Start » Irrigation » Minimonstera (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma) grow guide
Although they are totally different species, Rhaphidophora tetrasperma The mini monstera is known for its appearance and resemblance to the said plant, but it belongs to a completely independent genus.
This genus, which is home to about 100 different species, is native to the tropical regions of Africa and the Asian continent, being part of the family Araceaegender distant relatives monstera .
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main Features
It is common to grow it indoors, as this type of plant needs stable environments with warm temperatures throughout the year.
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma It is an excellent option if we are looking for options for small plants to place in the living room of our house.
Indoors, the mini monstera usually reaches a maximum height of around 50-60cm, with long stems but not upright.
Outdoors in a tropical setting, mini monstera (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma) behaves like a climbing plant.
| Ordered | Alismatales |
| Family | Araceae |
| sex | rhaphidophora |
| Species | Rhaphidophora tetrasperma |
General maintenance of the mini monstera (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma)
Mini monstera plants are low-maintenance houseplants that are easy to grow at home in the right light and temperature conditions.
These types of plants are common and trendy, so you can combine them with other species of Monsteras, Alocasias or Philodendrons, for example.
We are going to know what are the main care of our plant Rhaphidophora tetrasperma.
temperature and humidity
For the perfect growth of our mini monstera, we will need excellent temperature and humidity conditions in our house.
In general, the average temperature levels throughout the year that we can have at home are optimal for this type of tropical plants.
However, what we will miss is a little humidity, as it usually develops optimally from 80%. For this reason, in spring and summer it is advisable to spray the leaves with distilled water.
lighting conditions
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma It develops best in good, but filtered and indirect lighting. Pay particular attention to lighting conditions as direct sun can harden the leaves, as well as lack of light causes loss of chlorophyll and yellowing of the leaves.
You can place your plant in any part of your house, even near windows, but out of direct sunlight.
Choice of substrate
For this tropical plant, the ideal substrate is one that oxygenates well (good drainage), maintains humidity and stores nutrients. Therefore, the ideal mix would be to look for earthworm humus or peat (providing nutrients and retaining moisture) as well as any draining substrate, such as coconut fiber.
irrigation conditions
This species is demanding in terms of watering and must maintain optimum humidity throughout the period, especially in periods of greater drought in ambient humidity, such as spring and summer.
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma appreciates humidity and regular watering. Its root system produces roots sensitive to lack of water. The ideal is to check, by palpating with the fingers, that there is always a little humidity.
In general, the risks inside the house would be distributed as follows:
- Watering in autumn and winter: 1 watering per week or every 10 days.
- Watering in spring and summer: 2 to 3 waterings per week.
Before proceeding with the next irrigation, check with your fingertip the humidity in the first cm of substrate. If it still contains some moisture, delay watering for 48 hours.
Use of fertilizer
This ever-growing, high-stem-producing plant needs boosting with NPK fertilizers and micronutrients, especially in the spring growth stagewith more hours of light.
To avoid excessive growth of the plant, we will apply fertilizer once every 2 weeks in spring and summer, at the rate of 1 ml/L of water.
You can use liquid fertilizers or granular fertilizers, liquids being more convenient to apply and with better control. For Rhaphidophora tetraspermawe can look for an approximate 2-1-2 NPK relationship.
COMPO Green Plant Fertilizer for Indoor Plants, Balcony and Terrace, Liquid Fertilizer with Potassium and Iron, 500 ml
- Stronger green plants: Fertilizer with mineral nutrients and potassium and iron supplement for indoor green plants, balcony or terrace, Practical dispenser
- Healthy growth: supply of essential nutrients from the first use, Promotes root growth and optimizes plant resistance
- Easy to use: Clean and safe dosage according to steps I to III marked on the cap (for 1 to 3 liters of water), Full cap for 5 liters of water, Application 1 x week (March to October), Application 1 x months (November to February)
- COMPO quality: raw materials selected according to the original COMPO recipe, Strict quality controls by independent laboratories and institutes, The right conditions for healthy plant growth
- Contents: 1 x COMPO Green Plant Fertilizer, Liquid Fertilizer, 500 ml
multiplication of Rhaphidophora tetrasperma
the mini monster Rhaphidophora tetrasperma they ideally multiply by the best by stem cuttings.
You can take advantage of the pruning of certain stems to replant them in new pots and obtain identical plants.
The way to multiply our mini monstera would be the following:
- Using very sharp scissors, cut 1 stem from a healthy, mature plant that has at least 2-3 nodes along the stem.
- Remove the leaves from the lower 1 or 2 nodes of the stem and immerse the exposed nodes in water with a glass or small vase.
- Place the stem cutting in an environment where it receives indirect light
- Change the water once every 5 days. You can use a rooting gel to encourage the emergence of new roots.
- Once the roots are sufficiently developed (4-5 cm long), you can transplant them into a pot with a universal substrate and coconut fiber in equal parts.
- To continue to stimulate the development of new roots in your new Rhaphidophora tetrasperma, keep the substrate lightly moistened at all times.
Plagues and diseases
Grown indoors, the main problems of your mini monstera they focus on excess moisture and the appearance of neck diseases and rotting.
In cases where you usually have the window open in your house (spring and summer), you might find mites or scale insects, but this is extremely rare.
It controls the humidity very well to avoid an excess that Phytophthora, causing brown spots on leaves and stems. To fight against this disease, the best phytosanitary product is Fosetil-Al.
appearance of yellow leaves
The appearance of yellow leaves can indicate some potential problems, the most common being lack of light or the excess humidity.
If your mini-monster Rhaphidophora tetrasperma loses its original greenness, we recommend finding a new location with more intense natural light (but no sun) and checking to see if you are overwatering.
Finally, try to provide a fertilizer rich in nitrogen, magnesium and micronutrientssince all these elements are linked to the greenness of the plant.
Fallen and curled leaves
The roots of this plant are sensitive to changes in soil environmentespecially with humidity. If the substrate is excessively dry, the roots may begin to dry out and as a result the leaves lose their natural turgidity and curl downwards.
If this has happened to you before, try to hydrate your plant more and use potential biostimulants to help new roots emerge, such as amino acids or algae.
Brown and dry edges
leaves with borders and brown crusty spots This is a clear sign of lack of moisture. Be sure to keep the soil consistently moist.
On the other hand, avoid strong exposure to light and, much less, direct sun during the hottest months, as it reduces its natural greenness and leaf flesh.