Monstera Lechleriana Care: The Ultimate Guide

The everlasting green, Monstera family of plants is among the most desirable and adored houseplants. 

One among them is the monstera lechleriana, a green coloured tropical evergreen climbing vine that looks so exciting with its beautiful lush green foliage.

It is considered to be a rare plant, and for the same reason, you may not get it easily. If you get it, make sure that you are providing it with the care it deserves.

In this comprehensive guide, you will learn everything related to monstera lechleriana so that you can make it thrive in your home garden. The topic includes

• Monstera Lechleriana Identification
• Monstera Adansonii Vs Monstera Lechleriana
• Monstera Lechleriana Care Guidelines
• Best Place To Grow Monstera Lechleriana
• Monstera Lechleriana Pruning
• Monstera Lechleriana Propagation
• Monstera Lechleriana Toxicity
• Monstera Lechleriana Common Problems
• Lot’s more.

It’s a lot of content to cover. So, let’s get started.

How to Identify Monstera Lechleriana?

The amazing green Monstera lechleriana is differentiated by the different traits of its unique leaves. 

To identify it, you should look for the edges of these leaves to be completed, with several holes of different sizes mainly spread across the middle vein of the leaves.

Moreover, the leaves of this tropical plant are usually large compared to its other similar species. 

Due to many similar traits, you can confuse it with other species of the same genus. As a result, try to concentrate on details to differentiate it from other species of the same genus.

Monstera Adonsonii vs. Monstera Lechleriana

The two most similar species in the Monstera genus are Monstera Adonsonii and Lechleriana. 

If you’re having trouble identifying your monstera on the balcony, either monstera adonsonii or monstera lechleriana, let’s see how you can tell them apart.

Basically, there are few differences between the two species of the same genus. These differences are characterized by the watering and fertilization needs.

Moreover, they can also be differentiated by the structural appearances of the leaves and, most importantly, by the hole arrangements.

Well, there are also a lot of similarities between the two species. 

To be more precise, they are both epiphytes and vines. Their habitat is similar naturally; both dislike direct sunlight and flourish at the same temperature.

Let’s look at the difference between the two species in tabular form to better understand it.

Differences between Adonsonii and Lechleriana

Traits	Adonsonii	Lechleriana
Leaves with Holes	Lots of smaller holes that are getting longer all the time.	When they are young, they usually have no holes or only a few circular ones.
Watering Needs	It needs watering once a week.More water damages it.	Only water when the soil gets dry in summer.In winter, once every two weeks.
Growth and Foliage	smaller leaves than Lechleriana.More leaves, richer foliage, but slimmer.	Leaves grow up to 10 inches. It has a larger, thicker, and smaller number of leaves than Adansonii.
Structure and Height	Adonsonii grows richer.Crawls Faster	Lechleriana grows taller, crawls slower.
Fertilization	Soil needs fertilization because of slow photosynthesis. It needscareful fertilization. It needs	fertilization once a month and more delayed if it’s autumn.
TemperatureAdonsonii grows best at temperatures above 64 °F (18 °C).		Lechleriana can live in temperatures above 12 degrees Celsius.

Similarities between Adonsonii and Lechleriana

You must be wondering about the similarities between the two species. 

In that case, it is important to note that both belong to the same family, and therefore the taxonomy of both species is the same. The taxonomy similarity ranges from kingdoms to its category of monstera.

Moreover, both plants have similar habitats. 

They are mainly found in the tropical climates of the south and central America. 

Another similarity is that they are both epiphytes and vines, meaning they both grow over other plants, especially big trees, and their stems grow from another stem called a petiole.

Furthermore, both species require the same temperature, and 25 degrees Celsius is the most favorable. 

If you are living in a colder climate, then it’s best to stay away from prolonged exposure to cold as well as direct sun heat.

All right, that’s enough biology. Now let’s move towards caring for the Monstera Lechleriana.

Monstera Lechleriana Care

Monstera Lechleriana, being delicate and evergreen in tropical climates, needs proper care to grow. 

Some of the most important entities, crucial to its survival, need to be kept in mind. 

To be concise, let’s dive into the detailed care guide of the Monstera Lechleriana.

Soil Requirements

Most of the monsteras prefer soil that drains properly and monstera lechleriana is no exception. 

The root systems require a lot of oxygen and can soon decay if they are left in wet soil. 

For monstera lechleriana, a handmade aroid soil combination of half potting soil and half cocoa or peat moss fibre works well. Additionally, add pine bark for a milder combination.

Furthermore, ensure the bottom of the container has a proper water draining system. This specie should not be grown in a container that does not have a draining outlet. 

Another precaution that you should keep in mind is not to use heavy soil for plotting monsteras. In the long run, heavy soils may cause root rot.

Temperature

Temperature is one of the important factors in the growth of any plant including the monstera lechleriana plant. 

Temperatures between 18 and 30 degrees Celsius are ideal for growing Monstera lechleriana.

Lighting

The best light for the monstera lechleriana is bright, indirect light. 

It will thrive well enough in less favorable circumstances, although at a lesser speed. If the plant isn’t exposed to enough light, it won’t produce the appropriate leaf fenestrations.

You shouldn’t be worried about the sunny window in your home because the optimum color, leaf area index, and plant development will come from the strong sunshine from that window.

But make sure that the sunshine is filtered. If not, the leaves might get scorched and become yellow, fading their greenish color.

Watering

Watering is the most important factor to consider while growing any kind of plant. Whenever the potting mix is dried at a minimum of an inch down, then it’s time to water your monstera lechleriana. 

In contrast with certain other houseplants, aroid plants are drought tolerant and can endure lengthy durations of dryness. It should be alright if you do it every two weeks.

Watering should be done routinely with proper scheduling to avoid overwatering or underwatering the plant. 

Because both can put the plant under a huge strain. However, in winter, the watering should be reduced till the soil gets dry again.

Moreover, it is best to never wet the feet of this plant because it is more vulnerable to fungus and root rot in moist soils.

Humidity

Lechleriana, like other monsteras, thrives in a humid climate. 

Keep the monstera lechleriana at 60 percent humidity or higher for optimal development and nourishment. You can do it with the following methods:

• Get yourself a large pebble tray with water inside it, and set the plant inside it for better humidity.
• Find yourself a humidifier for the room where your plant is.
• Group the plants together for better respiration and high humidity.
• Use a device called a hygrometer to keep track of the room’s humidity.

Fertilizer

It is also best to fertilize your plants to grow healthy and strong. 

For Monstera lechleriana, use the best quality fertilizers. Search out the best fertilizers on the internet before going to buy one. It is primarily used in the spring and summer.

However, reduce feedings at the end of the season and let it rest for the winter.

Best Place to Grow Monstera Lechleriana

Lechleriana is a Central American rainforest native, everlasting green tropical climber hemi-epiphyte. 

It flourishes in hot, humid environments. It typically happens between 250 and 2100 meters above sea level.

Moreover, it is a creeper that grows in the understory of the bushy forests. It’s popular as a climber because it filters sunlight from large tree canopies beneath branches. This specie barely reaches the lofty jungle trees’ branches.

Putting it generally, these plants thrive in the soft shade of the forest floor. 

Therefore, put your M. lechleriana under a strong or diffused light source to achieve the same effect as in its natural habitat. 

They can also grow in much more dense shade. However, the cut leaf foliage may not be as prominent. 

Keeping in view the ability of this plant to survive in favorable conditions and temperatures, the hardiness zones can be predicted through the optimal temperature range of its habitat.

Therefore, according to the favorable temperatures of monstera lechleriana (60 °F–86 °F) and the USDA plant hardiness zones from the plant hardiness map, the zones of 13a and 13b of the United States are the best to raise these plants.

Monstera Lechleriana Pruning

After reading this, you must have noted that the genus of Monstera has the capability to climb, known as vining. 

New plants of this species have a dense, bushy appearance when you are growing them inside a pot. They may reveal their vining tendency as they mature.

You may either offer them assistance to help them grow taller or squeeze them to keep their lanky appearance in check. 

However, it’s best recommended to chop off the tall twigs at the top with a scissor or knife.

Since the nutrients will be distributed from top to bottom, the leaves will be developed more thickly than before, and the plant type will be more attractive. 

However, if this pruning method is adopted, then we must also consider the issues of heavy branching, stem, and leaf development.

Pruning your monstera lechleriana is about keeping its height and form under control. It looks fabulous in containers if you let it become bushy. As a result, a shorter, stockier, and fully grown plant looks gorgeous.

Moreover, to keep ample fullness in a swinging vase but also lengthier vines, little pruning is required. 

It’s mostly about the size and pruning off the outliers to the sides as the plant climbs, so it appears nice and trim. 

Propagation of Monstera Lechleriana

The purpose of propagation for M. Lechleriana is achievable by certain methods. You can propagate this species with two main methods. 

That is either by cutting or layering.

You can pick branches with solid growth and a size of around 10-15 cm for propagation by clipping. 

Trim the topmost leaves after trimming and leaving just the two at the top, which will help to prevent evaporation of water.

After that, embed the plant into the matrix after treatment, maintain thermal conditions, and the plant will take root in about 3–4 weeks. 

It can also be cut using aerial rooting stems and vines, with a rather high chance of survival.

The other way is propagation from the layering, which is normally done in the warm months. 

It does have a high germination rate throughout the growing season, can gain a root hold quickly, and has a better chance of survival.

This technique of spreading lechleriana is, likewise, quite easy. 

The creeping stems are buried in the matrix and root in 2 to 3 weeks. You can also cut these from the parent plant and install them individually after the root development is stabilized.

Monstera Lechleriana Toxicity

The lavishing pleasures of the large green leaves of Monstera Lechleriana are alluring and attractive. 

But deep down, chemically, it mainly contains toxic calcium oxalate crystals, which are said to be poisonous. When it is consumed, it can lead to blood toxicity.

Therefore, it is strongly recommended to keep small children, dogs, or any kind of pet away from this plant. 

Consuming any part of Monstera Lechleriana might cause harmful symptoms and complications.

Some of the most common symptoms and complications of the calcium oxalates include burning sensations and numbness of the tongue, lips, and mouth, and swelling of the tongue or lips. 

It is best to take precautions to avoid situations that may lead to hospitalization.

Common Problems with Monstera Lechleriana

Living plants are often associated with many problems that may arise in their life span. 

Monstera lechleriana can also be affected by different diseases. Some of the most common problems with Lechleriana are discussed below:

Management Problems

Poor care of the M. Lechleriana can result in a variety of issues such as drooping, wilting, and yellow leaves. Wilting can be caused by a variety of factors like very soggy or dry soil. 

Mismanagement of watering the plant can lead to drying of the soil, causing wilting. but it recovers after watering.

Moreover, the unscheduled watering of the plant can push the plant into a drooping state. 

So, it’s best to manage the water properly. 

Furthermore, the yellow leaves appear due to moisture problems. It can also be because of poor water management.

Pests

The most common pests that attack monstera lechleriana are spider mites and bugs known as mealybugs.

However, it is rare that this strong plant will get killed due to pests in the first place. But still, it is recommended to keep an eye on it.

If it’s been spotted earlier, then it might help you in eradicating the pest from the affected plant and stop spreading to other vulnerable plants.

Gray Spot Disease

The grey spot usually affects the leaves. 

What happens is when the bacteria infiltrate the leaf edge wound, resulting in greyish brown spots on the leaf surface with dark brown edges.

In the latter stages, the illness patches become whole, decaying, and dry. The pathogen’s conidia are produced in the form of sparse black granules on the leaf surface.

After diagnosing the disease, it is best to remove and burn the leaves of lechleriana to prevent it from contaminating other plants.

Spraying nearly 700 times with a 70% methyltobuzin content or about 500 times with a 50% carbendazim content was required to eradicate the illness. 

You should also be attentive to pest management during the interval when the plant is infested with grey mold.

Rusting Disease

Lechleriana rusting illness began with syringe-like yellow specks on both the up and down surfaces of the leaves, which subsequently developed into light brown to faded red lesions that spread and burst, scattering rust-colored powder.

Small, rusted spots occur on the leaflets, and larger rust patches blanket the surface of the leaves, causing all the leaves to become yellow, wither, and fall off, resulting in a decrease in the lechleriana’s growth.

Management and control:

The control management for this disease is not actually a cure for the disease but rather a treatment for handling the current problem. 

To treat this disease, all you must do is to strengthen the maintenance of the plant and remove the dying leaves in time.

Wrapping Up

Keeping plants in houses is not as easy as it seems. Tropical plants such as Monstera Lechleriana need delicate care and a favorable habitat. 

Before keeping such plants, it is best to go through the proper guide of the plant to avoid stressing problems.

Let’s end this article here since it is enough of this guide for the care and information of the Monstera Lechleriana. 

I hope this article will prove to be helpful in keeping your Monstera Lechleriana healthy, fresh, and strong.

Sources

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

1. A Revision Of Monstera, Harvard University Herbaria
2. Aracease From Central Mountains Of Columbia, University Of Caldas
3. Two New Species Of Monstera From Costa Rica, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.