Tips to Care for Your Monstera Albo
The white patches on Monstera Albo require slightly different care than a standard Deliciosa. Here’s how to care for your new plant.
- Water your Monstera Albo when the top two inches of potting mix are dry.
- Place it in a room with a window where four to six hours of sunlight pass through each day. Do not put it in direct sunlight as the thinner white sections are more prone to sun scorch and may brown.
- Keep it in humid rooms and away from vents and heaters as the lack of moisture in the white portions requires humidity levels at a minimum of 50%. Groupings, rooms with humidifiers, and pebble trays can all be used to help.
- Use a potting mix with chunky materials that retains moisture and is properly aerated to mimic the natural environment where your Albo would grow up a host and possibly have roots in the floor of a tropical rainforest like our Dirt Bag.
- When the white browns and turns crunchy, trim it away with sanitized shears so the plant can focus its energy on new leaves.
Monstera Albo FAQs
Is Albo the same as the Thai Constellation?
No, Monstera Albo is not the same as Monstera Thai Constellation as Thai Constellation is a lab created and stable mutation that helps ensure every leaf will have variegation and the Albo is a natural and unstable mutation called a Chimera that may not appear on every leaf.
Why do new leaves have no variegation?
Because the variegation in Monstera Albo is not stable, some leaves may not have the large white patches, and new leaves may start green and then variegate as they reach maturity. The unique coloring and unpredictable foliage patterns are one of the many reasons why collectors love Monstera Albos and why you’ll enjoy seeing new leaves add to your plants beauty for years to come.
How can I keep the white sections from turning brown?
While there is no way to stop the leaves from eventually turning brown and crunchy due to the lack of chlorophyll, you can prolong the life of the white patches by:
- Ensuring proper lighting so the plant does not produce extra chlorophyll to collect enough sunlight for photosynthesis.
- Follow a proper watering schedule so the plant remains at proper hydration levels and leaves don’t wilt or get brown edges.
- Trim back all green leaves to help promote the growth of variegated leaves. While this won’t prolong the life, it does help encourage more colorful Monstera Albo plants.
