Why doesn’t my Monstera have holes?

Monstera is a genus that belongs to the order Alismatales. It is a scientific name that is derived from a Latin word “monstrous”, that means ‘abnormal or uncommon’. This abnormality of the Monstera is due to the natural holes that are usually found on the leaves of the plant. Monsteras are the easiest and efficient plant types of growing plants and can be best suited for your houses or offices. These plants can be the best decorative items that you can have in your houses or localities and they may attract a lot of people towards your houses to have a view of them.

Monsteras are special for one more reason. That is: it has small holes on the surfaces of its leaves. This is the specialty of all Monstera plants that makes them different from all the other plants in the world. The holes on the leaves of the Monstera plant are their unique features and that’s one of the things that come from the tropical regions. The tropical regions are responsible and the answer as to why the Monstera leaves has holes in them.

The Monsteras have holes on their leaves to allow direct exposure with the air and better contact of water with their roots. Their roots get more water supplies because of the holes present on their leaves and this concludes to be a good sign for the plant’s growth and progress.

My Monstera previously had holes on its leaves and I was very scared and worried about the same at the time. I did a lot of research to know why my plant would continuously form holes on its leaves despite my total attention and care.

Recently when I found out that the origin of the Monstera is that it has holes on its leaves, I became more than happy. That made my attitude kind of neglecting towards my Monstera and that’s when I got the shock of my life. My Monstera stopped forming leaves that have holes on them. This made me scared and worried again and I started finding more information as to why my Monstera doesn’t have holes.

Results of researches done on the reasons why Monsteras have holes on their leaves:-

Many people suggest a lot of things about the Monstera having holes on their leaves. Much researches have also taken place that proved its reasons in its ways. The results of those researches can be-

• Monstera has holes on their leaves for the proper supply and fluency of flowing winds through the plant surface. Sometimes, winds may get obstructed due to huge and steady leaves. The holes on the leaves may usually help in the easy flow of the wind through the leaves and more absorption of moisture from the flowing wind by the leaves and other parts of the plant.
• Some researches also say that the holes on the Monstera leaves are naturally formed so that the interaction between the supplied water and the plant parts goes well. The availability of water may sometimes be very less to the plants in the areas from where they originate. So, to absorb more and more water and to connect with the roots well, the leaves form some holes on its surface. This is just a step taken by the plant to absorb as much water as it can.
• Some researches have also come up with the result that the leaves are badly affected by the lighting conditions in the places of their origin. So, to cope up with such adverse lighting conditions, the plants have started forming holes on its leaves to protect itself and its parts from the damage caused by the lighting.
• Some also say that the Monstera plants have holes on their leaves to absorb more and more sunlight that comes it‘s path. Tropical areas supply a great deal of sunlight to the Monstera plants. But when the plants shift from their original habitats, they may frequently face scarcity of sunlight as their buyers would keep them in any place they wish and that place would sometimes not provide them an adequate amount of sunlight. So, to absorb more and more sunlight when available, these plants have adapted themselves by forming holes on their leaves. This helps them pass and absorb more sunlight through their way and they can even store it for use later on.

There had been a lot of findings and researches on the topic of the holes on the Monstera leaves. But the strongest and most believable reason that has been recently found out is that the leaves produce holes on their surface for foliage. This is the most believable and practical reason so far and for this reason, a new term for the holes on the Monstera leaves has also been discovered. The leaves of the Monstera plant have holes on them naturally are called as fenestrated leaves.

This term supports the idea that the holes on the Monstera leaves or the fenestration of the Monstera leaves are because of the foliage and that all the other reasons are not to be considered valid. But, any reason cannot be declared failed just because the other one is stronger than it.

Reasons why my Monstera plant leaves do not have holes on them:-

I tried finding a lot of information on this topic and frankly speaking I was angry on myself not to care for my Monstera at the right time. But, as I went deeper and deeper into the facts as to why usually some Monstera doesn’t have holes on their leaves. I found out that this is a very serious and increasing problem that is found in 90% of Monsteras today.

The reasons for this problem may be as mentioned below-

• Less exposure to sunlight:

                 When the plant did not get enough amount of sunlight, they start to change their lifestyle according to the atmosphere provided to them. This atmosphere may be good to them or may even be bad or worst too. But to cope up with the atmosphere, the changes that they make in their parts remain still for a very long period ahead.

                 When enough sunlight is received by the Monstera plants, they need not do any extra thing. This will give them their natural habitat and they will form holes on their leaves naturally as expected. But if the supply of sunlight is suddenly stopped for any reason, then that results in many bad outcomes for the plant and the plant reacts to this badly.

                Then the plant stops making fenestrations on its leaves and the leaves start to have many biological changes and modifications in itself and they affect adversely afterward.

• Not providing adequate amount of water to the plant:

                   Water is the necessity of life. Water availability is very necessary for living a healthy and stable life. But when the Monstera plants do not get their required amount of water content, they start to adjust with the amount of water available with them. This causes many changes in their parts and those changes may not occur if they are provided with adequate water amount.

                   Water should be provided to the plants in enough quantity so that they continue to form holes on their leaves. Stoppage of the fenestration is the outcome of less supply of water to the plant and it’s a sign that we should immediately look at and act before the problem increases rapidly.

                     So, you should at least provide the plant with a negotiable amount of water so that they can absorb it as much as required and transpire that is excess and continue to be fenestrated according to its origin. Disturbance in the water level affects the fenestration of the leaves greatly.

• Less availability of humidity and moisture for the plant:

                   Humidity and moisture are the important requirements of a Monstera plant and deficiency of these factors may affect its way of growing and also affect the formation of holes on its leaves. The holes on the leaves are formed to keep the connection between the plant and the humidity balanced and appropriate. But if you don’t provide adequate humidity and moisture to the plant, then will be no need for the plant to keep a balance between the two and so it will stop forming holes on its leaves. If the purpose of the holes will not get satisfied then that will affect its formation too.

                  So, make sure that you provide the Monstera plant with the proper amount of humidity and water so that it keeps forming holes on its leaves and live in normal conditions without any different adaptations done because of its changing conditions. To keep the humidity and moisture balanced for the plant, you need to adjust these factors according to the weather and climatic conditions present around the plant.

• Atmosphere affects the most for the monstera plants:

                  Our surroundings have a great impact on us and so does it have on the Monstera plant. The plants change their way of living according to the conditions provided to them and according to the availability of all its necessities. So, the plant automatically adjusts its lifestyle according to the surrounding atmosphere and climate.

                  If there is a warm atmosphere around the plant, then it needs a lot of water for maintaining its internal temperature and if that water is not provided to them, then they may lose the holes on their leaves.

                 In the same way, if there is a cold atmosphere around and if in that case, you give a lot of water to the plant, then it will naturally change its adaptation and lose leaf holes as it will constantly try to throw out all the excess water in its body as soon as possible. This is how the plants adapt itself according to the changing atmosphere and this affects its fenestration of leaves too.

• Temperature stability is best suited for the plants:

                  Temperature is such a component of the plant that fluctuates on a very regular basis. So, you need to know what to provide to the plant at what temperature. If the temperature is high and you provide less water and direct sunlight to the plant, then that will leave bad marks on the plant.

                  In the other case, if the temperature is less and you provide indirect sunlight and lots of water to the plant, then that would also leave a bad impact on the plant. Therefore, you should exactly know the requirements of the plant at that temperature otherwise you may lose the plant.

                 Many times, the holes on the leaves of Monstera plants disappear because of extreme temperature conditions. When the temperature is warm, the plant should be compulsorily kept in dark zones or places so that the direct attack of extreme sunlight on the plant could be stopped.

                   In the same way, if the temperature around the Monstera plant is cold, then direct sunlight should be provided to the plant so that it would receive some warmth from the sun and the holes on the leaves can absorb sunlight, and then they would not disappear.

The above reasons for a Monstera not having holes suggest that you need to be very particular and careful about your plant types and needs. The needs and requirements of a Monstera plant should be taken into consideration first and should be clearly understood before buying a Monstera plant so that you can care for the plant nicely and as expected and your Monstera will form fenestrations on its leaves same as every Monstera does.

Therefore, I recommend all the plant-lovers, especially the Monstera-lovers to first get to know about the species that you want to buy in detail and then buy it so that you can take good care of it and would never lose your precious Monstera plant and the holes on its leaves too.