Monstera Plant Temperature and Humidity Preferences

Ideally, indoor plant enthusiasts would all have access to environmentally controlled greenhouses where we could perfectly mimic our plants’ natural environments. This, however, is not the case for most. Despite our lack of expert-level greenhouses, we can still cultivate tropical plants indoors by creating an environment with a high enough temperature and humidity for warm-climate plants, like monsteras, to thrive.

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Monstera Plant Temperature and Humidity Tolerances – The Essentials

Monstera plants prefer tropical conditions. Humidity ideally ranges from 60-80%, and temperature from 68°F to 86°F. However, monsteras can thrive in 40-50% humidity and slightly lower temperatures. Below 55°F, the plant’s growth will slow. Temperatures below 50°F could shock and kill the plant.

The Typical Temperature and Humidity Range of the Monstera’s Native Habitats

Monstera plants are native to the tropical regions of the Americas. They can be found growing naturally from southern Mexico through Central America to the edges of the South American tropics, in addition to parts of the West Indies.

In these parts of the world, monstera plants enjoy a tropical humid climate. In this type of climate, humidity is moderate to high, and the lowest average monthly temperatures remain at or above 64.4°F while the average highs rest just above 80°F.

Although you might find a monstera growing natively in a humid tropical climate with an average temperature above 80°F and average humidity ranging from 70-80%, you do not need to mimic these conditions precisely inside your home for a monstera plant to grow happily inside.

Keeping your indoor temperature steadily above 60°F and indoor humidity at 40-50% should provide a good enough environment to keep just about any monstera healthy and happy.

Signs Your Monstera Plants Are Exposed to the Wrong Temperature and Humidity

Creating the right environment for monstera plants helps prevent disease, keeps them healthy, and ensures they can continue growing.

If your monstera’s environment is not quite right, you will notice signs of health problems in your plant. Along with appropriate light, watering, soil, and fertilizing, the ambient temperature where Monstera plants are located is key to their ability to thrive. This is equally important for recently propagated Monstera plants.

Signs Your Monstera’s Environment Is Too Cold

You can recognize a monstera plant that has suffered a cold shock because it will stop growing (until it recovers). Additionally, you might notice drooping leaves, blackened or yellowing leaves, brown spots or other discoloration, wilting, and a loose root ball.

Signs Your Monstera’s Environment Is Too Hot

It is not likely your monstera plant will be exposed to temperatures that are too hot inside your home because those temperatures are also uncomfortable for humans.

However, monstera plants can receive too much direct sunlight, resulting in scorched leaves that develop brown and dry spots.

Signs Your Monstera’s Environment Is Too Dry

When monstera plants grow in an indoor climate with insufficient humidity, they tend to develop dry, brown, and crispy leaf tips. Additionally, you might notice that your plant’s potting mix dries out rapidly between waterings.

Signs Your Monstera’s Environment Is Too Humid

Monstera plants prefer an environment with relatively high humidity. However, plants can be exposed to too much humidity, especially in locations with poor air circulation.

In these cases, they cannot evaporate moisture from their leaves, an essential part of their transpiration process. Eventually, a plant living in too much humidity will rot.

Signs your plant has too much moisture include:

Damp leaves that grow closely together
Moldy foliage and/or potting mix
Root rot
Mushy stem
Yellowed, drooping leaves

Ideal Temperature and Humidity Considerations for Monstera Plants

Native to tropical regions, monstera plants prefer warm temperatures and high humidity ranging from 60-80%. The ideal temperature range for an indoor monstera is between 68°F and 86°F.

However, they can continue to grow and thrive perfectly well in slightly lower temperatures and humidity down to 40-50%. Below 55°F, the plant’s growth will slow. Temperatures below 50°F could shock and kill the plant.

The Best Location for an Indoor Monstera

Monstera plants can become leggy and unhealthy if they receive too little sunlight, and they can scorch easily when they receive too much direct sunlight.

The perfect location for a monstera is one where they will receive about 6 hours of bright, filtered/indirect sunlight daily. Locate your monstera near a south or southwest-facing window or directly in front of a window that’s covered with a sheer curtain.

Avoid These Dangers for Indoor Plants

Be careful not to place your monstera in a location where they will be in the path of cold, hot, or dry air drafts. Be mindful of the direction your heating and air conditioning vents blow, while also avoiding drafty windows and doorways.

How to Monitor Indoor Humidity and Temperature

HVAC systems help us maintain a steady, comfortable temperature inside our homes. Humidity, however, can vary drastically depending on the season and the climate where you live. During winter in cold climates, indoor humidity can easily drop below 30% when the heater frequently runs, blasting hot, dry air throughout the home.

Without a proper tool for measuring indoor humidity, however, you won’t have any idea what level your home’s humidity is at. Thankfully, you can measure indoor humidity using a tool called a hygrometer. Just be sure to remember that humidity varies throughout your home, from room to room. So, you’ll want to check each space where you have tropical plants, like monsteras, growing.

How to Boost Humidity in Your Home

Unless you live in a very humid climate without a dehumidifying system in your home, your primary challenge in growing monstera plants will likely be maintaining high enough humidity. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to increase the humidity in your home and directly around your monstera plants.

Of course, you can plug in a humidifier in the room where you keep your monsteras. This is probably the most efficient way to increase humidity. Additionally, misting your plant’s leaves regularly with water will help keep the air right around your plant moist.

Another way to increase the humidity around your plant is to place the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and a bit of shallow water that will evaporate up around your plant.

Also, the more plants you keep in the home, the higher the humidity tends to be. So, feel free to collect as many houseplants as you can.

Caring for Monstera Plants in Spring and Summer

The environmental adjustments needed for monstera plants during the spring and summer depend on your climate. Keep an eye on the humidity levels inside your home. If you live in a humid environment, they can get high during this time of year. If you live in an arid environment, humidity can easily drop too low during the warmer months.

During summer, shelter your plants from the cool, dry air of air conditioning vents. Also, keep an eye on the amount of direct sunlight your monstera receives to prevent scorching during the months when the sunshine is stronger. This is also the best season to consider repotting your monstera plant if needed.

Caring for Monstera Plants Over Winter

Over the winter, environmental considerations for monstera plant care also depend on your climate. In some locations, winter can result in higher indoor humidity due to the cooler overall temperatures. Additionally, it can also result in extremely low indoor humidity due to a constantly running furnace.

Be careful that your monstera plant continues to receive an ample amount of indirect sunlight throughout the shorter days of winter. Additionally, protect your monstera from the cold air that could come from drafty windows and doors and shock it. Your plant could also be at risk of drying out if it is located too close to a hot air vent.

Bring the Tropics Inside With a New Monstera

You don’t have to live in a tropical climate to enjoy the warmth and beauty of exotic-looking tropical plants, like monsteras; they can easily thrive in your home as long as you keep the temperature and humidity at a comfortable level both for you and your new plants.