Whether you’ve had a Monstera for years or are brand new to the Monstera world, it’s not unusual to be concerned at the loss of a few leaves. Depending on how many leaves are dropping and your plant’s overall health, you may start to question: Will my Monstera’s leaves ever grow back?
In most cases when your Monsteras has dropped a few leaves, it will grow new healthy leaves again. The secret is to find out what was causing the leaves to drop and remedy the situation. Once you’ve fixed the problem, your plant will start putting out new and healthy growth once more.
When it comes to Monsteras dropping leaves, some questions need to be answered before your plant can return to its former glory. Why did the leaves fall off? How can you stop the problem from recurring in the future? And what do you do with the old, yellow leaves left on the plant? For the answers to all this and more, read on!
Why Do Monsteras Lose Leaves?
All house plants lose leaves from time to time, and Monsteras are no exception. If your Monstera has dropped a few leaves in the past few weeks, that may not be any cause for alarm at all. As leaves get older, they eventually droop and die off to be replaced by new healthy leaves.
If your plant looks healthy and you’ve only seen one or two leaves drop, don’t worry. Most likely, this is simply caused by the aging out of these leaves. Once you notice an old leaf start to turn yellow and droop, you can go ahead and clip back the leaf.
While some leaf loss is normal, large numbers of leaves dying off back to back is not. If you are seeing multiple leaves hit the floor, there is most likely some sort of issue with your care routine that is causing this. From overwatering to improper light conditions and nutrient deficiencies to environmental changes, many things could contribute to your Monstera losing leaves.
Accidental Damage to Monsteras
If the reason you’re searching the question “Will My Monstera Leaves Grow Back” is because you or a rowdy pet or toddler have accidentally knocked your beloved plant over, resulting in damage to the leaves and stems, you are in luck: The plant will most likely be fine.
Monsteras are pretty resilient, and they can bounce back from most breaking or snapping of leaves and stems. Prop your plant back up and resume your regular care routine. Give the plant a few weeks, and before long, it will be putting out new and healthy growth once more.
But don’t be alarmed if it takes a little bit of time for your plant to return to normal. When Monsteras experience any sort of stress, they can halt their upward growth for a bit to focus on building their foundational root system. Be patient. Your leaves will grow back.
Overwatering: The Most Common Reason For Dropping Leaves
Improper watering is the most common culprit for unhealthy Monsteras. With almost any symptom that is described to me, my first question is about watering habits. How much do you water your Monstera? How do you determine when it’s time to water?
When plants are not watered correctly, the major damage starts in the roots. If your Monstera’s soil is constantly damp and doesn’t have time to dry out between waterings, the roots of your Monstera have most likely been affected. Roots that are always wet are susceptible to root rot: a house plant killer.
Root rot does precisely what it sounds like: it causes the roots to rot. Once that happens, they can do longer do their job of absorbing water and nutrients and sending them out to the rest of the plant. The result is yellowed and droopy leaves that eventually die and fall off.
To check for root rot, you’ll need to look at your plant’s roots. Healthy roots are crisp and white, while those affected by root rot will be brown, musty, and mushy. If you find any roots in the latter state, prune them back and repot the plant in a new planter with new soil.
If the roots are not rotten but you still suspect overwatering to be the issue for your yellow and dying leaves, you may have caught the problem before it became more serious. Allow your plant to dry out and adjust your watering habits, and your Monstera should start to recover.
Monsteras should only be watered when the top one to two inches of soil are dry. The time between waterings will vary depending on your location, time of year, and the conditions of your home.
For that reason, I never recommend watering on a schedule but instead checking the soil to see if it needs water before adding more. To do so, insert your finger into the soil and check for dampness. If you’d prefer a more precise technique, consider purchasing a small moisture meter.
Water your Monstera until excess water runs out the drainage hole in the bottom of your pot. A good rule of thumb is that about 20% of the water you put in should come out the bottom. This will let you know that the soil has been thoroughly watered.
One last tip: Do not let your Monstera get bone dry before adding more water. Overwatering is the main issue with falling leaves, but underwatering can cause problems as well. When the top inch or two of soil is dry, add more water.
Too Much or Too Little Light
When it comes to lighting, most plants are looking for the perfect situation: not too much light and not too little light. Generally, Monsteras can survive in a wide range of lighting options, but if you know your watering habits are spot on, this may be the cause of your unhealthy leaves.
Just because these plants can survive through a wide range of light exposure does not mean that Monsters don’t have a sweet spot. For these beloved houseplants, you’ll want to find an area that has lots and lots of bright, indirect light. Most tropical house plants can not tolerate the full strength of direct sunlight, and the same is true for Monsteras. Looks for a location that is near a bright sunny window, but far enough away that the sun won’t shine directly on the Monstera’s foliage.
If you have a plant that is receiving too much light, you may start to see some discoloration in the leaves. Similar to a human sunburn, leaf scorch can damage a plant by overexposure to the sun.
If you think your plant may be in direct sun, you can always check by placing your hand between the light source and the Monstera. If you feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, or you notice that the shadow you’re casting is sharp and defined, that area has “direct light,” which is too strong for your Monstera.
On the flip side, too little light is not a good problem to have either. Plants that don’t have access to enough light become stretched out and “leggy” (the scientific term for this is etiolation). If your Monstera has sparse, small leaves, it should be moved to an area with brighter indirect light.
When a Monstera has the perfect amount of light, it can focus all of its energy on growth, rather than recovering from the stress of needing to find more light. If you believe your plant isn’t getting the right type of light, consider moving it to a new location. But remember, any change in location can result in a stunted amount of growth, so be patient.
Environmental Stress
Monsteras are pretty resilient. They can survive without much interference from us in a variety of environments. But, if you want your plant to thrive, it will take more consideration on where you place your Monstera and how often the conditions surrounding it change.
Drafts are no friend to a Monstera. Quick changes in temperature, like those from heaters, AC vents, doors, or windows, can cause major stress to your plant. Monsteras like consistent temperatures and consistent environments.
When a Monstera is stressed, it will enter a sort of semi-dormant state where growth will slowly greatly, and the plant will focus on shoring up its roots – the most important part of the plant for survival.
If you’ve recently relocated your plant or made some other change to the area surrounding it, it is also common for a Monstera to become a bit stressed. Sometimes just the trip from the nursery to our homes is enough to cause a few leaves to drop in the following weeks.
If you believe your Monstera is experiencing stress due to drafts or inconsistent conditions in the area, relocate your plant to a more suitable spot. Be mindful of nearby doors or windows that could let in the heat or cold, and vents and heaters from HVAC systems. Your Monstera will thank you for its new home.
If your Monstera has been recently relocated or is new to you, the leaf loss you see may just be the result of this move. As long as your plant’s new location is away from hot or cold drafts, give it time to adjust to its new location. A few weeks from now, it should be good to go.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Monsteras need nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium to help them grow and thrive. Initially, they gain those nutrients from the potting soil they’re planted in. But after a few months, your Monstera will deplete the nutrients in its soil. At this point, you’ll have to add something to your plant.
This is where fertilizer comes into play. I prefer to use a liquid houseplant fertilizer with my Monsteras, and many popular brands on the market (like Espoma and Jacks) can make fertilizing easy and straightforward.
I suggest fertilizing your Monstera once or twice a month during the growing season. Suspend feeding in the winter months when your plant goes dormant, and the growth rate slows down.
Always, always, always dilute your fertilizer to half strength before putting it onto your houseplants. Monsteras can be burned by too much fertilizer. Resist the temptation to use more fertilizer than advised. If your plant begins to yellow or drop leaves, reduce the fertilization, and check for signs of improvement.
If you want to learn more about fertilizing your Monstera Deliciosa, read this article.
Will A Yellow Leaf Turn Back To Green?
Unfortunately, once a leaf has turned from it’s usual green to yellow, there is no reversing this process. A yellow leaf will stay yellow until it eventually turns brown and falls from the plant.
Because of that, I almost always go ahead and cut back yellow leaves from my plant. These leaves will no longer serve your Monstera and are actually using up energy that could be directed into new growth.
If you find a yellow leaf or two on your Monstera, use a pair of sharp scissors and clip it as far back as you can. Before clipping, be sure to sterilize your scissors so that you don’t introduce any bacteria to the cut portion of the plant.
Don’t Panic
If you see a few leaves drop to the ground below your favorite houseplant, do not panic – some leaf loss is normal. Even if you are seeing an unusual amount of leaf loss, usually the problem can be solved.
Whether you need to move your plant to a new location or maybe adjust your care routine, most of the problems above can be solved, and your Monstera will start to grow new and healthy leaves once more. But remember, don’t overcompensate for the leaf loss by adding more water or dousing your plant with fertilizer. A little goes a long way for houseplants, and your Monstera will thank you for taking things slow with a nice recovery.