Varigated Monstera

[Jeff Searle]

I'm looking for some help. Does anyone have this variety of varigated monstera? If so, is there a name for this one? I'm growing a few, and was wondering. I originally brought this back from a grower in Peru. To me, it has a creamy white coloring through the leaf. It reminds me as if someone threw paint across it, because of the markings. Any help appreciated.

Jeff

[Jeff Searle]

A look at the leaf upclose. Lots of spots, not so many blotches .

[LJG]

Looks like 'Thai Constellation'. If so, it is a keeper. Asiatica has them for $90 for a 5in pot.

[metalfan]

I have three, but mine are the othe rtype, they have a more solid variegation in big chunks, not in spots.

[Gbarce]

Yup I've got that variety unfortunately I don't have a name for it either.  I've only seen 3 varieties of Variegated Monsteras here in the Philipines, Ihave grown them all (or at least tried to) and this variety is by far teh best grower and the most stable with the variegation.

One variety had yellow to a lighter green variegation but that one eventually turned all green.  I guess the variegation pattern is not really that established in that variety (which also did not have a name here).  I left it climbing a coconut tree but the last time I looked it just looked like an ordinary Monstera.

The other one I bought had a lot of white patches on it at the start.  As it produced more leaves - the leaves had a lot more white portions which I thought was cool.  It eventually produced all white leaves and the subsequent leaves (which were almost all white) progressively got smaller and smaller.  I had to put it in deep shade because the leaves burned so easily.  It eventually died after about a year.  Since it hardy had any chlorophyll in its leaves I don't think it as producing any food for itself and  was just feeding off its own body.

The variety you have there however is growing very well for me and has leaves about 3 feet top to bottom.  It does produce big splatches of white, but I checked all of the leaves and that white spot pattern is definitely the dominant pattern.  Certain leaves have a 'tricolor" pattern - green, gray green and the white, which is really nice.  I keep it in a 4 foot wide, 2 feet high pot shaped like a bowl.  The medium was ordinary dried (not charcoaled) rice hulls which by now I think has fully decomposed (which worries me).  But overall it has been a trouble free plant for me.  In its original pot the 'trunk' was already 2 feet long so I sliced it over half way through but just left it there.  It produced 2 new heads and has since been growing in 3 points so I now get 3 leaves at a time.  Its getting pretty crowded though.

I will take pictures tomorrow and post it here.  Its night time here now.

[Eric in Orlando]

How do you keep them variegated? We had 2 different types in our old display greenhouse. When it was torn down I planted them out and they both reverted to green and have never shown anymore variegation.

[metalfan]

Well, I just went out and looked at mine this morning, and I have to contradict myself. I DO have the same one as you on my largest oldest plant, it does have streaks and splotches, but my other 2 green and white have more blocky variegation. They are defintely more poor genetic examples and have an all green tendency, I am about to start pruning stems.

I also have the yellow and green one, and was told that this one is called Monstera pertussis. That may or may not be true. It is MUCH slower growing than the green and white type. I was told that in order to help preserve its variegation, if it put out more than one all green leaf in succession, to cut the stem  below the first all green and let it grow back out.

The other thing I was told was not to give any of these guys a lot of high nitrogen fertilizer.

The plant you are describing that died, you should have cut the stem when it first put out the first all white leaf, to see if it would go back to green and white. I had to do this with a Philodendron "Pink Princess" that started putting out all-pink leaves. They were doing just what you said, getting smaller and smaller, so I cut the stem before the first all pink leaf, and when it grew a new offshoot, it was normally variegated again. Otherwise I would have lost it.

[Mike4284m]

I've got one of the blotchy white and green ones too.  Mine started putting out all white leaves too so I cut it back some.  It has comeback with avengence to regular variegation.

[Gbarce]

Jeff- Here's the one that's the same variety as yours. The netting on top is 60% but uts also beside a tree so it also gets additional protection from that.

I just water it along with the other plants with no additional attention and it just grows well for me.  I don't give it any fetilizer either.

[Gbarce]

I guess this is the "front" view

[Gbarce]

THis is an older leaf

[Gbarce]

This is a new leaf.  Its kind of a bit pale

[Gbarce]

The main body.  You can see the 2 growth points here.  I couldn't spot the 3rd.  It might have died off.

[Gbarce]

Here's a shot of the roots.

[Gbarce]

The solid white patches do get burned though

[Gbarce]

THis is the other variety that I was talking about-- the one with yellow variegation.

Notice that the yellow stripe is all to one side of the "body"  Leaves on this side had variegation but those on the other side were  just green.  I did cut it in several places hopin that a new growth point emerges from teh variegated areas -- but it didn't take.

[Gbarce]

Here's the leaf now.  It is of a lighter/ yellower green color though - not the usual tone of green  of the Monsteras.

[Jeff Searle]

Gene,

      Your plants are very nice, and the same as mine. They look like their happy where you have them planted.

       I forgot to mention in the beginning, my first ones that I got was from a grower in Peru that raises them for "cut" foliage leaves to be shipped into the states, to later be used in floral arraingments. I was surprised to see him growing them and wanted some right away.

Jeff

[Gbarce]

For some reason, Jeff Searle's posts are coming out as blanks-- as in nothing on it.

Is it just me or are others getting the same thing.

Is there a computer Virus on the loose?

[_Keith]

I had that happen to me.  I had accidentally pushed the ignore button on someone.  I'll bet that is it.

[Gbarce]

Oh.  How do I undo that?

[Gbarce]

OK.  Found it and fixed it

[Gbarce]

Just wanted to update this thread.  A few months back  I cut up and seperated a the top end of this vine to propagate it.

Its producing  2 new growth points.

[Gbarce]

Newest leaf.  This is actually the firt one produced since I chopped the top end off.

It's noticable smaller than the previous leaves.

[Gbarce]

This is the top half with a can of paint for scale.  I have kept it in deep shade for maybe 3 months already.  The leaves are still in good shape without any signs of decline or drying up (sunburn in the white portion was already there before teh propagation) but ......

[Gbarce]

...  I still don't have any new growth.

[fastfeat]

Gene--

Looking good. Wouldn't worry about lack of growth on the cutting yet; may take awhile. Just don't keep it too wet.

[Jeff Searle]

Gene,

     Yours are looking great I'm getting ready to take some tip cuttings on mine, maybe before I leave to go on the Costa Rica biennial.

     Speaking of which, are you going to have any free time in the Miami area while your passing through to come by for a visit?

Jeff

[DoomsDave]

Jeff!

Whoa!

Hmm.  Looks like a Monsty someone sprayed white paint over . . .

[Gbarce]

Jeff - I won't be going to the Biennial  in Costa Rica- I wish to though!! Just settling in a new job.   I don't have any planned trips to the US in the forseeable future for now - but if I do I'd make sure to make Florida a major part of the itinerary.

Last November's trip was not really planned and was way too short. I was really luck that it was the weekend of the Fairchild sale and I got to meet you and Ryan.

Good luck with your monsteras.  I will share my future note on this propagation attempt.

Gene

[feef706]

Jeff how cold hardy are these monstera's I see the green varietys at lowes in the sunroom for all the tropical plants.. Philodendrons live here in the panhandle which is why I am curious about this other variety which looks similar.. I love the variegations..

[Jeff Searle]

(feef706 @ Apr. 02 2008,07:21)

QUOTE

Jeff how cold hardy are these monstera's I see the green varietys at lowes in the sunroom for all the tropical plants.. Philodendrons live here in the panhandle which is why I am curious about this other variety which looks similar.. I love the variegations..

Well, again with out living in your area, I really don't know. Your pretty far north of me. I know that Monstera's are very tough, and I would assume that maybe the varigated ones are about the same, but not 100% sure. Maybe someone that lives up near you can give us some added information. Gina?

Jeff

[Juan-Carlos]

Wonderful looking plants guys!

Eric, to keep them from reverting you have to cut the plant when the the solid green leaves come out - i'd wait for 2 or 3 solid green in a row befor cutting as sometimes they will send out a green leaf and then go back to Variegated on it's own. When you cut make sure you cut above a variegated leaf node. Also, root the top half as sometimes it will start sending out variegated leaves later on.

Jeff i'm not sure on your variety there, I have 2 different varieties of white variegation, both of mine are No ID though One has never sent out green leaves, the other seems to be a bit unstable but with regular pruning it is kept variegated:)

Regards,

-Jc

Miami, Florida

[XYZ]

Hi, all:

Below is a photo that I took last weekend of a rooted cutting that I gave a friend a couple months back...sorry it is marred by a fungal invasion of my short lens...I have several very large specimens of this clone, and they occasionally do this when shaded. I remain TOTALLY unconvinced that one can identify a clone of this plant by the degree of color "splash" it exhibits at any given time. IMO, if you have solid albovariegated clone, the amount of white it shows at a given time is dictated by environment.

J

Edited May 31, 2008 by stone jaguar

[Juan-Carlos]

Spectacular specimen Jaguar!

I love it when they send out sold white leaves like that - One of mine has a half solid green and half solid white leaf now.. it's pretty neat, and the other clone has one huge leaf that is half solid white the other half is mixed.

I agree, most of the fancy names are trivial, people just name them so it's not just "Albo-variegata" - I mean that doesn't bother me at all, however it's just hard to tell many of the varieties apart. I've seen some with different names that look identical.

Regards,

-Jc

Miami, Florida

[JMBreland]

Jeff how cold hardy are these monstera's I see the green varietys at lowes in the sunroom for all the tropical plants.. Philodendrons live here in the panhandle which is why I am curious about this other variety which looks similar.. I love the variegations..

Monsteras are good as returning perennials along the Gulf Coast. I have seen a group of them planted under a canopy of a cabbage palm and a large Japanese maple. Because of its slow growth rate, it won't get as big as those in the tropics at the end of the frost-free season, but it still will give you the nice "windowed" leaves of decent size (approximately a foot & half long).

[Gbarce]

Its about time to give an update on this propagation attempt.

Its been 6 months since I chopped the lead growth, potted it and put it under a shed so that it can establish itself without drying up. Latst March there were no signs of growth and up until the start of June there was STILL nothing happening.

I decided to move it in a much brighter location-- under the shade house among the other understory plants. Lots of sun exposure but very diffused light.

[Gbarce]

After about a week in this environment -- SIGNS OF GROWTH!!!

[Gbarce]

I think the tip rotted though. 6 months tucked away must have put a toll on this leaf. I wonder what it will look like when it unfurls.

For those who have top cut monsteras befor - does it take this long to get new growth?

My theory is that I must have kept it in too shady a spot. I initially put it under a shed where it only geta ambient light. It usually works well with all other plants that I transplant but for this monstera I guess it needs q minimum amount of light to get it going.

[Really full garden]

This is the plant that I just acquired.It is a rooted cutting from a "stable" plant.I plan to eventually plant it out in the garden and let it take off.Lets hope it stays as variegated as this.