Monstera Siltepecana is a rare indoor plant with beautiful leaves. This vining plant grows green leaves with silver markings.
In some places, it is famous as sliver monstera. But it is not a true silver monstera plant.
In order to grow it long and strong with shining leaves. You need to place it in bright filtered light. To prevent root rot and yellow leaves water it after checking the soil moisture.
In today’s post, you’ll learn about Monstera Siltepecana care, maintenance, Propagation, and troubleshooting common problems.
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About the Monstera Siltepecana Plant
Before discussing the plant care needs it is best to know more about its size, shape, and growing nature.
Siltepecana plants are native to Mexico and Central America. In jungles, it grows on the floor in its juvenile stage and grows green leaves with green veins.
As the plant step-in its mature stage, it starts changing its leaf color. Within a few days, it will develop silver markings on all of its leaves.
To grow it tall you should give it some support to climb.
We cannot predict the overall length and size of its leaves. Because the size is directly dependent on the care techniques of a grower.
My plant is large enough because I give it proper care.
Below are its growing needs and my growing experience.
Quick Care Guide
| Common names | Silver monstera |
| Toxicity | Toxic to cats |
| Leaf size | 2-3 inches long, 2 inches wide |
| Light | Bright Indirect |
| Water | Moderate |
| Soil | Well-draining |
| Temperature | 50˚F-95˚F, (10˚C-35˚C) |
| Humidity | High |
| Pests | Aphids, Mealybugs, Scales |
| Diseases | Root rot, Yellow leaves |
How to Grow and Care for Monstera Siltepecana?
Light Requirement
If you are growing it indoors then make sure the light energy in the grow room is above 200FC.
Indirect bright light is sufficient to full fill its light needs. Do not expose Monstera to direct sunlight. Because direct sunrays are too hot for this plant.
Direct light can burn its leaves. To keep your plant safe, grow it near an east-facing sunny window. So, that it can get a few hours of morning sunlight and then indirect light for the remaining day length.
In case the place you choose for your plant is not bright enough. In this condition, we have an excellent solution and that is growing lights.
These plant lights are designed to grow houseplants in the absence of sunlight.
Monsteras cannot differentiate between natural light and artificial grow light. They just need a full spectrum of light wavelength.
LED grow lights emit light wavelengths similar to the sun.
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Watering Monstera Siltepecana
Watering Siltepecana Monstera plants is a little tricky if you have never watered houseplants before.
You can’t just directly pour water on the potting soil. This way of watering plants is not suitable for indoor plants.
The best way is to check the soil moisture and then water accordingly. Water this monstera plant only when the top 2 inches of soil become dry.
To check the soil moisture, use a soil moisture meter. This device tells us about the watering needs and pH of the soil.
Insert the probes of the moisture meter in the potting mix and turn it On. It will give the reading in a few seconds.
Or
Insert your index finger 2 inches deep in the potting mix and check the moisture.
Quality of Water
The quality of water is an important factor in its care and maintenance. Silver Monstera has a soft root ball.
Therefore, use filtered water or rainwater for watering it.
Because these waters do not contain chlorine and other heavy minerals. These ingredients are not required for plant growth and are deadly for roots.
They block the normal function of roots and hence your plant turns yellow and dies in a few days.
Potting Soil
Do not use dense soil for growing silver monstera plants. The soil has to be well-draining and fast moisture absorbing. When we water the plants, the moisture gets stored in the soil particles. But as we all know soil becomes soggy and heavy when it absorbs a large amount of water.
Therefore, you have to add some external substances to the soil. To make it perfect for caring silver monstera.
Add Sphagnum moss to the general potting soil to make it aerated and fast-draining.
This type of soil increases the airflow in the root area. Plants need fresh oxygen to live as we need it. When they do not get fresh air or get less air than their requirement. The plants start wilting and show stunted growth.
They become weak and easily get infected by plant diseases.
Temperature
If you are living in the 9b to 11 USDA zones. Then you do not need to worry about the temperature. The weather conditions in these areas are good for growing beautiful plants like silver monstera.
Otherwise, you have to maintain the temperature of the grow room between 55 to 85 degrees F.
Silver Monstera is not frost resistant plant. It cannot tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees F. In cold weather, it will go into dormancy and stop growing.
In the winter season move it to a warm place away from cold air. Also, protect it from the hot air flow of heat vents.
Artificial hot air results in dehydrated leaves.
Humidity
For best monstera siltepecana care keep the humidity levels on the higher side.
It can survive in a low-humidity environment. But then the leaves will stay small in size and lose their natural shine.
You need to maintain high humidity for healthy and vibrant monstera leaves.
There are many ways to upsurge the humidity level. The best method is the use a plant humidifier to correct the low humid condition.
Or
Grouping the plants together to increase the 7% to 12 % humidity.
It is not necessary to group the same type of plants. You can group all your houseplants randomly. This formula works in 90% of the cases.
Do not mist water on silver monstera leaves. This will result in a bacterial leaf spot.
Fertilizing Silver Monstera
Fertilize monstera siltepecana only in spring and summer. Any normal houseplant fertilizer will do the best. Do not buy a so-called specific type of fertilizers.
All houseplants need Nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium as the main nutrients.
The good news is every plant fertilizer contains all of them. Their percentage is different in each formula.
For example, lettuce needs a high dosage of nitrogen, therefore, lettuce fertilizers contain N in higher quantity than P and K.
For Monstera Siltepecana, you should use general-purpose houseplant fertilizer. Dilute the solution to its half-strength before use.
I prefer liquid fertilizers because they are less expensive and easy for roots to absorb. Moreover, they give quick results as compared to organic nutrients.
Monstera Siltepecana Propagation
Silver Monstera can be propagated in water, soil, sphagnum, and perlite. Below are all 4 propagation techniques. Read all of them and decide which is easy for you. Then follow the steps and have more beautiful siltepecana plants.
Propagation in water:
- The first step is to have a clean sterilized knife.
- Then make a cut below the nodes.
- Take the crystal-clear glass and fill it with filtered water.
- Dip the cutting in the rooting hormone and put it in a glass of water.
- Make sure the leaves are above the water level.
- Change the water once a week.
- Place the glass jar at normal room temperature.
- Within 15 to 20 days, you will see tiny white roots
- At this time, transfer the plant to its final pot in the soil.
Soil Propagation
Soil is an easy way of propagation. Because once you place it in the pot then you do not need to do much work. Just keep the soil moist until the plant gets established in the pot.
Step-By-Step Process:
- You need a 4 to 6 inches long healthy cutting with one node and 2 to 3 leaves.
- Then let the end of the cutting dry.
- Dip the cutting in the rooting hormone.
- If you do not have rooting hormone does not need to buy it.
- Put the well-draining potting mix in the pot.
- Make a hole in it and plant the cutting.
- Keep the soil moist all the time.
- Put the pot in a warm place.
- After 3 weeks carefully take out the pot to check if it develops roots or not.
- If it has roots then transfer it to the final pot.
Propagate in Sphagnum
The whole process is the same as soil propagation. The only difference is here we use sphagnum moss as a growing medium.
First of all, soak moss in the water.
Then put it in the container and plant the cutting in it.
Cover it to increase the humidity
Use a transparent plastic cover for covering or the sphagnum will dry in a few hours.
In 2 to 3 weeks, you will see the roots. Then you can transfer it to any growing medium of your choice.
Troubleshooting Problems
Aphids, mealybugs, and Scales are the main enemies of the monstera plants.
Aphids
Aphids are the sapsuckers. They drink the entire plant contents if not fixed on time. They can be brown, green, black, or yellow. Some of them have wings and some do not.
Mealybugs
These are white insects that are coated in a white cotton-like cover. They also suck the sap of the plants like aphids. The only difference is aphids are easy to kill. Whereas in 20% of the cases, growers lose their plants in mealybug infestation.
Scales
These insects are slow movers. They usually stay on a leaf. but they are hard to kill than mealybugs and aphids.
The Single Solution
There is one single solution to all common pest infestations.
In the first step use soap water to clean your plants. This will work more on aphids and mealybugs. If this will not work then use a neem oil spray. This spray will kill the pests in a few hours. Also, save plants from various plant diseases.
In the third step use pesticides on houseplants. Tell the pest story to the pesticidal shop and they will give the spray bottle of pesticides. Take the plant outside and then use the spray. Also, read the instructions carefully, and do not forget to wear a mask.
Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves are caused by the extra water in the plant pot. The excess water makes the soil wet and heavy. This blocks the flow of fresh air. The result is plant leaves turn yellow color.
In this condition do not water the plants. Take it out of the pot and check the bottom conditions.
Use shape shears and cut the damaged portion of the roots. Use fresh soil to plant it in its pot. Before plating it wash the pot with dishwashing soap and warm water.
Brown Leaf Tips
Lack of humidity ad lack of water in the potting soil result in brown leaf tips. In most cases, low humidity is the cause.
Once you see brown tips on your plant. Immediately use a hygrometer and measure the room humidity.
In low humidity use a plant humidifier and trim the brown parts of the leaves. Brown tips are the second stage of damage. Act fast to save your dying plant.
Dark Spots on Leaves
When you mist water on Monstera Siltepecana leaves in warm weather. This definitely results in dark spots.
Because warm weather and high humidity and wet leaves lead to bacterial leaf disease.
The effective solution is copper fungicides. Use it on the infected leaves and wait for some days.
Leggy Growth and Small leaves
Leggy or stretchy vines of Monstera Siltepecana indicated low light. When it does not proper light siltepecana stretch its vines toward the light source.
It does so to full fill its light needs.
Low light also makes the new leaves small due to a lack of sufficient food.
To correct this issue simply move your plant to bright light and it will heal in a few days.
Stop Growing
If your monstera is not growing new leaves and the old leaves are wilting. Then this indicates a serious problem underneath the potting soil.
In 90% of the cases, it is linked to the roots. Damaged roots cannot absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Unpot your plant and inspect the roots.
Only in 10% of cases, lack of essential nutrients is the cause. Check the fertility of the soil and use liquid fertilizer.
Conclusion
Monstera Siltepecana also called silver monstera is easy to grow monstera plant. it needs minimal care and maintenance.
Light energy plays an important role in its care and development.
Use neem oil once in 20 days to prevent pests and fungal diseases.
