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Monstera deliciosa, also known as the Swiss cheese plant or split-leaf philodendron, is a species of flowering plant native to tropical forests of southern Mexico, south to Panama.
It has been introduced to many tropical areas, and has become a mildly invasive species in Hawaii, Seychelles, Ascension Island, and the Society Islands. It is very widely grown in temperate zones as a houseplant.
A healthy monstera plant has beautiful wide leaves, aerial roots, and turgid stems. The aerial roots grow from nodes that appear on the stem of the evergreen climber. They provide a support system for the plant.
The pith in the stems holds the monstera upright in the same way your bones keep you upright. The stems grow upwards and if they find a vertical support, then chances are that they will climb onto the support and grow onto it.
The leaves of the monstera grow on its stems. When they first start growing, they are small. But once the leaves have matured, they become larger with a split in the centre.
The leaves become glossy and dark green with ellipses on them. The stem continues to support these leaves even when they get as big as 18 inches wide.
It is possible at times that the monstera stems start to bend. There may be many possibilities behind why this happens. Let’s explore some of the reasons why monstera stems may start bending over time.
Why are your Monstera Stems Bending
If the stems of your monstera plant are bending, drooping, or curling, then you would likely have an issue with the type of sunlight your plant is getting, the watering of the plant (underwatering) or there might be an issue with its soil.
Monstera plants require a moderate amount of water, indirect sunlight, and well-draining soil to thrive.
Light
One of the common reasons for the monstera stem bending could be that it is not getting plenty of sunlight in the position that you have kept it in.
To get enough sunlight, your monstera starts growing towards the light source closest to it. This is known as phototropism. It is when organisms start to grow in the direction of a light source.
This can result in the stems bending near the leaves. You may see them drooping at the points where the leaves attach to the stem of the plant.
By placing your monstera plant in a spot where it will receive an adequate amount of sunlight, you will be able to overcome this problem easily.
You should put effort in finding a position where all the parts are getting roughly the same amount of sunlight. It will help the plant to grow uniformly, and the stems will not bend.
The best kind of light for the monstera is filtered sunlight. By filtered it means that the sunlight should not be direct instead should be coming through a transparent or translucent object.
These steps will hopefully improve the bending of your monstera stems.
Soil
The soil of your monstera deliciosa should be kept moist and well drained. If the soil becomes dry then it may be that the stem of your monstera will start to bend.
Also in case your monstera is kept in a pot, then the reason for the soil not being ideal for your monstera could be that the pot doesn’t have drainage holes in the bottom.
Even a significantly smaller number of drainage holes in your pot can result in the same problem. It can cause major issues due to lack of proper aeration at root level.
Without enough drainage holes, moisture retention around the roots will cause them to suffocate and rot which results in the monstera stems bending.
When repotting your monstera make sure to use a pot with plenty of drainage holes.
This will allow water to drain out which will prevent any problems that arise from the roots retaining moisture. If the roots are fine, then your stems will be fine too.
Another way to stop the soil from becoming dry would be to regularly water the plant and to make sure that it is well aerated.
No more than the top 2–3-inch layer of the soil should become dry. It is important to keep an eye out for this to prevent the bending of monstera stems.
Repotting
Another factor for your monstera stems bending can be repotting the plant. After monsteras are repotted into larger pots, they often start to bend in a variety of directions.
This usually happens as the plant is trying to readjust and bends in different directions to get in the perfect position for healthy growth.
This is a naturally vining plant that resists growing upright and symmetrically.
Although, with proper watering, they will orient themselves more toward the light and grow somewhat straighter.
You can also try putting a strong support and tying the plant to it. This may help with straightening the monstera as the stems start to grow on the support.
But if you try to bend the stems they may break. So, if you do to straighten your monstera, handle the stems very carefully so they do not break.
Final Thoughts
The monstera stems can become bent if the proper care is not taken or the correct steps are not followed.
These plants are relatively easy to care for. They do not require any extra precautions and can do very well if the basics are followed.
The stems can become bent in a couple of cases. At times, when the plant is not getting sufficient sunlight, it starts to move towards light and as a result the stems start to bend.
It may also bend because of repotting or when the pot you have used does not have enough drainage holes. If the plant is not watered in the correct manner, you may have dry soil which can also play a factor in the monstera stems bending.
But every reason stated above has a solution. For when your monstera stems are bending due to lack of sunlight, you can move it to a position with better sunlight which is more well suited to the plants’ needs.
If your pot has fewer drainage holes, then may be repot it to one with more drainage holes. By watering the plant regularly to make sure that the soil does not become too dry, you can prevent the monstera stems from bending.
