A Beginner’s Guide to Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma Care: Tips and Essentials

Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma, commonly known as Mini Monstera because of the shape of the leaves having similar splits like a Monstera deliciosa. It shares many characteristics with the split leaf philodendron, including its smaller leaf size and similar care requirements. However, despite it's common name, this plant isn’t in the Monstera genus but in the Rhaphidophora genus. A genus of plant known for shingling and climbing. The Mini Monstera is a tropical plant endemic to Southern Thailand and Malayasia.

Single leaf Mini Monstera
Photo by Lukmanul HM on Unsplash

A few years ago, the Mini Monstera plant took social media by storm and prices spiked. This became a commonly sort after plant and was going for around $50 for a two leaf cutting. Fast forward to current times, the Mini Monstera can be found with a quick easy online search and even in local plant stores! It’s an easy growing tropical vine that grows fast and provides the perfect jungle vibes.

Environmental Conditions for Tropical Plants

Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma prefers bright, indirect light, but can tolerate low light conditions - too little light can slow down growth.

Keep the temperature between 55-95 degrees Fahrenheit, and avoid placing the plant near heating or cooling vents. Too close to a heating vent will dry the plant out in bad ways while a cooling vent could spread plant diseases.

Mini Monstera leaves

Maintain a humid environment, ideally 50-70% relative humidity. You can use a humidifier or place the plant on a tray filled with water and pebbles to increase humidity. Using a trellis or a moss pole can provide essential support for the plant, help it grow its aerial roots effectively, and maintain moisture for healthier growth and larger leaves.

Watering and Potting Mix

Mini Monstera don’t have really sensitive root but have thick roots and prefer a well draining soil. Making a potting mix with equal parts of soil, orchid bark, and perlite will make them perfectly happy. Also make sure your Mini Monstera is potted in a planter with a drainage hole to stop water accumulating at the bottom which can lead to root rot.

Providing proper support and moisture to the aerial roots is essential for the plant's stability and optimal upward growth. Structures like moss poles or trellises can help the aerial roots climb and thrive.

Want to learn more about different growing mediums? Read here.

When it comes to watering, water your Mini Monster when the soil is almost entirely dry. I recommend waiting till the leaves are a little limp to help prevent root rot. If you notice your plant is taking too long to dry out, pot it in a smaller planter or add more amendments to your potting mix. If your Mini Monstera is drying out faster than normal, it’s most likely ready for a repot. You can pot it in a bigger planter or add less amendments to your potting mix.

Potting and Repotting

When you first bring home your Mini Monstera, it might still be in a nursery soil potting mix. Nursery soil is great at retaining moisture and is ideal for greenhouses. However, it can be a disaster in regular households. Create your well draining potting soil and plant your Mini Monstera in a planter 1-2 inches bigger than its root system. This will give it plenty of space to grow without being drowned out in a planter thats too big.

Raphidophora Tetrasperma roots propagating in water

Repot the Mini Monstera when you notice root growing from the bottom or the pot or if you notice it’s taking up more water than usual. Allow new roots to grow for a few weeks after repotting to ensure the plant establishes well in its new environment.

Fertilization

Fertilize the plant with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer for as long as the plant is growing. Most plants will grow the most during the growing season, but also can grow during Fall and Winter. I always recommend to continue to fertilize your indoor plants as long as it's still actively growing.

A planter full of Mini Monstera vines
Photo by Leonie Vuilleumier on Unsplash

If your plant isn't used to being fertilized often, dilute the fertilizer more than the recommended amount to prevent fertilizer burn. And make sure to fertilize on a monthly basis.

Support and Moss Pole

Support is important for not only the plant, but also you! Supporting your plant will help the plant from being knocked over, breaking and even making a mess all over the place. Supporting your plant helps the plant feel stable and secure thus giving it the chance to produce more, bigger growth over time. It also helps you save space in your plant area. Mini Monstera vines grow fast and can take up a lot of space. If you want to save space on your plant shelf, you can wrap it around a trellis. Or even let the Mini Monstera trail up your wall using the wall mounts from Treleaf. Showcase its elegant shape and promote vertical growth. I suggest the Zella trellis which is a cedar, extendable trellis by Treleaf or the Monstrella wall mounts if you want the plant to trail up your wall.

Mini Monstera growing on wall support by Monstrella wall mounts by Treleaf

Proper care routines for monstera plants are essential in indoor gardening. Ensuring optimal growing conditions, such as appropriate watering and repotting, promotes healthy growth and helps manage common issues.

Pruning and Propagation

Prune your Mini Monstera regularly helps maintain its shape and promote healthy growth. If you notice any unhealthy growth, remove the dead or damaged leaves or stems to prevent the spread of disease. Pruning also helps maintain a healthy plant and encourages it to produce more shoots.

Read here to learn more about pruning your houseplants.

To propagate your Mini Monstera, use clean shears to get a stem cutting with at least one node. You can then place the stem cuttings in water, perlite, soil or any propagation method of your choosing.

Want to learn all the different ways your can propagate? Read here.

Common Problems and Root Rot

• Watch out for spider mites, mealybugs, and scale, which can infest the plant and cause damage.
  Read here for all common plant pests.

• Inspect the plant regularly for signs of pests or diseases, and treat promptly if necessary.

• Avoid exposing the plant to direct sunlight, which can cause the leaves to become scorched.

Safety and Toxicity

• Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma contains calcium oxalate crystals, which are toxic to pets and humans if ingested.

• Keep the plant out of reach of pets and children, and avoid ingesting any parts of the plant.

Plant Care Tips

Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma is a low-maintenance plant and when given the right conditions, its a vigorous grower and can thrive in a variety of environments. Just keep a few simple things in mind when caring for your Mini Monstera:

• Keep the plant away from drafts and extreme temperatures to promote healthy growth.

• Monitor the plant’s watering needs and adjust as necessary to prevent overwatering or underwatering.

• With proper care, Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma can grow up to 10 feet tall and produce beautiful, split leaves.