Sub Species: Monstera Borsigiana Albo
Species: Monstera deliciosa
Genus: Monstera
Tribe: Monstereae
Plant Family: Araceae
Origin: Southern Mexico, South Panama
Soil Drainage: Excellent
Soil pH: Mildly Acidic
INTRODUCTION
Monstera is a hemiepiphyte, which means it is both an epiphyte and a hemiepiphyte. Monstera seeds often germinate in the canopy of a natural environment, growing epiphytically at first. Their roots eventually travel downwards and make contact with soil. Later in its life, it can self-produce by becoming a rooted vine growing upward from the forest floor and using roots to climb tree trunks, eventually breaking their main connection to the ground but continuing to send long roots into the soil. Monstera deliciosa borsigiana is a Monstera deliciosa subspecies. It grows faster and has smaller leaves than the true Monstera deliciosa.
This article will discuss the variegated Monstera deliciosa borsigiana Albo, which has a cult following at the moment and, while it costs an arm and a leg, is still one of the most affordable variegated Monsteras! Monstera borsigiana variegata Albo has variegation as a result of spontaneous but natural mutation. Commercial suppliers cultivate Monstera deliciosa Albo variegata from seeds; however, it is impossible to predict which seed will produce variegated Albo borsigiana Monstera vs green Monstera borsigiana before the seedling reaches a certain maturity level. This means that growers must plant 100 000 Monstera borsigiana seeds, nurture them, and hope for one (!) variegated Albo Monstera out of the lot. So, yes, if you come across someone selling Monstera variegata Albo seeds, it is a complete scam.Commercial propagation of Monstera Albo is also not possible. For starters, Albo Monstera variegation can be quite unstable. Furthermore, propagating Monstera Albo borsigiana variegata by cuttings can be difficult because these species are extremely water sensitive and prone to rot. If you decide to buy an unrooted Albo Monstera cutting, keep in mind that rooting it is more difficult than rooting non-variegated Monsteras. As a result, prices for Monstera Albo variegata are not dropping as quickly as one would expect.
Monstera Albo Variegated Maintenance
SOIL
Knowing what Monstera’s natural habitat is like will help you create the best potting mix for your Monstera borsigiana Albo. Monstera borsigiana variegata Albo is highly water sensitive and prone to rot. The first and most important thing to remember is that the potting mix should be very light, allowing plenty of air to reach the roots. Avoid using peat-based commercial potting mix, especially if your Monstera Albo borsigiana Variegata’s root system is underdeveloped. Peat holds water and becomes compressed over time. This means that the roots will remain wet and will not receive enough oxygen, causing your Monstera borsigiana Variegata’s mostly white leaves to rot and die. If you are unlucky, the plant will suffer from root rot, and it will be too late by the time you realize something is wrong.My Monstera borsigiana Albo potting mix recipe is as follows: one part peat moss – this is an excellent source of nutrition.one part coco coir – a light potting mix baseone part coarse perlite – prevents the potting mix from compactingone part vermiculite – retains moisture0.5 part sphagnum moss – adds acidity and retains humidity.Another way to prevent root rot is to layer lecca at the bottom of the pot. It will act as a barrier if there is water at the bottom of the pot and will also provide good humidity for those roots that reach the bottom of the pot.
LIGHT
It is critical that your Monstera borsigiana variegata Albo get plenty of morning sun, grow lights, or bright natural light. Plants, as you may recall from Biology classes, require photosynthesizing in order to survive. Chlorophyll, which is green, is required for photosynthesis. Because the white variegated areas of Monstera borsigiana variegata leaves lack chlorophyll, they do not participate in photosynthesis, leaving the green parts of the leaves to do all of the heavy lifting. In order to survive, Monstera borsigiana Albo variegata will develop more green areas if it is not exposed to sunlight. In short, each new leaf on your variegated Monstera will make it greener.
HUMIDITY
Monstera borsigiana Albo Variegata prefers humidity, ideally between 65 and 70 percent. Please keep in mind that we are discussing air humidity. Not the moisture in the soil. Leaves should not be misted. This is especially critical for young Monstera Albo borsigiana plants. If your room lacks humidity, grouping a number of plants in one area or potting your variegated Monstera borsigiana in a larger pot with other aroids could help. I discovered that grouping them and combining several aroids in one pot was extremely beneficial – all of my previously struggling aroids completely transformed in this new setup. Alternatively, you can place a shallow dish filled with water somewhere beneath your Monstera Albo to increase humidity as the water evaporates from the dish.
WATERING
Monstera borsigiana Albo, as I mentioned earlier in the article, is extremely water sensitive. Before watering, I always let the soil completely dry. Put your variegated Monstera Albo in the shower and give it a good wash, allowing the soil to become saturated with water. This will also clean the dust off large leaves and condition the aerial roots. Allow all of the water to drain before re-potting the variegated Monstera; never leave a variegated Monstera in water.
FERTILIZER
For the past three years, I’ve used the following fertilizers interchangeably for the majority of my plants: Growth Technology NitrozymeGrowth Technology IONIC Cal-Mag Pro