, this monstera goes dormant so you’ll have to feed it less often at this time. While it is necessary to feed your plant, make sure you do not over-fertilize it. 

Over-fertilizing monstera aurea can result in toxicity as the salts in the fertilizer accumulate. 

Best Place To Grow Monstera Aurea

Monstera aurea is largely inhabited in central America and some parts of South America and its natural habitat is in tropical rainforests. 

Therefore the best place to grow monstera aurea would be a spot very similar to its natural environment.

Monstera aurea can be best grown in USDA hardiness zones of 11b to 12. 

Whether grown indoors or outdoors, you must ensure that such an environment has good exposure to bright indirect natural light and has other essential requirements discussed above.

Pruning Monstera Aurea

Monstera aurea is undeniably gorgeous, but you can maintain its beauty by pruning it from time to time. 

Pruning can help to keep your plant uniform and prevent the spread of bacteria by taking out diseased plant parts.  

So to ensure that your monstera aurea grows healthily, you may sometimes need to prune it carefully. Cut off the dead, yellow, and diseased stems or leaves using germ-free pruning shears. 

Do not pluck the leaves out so you don’t accidentally damage your monstera aurea.

The most captivating feature of this plant is its unique leaves, so you won’t want to prune this plant aggressively. 

Simply taking out the already damaged plant is ideal most of the time. The stems can even be used for propagation.  

Repotting Monstera Aurea

Monstera aurea is a medium-sized houseplant and it doesn’t grow vigorously. 

If you’re growing this plant in a container, you may need to repot it as it gets bigger or when the plant is root-bound. And it’ll normally take up to two years before this plant would need to be repotted. 

The first thing to do is to get a bigger growing pot with good drainage holes, get a pot that’s at least two inches wider than the previous one. 

This would provide enough space for your plant to grow well. You can purchase a regular plastic container or opt for a beautiful ornamental pot. 

After this, you can add up the potting soil and replant your monstera aurea. 

This variegated monstera hates to be disturbed, so to avoid transplant shock, don’t bother repotting it monthly if it isn’t necessary.

Monstera Aurea Propagation

Monstera aurea can be propagated easily using stem cuttings. Whether you choose to propagate this plant in water or soil, the process is quite easy as the plant roots well. 

Follow the steps below to propagate monstera aurea stem cutting in soil:

• Start by preparing your container, make sure to create good drainage holes at the base of your pot/container 
• The next thing is to get your potting mix ready, prepare a suitable potting soil for your plant as discussed earlier in this article, and add it to your container
• Now, cut out a 4-6 inches long stem. Make a stem cutting with at least 1 node and a few fresh leaves. It’s even much better when you get a stem with aerial roots.
• At this point, you can proceed to plant the stem cuttings in the pot. But ensure the stem nodes are not covered up in the soil 
• Water your monstera aurea plant and keep the soil moist 
• Also, move the planted stem cuttings to an ideal spot with filtered sunlight

Here’s how you can propagate monstera aurea stem cutting in water:

• Select a jar/container for your plant container and fill it halfway with water
• The next thing is to cut out a 4-6 inches long stem. Make a stem cutting with at least 1 node and a few fresh leaves. 
• Submerge the stem cutting in the jar of water. But ensure the stem nodes are not covered up in the soil 
• Ideally, you should place the plant in a bright shade and change the water at least once a week to keep your plant fresh
• Once your stem cuttings develop roots that get up to at least 3 inches long, you can place your plant in the soil 

Keep in mind that it takes at least one month for your monstera aurea to start growing roots if you propagate well.

Monstera Aurea Toxicity

Monstera aurea can be toxic to both humans and pets when ingested. 

Research has shown that its sap can cause serious allergies or skin irritation, especially in people with very sensitive skin. 

You should always wear gloves while attending to this plant. Make sure to keep it out of the reach of your children and pets.

Common Problems Of Monstera Aurea

Monstera aurea doesn’t have many problems, but it is very sensitive to changes in its growing conditions. The problem most growers of this gorgeous plant face can easily be avoided by providing the ideal conditions as described in this article. 

One of the most common problems most owners of this plant experience is yellow leaves which are mostly caused by overwatering, underwatering, insufficient lighting, and pest attack.

The most common monstera aurea pests are botrytis, scale insects, anthracnose, bacterial leaf spot, and monstera mosaic virus.

These pests can easily be treated using antibacterial spray or soap. Pay attention to your soil, soggy soil conditions make your plant prone to pest attacks and even spider mite infections. Also, make sure to always sterilize your gardening tools before use so you don’t spread diseases.  

Some people also discover that their monstera aurea plants don’t get perforations even when they mature. This problem can be due to inadequate lighting. So the first thing you want to do in this condition is to expose your plant to sufficient lighting. 

Wrapping Up

This yellow variegated monstera is unique and growing it is extremely rewarding. Perhaps the most exciting part of growing this monstera is watching the variegated leaves produce decorative perforations.   

Monstera aurea is also one of the rarest and most expensive house plants; this explains why you’ll need to properly care for this plant and keep it beautiful. 

This article has provided the ultimate care guide to help you achieve this. If you follow this guide carefully, your monstera aurea will bring a luxurious tropical touch to your space.

Sources

To back up the information we provide in our articles, the Plantials team only uses high-quality sources published in peer-reviewed university and research journals.

1. A Revision Of Monstera (Araceae), Harvard University Herbaria
2. Temperature Effect On Some Foliage Plants, ISHS Acta Horticulturae
3. A Review of Epipremnum (Araceae) in Cultivation, Malesiana Tropicals