Why doesn’t my Monstera have holes?

A Monstera only makes holes and splits in its leaves once it’s mature: a young plant has whole, heart-shaped leaves, and that’s normal. What speeds it up is plenty of bright, indirect light, a pole to climb and healthy growth. Patience and light do more than any trick.

When does a Monstera start to get holes?

A Monstera (Monstera deliciosa, sometimes called the Swiss cheese plant) starts life on the forest floor, with small, whole leaves. As it climbs the trunks and the light increases, the leaves grow bigger and begin to open into splits and holes. Botanists call these fenestrations. What they are for isn’t settled: the ideas include letting light reach the leaves below (in the understorey, much of the light arrives as flecks of sun) and helping the leaf cope with wind and rain.

Put another way: the holes mark a plant that is growing, not one that is merely well looked after. Guides describe the holes as a trait of mature leaves, not of a young plant, however well it’s looked after: a perfectly healthy Monstera may have none for quite a while.

So why doesn’t mine have any?

There are four likely reasons, and the first is the simplest.

Is the plant still young?

If it has few leaves, all whole and about the size of a hand, it’s young. Each new leaf tends to be a little bigger and more cut than the one before. There’s no way to skip this step: it has to grow.

Is it short of light?

This is the most common reason, and the one you can change: insufficient light is named as the main thing that stops the holes forming. In low light, a Monstera grows slowly, stretches (it goes leggy) and makes small, whole leaves; under fluorescent light alone, with no window, the splits usually don’t appear. With plenty of bright, indirect light it grows better and is able to make bigger, more cut leaves. Since the holes are settled while the leaf is still forming, the improvement only shows in new leaves, and it takes time.

Bring it near a bright window, ideally east-facing, or behind a sheer curtain if the window faces south. Steer clear of midday direct sun, which scorches the leaf.

Light also changes how fast the soil dries, and with it the watering rhythm. One plant, one pot, in July:

Where it lives	In July	In January
South- or west-facing window	5 days	7 days
East-facing window	6 days	8 days
North-facing window	9 days	13 days
Hallway or corner with no window	13 days	18 days

Whenever you move it, check the soil with a finger before watering. The watering guide shows how.

Does it need a pole to climb?

In the forest, a Monstera climbs, and its aerial roots help it grip. At home, without support, it tends to sprawl sideways, and the vigorous stem can snap under its own weight. A moss pole, a coir stake or a trellis gives it support, and if the moss stays damp the aerial roots can root into it. Many growers notice that once it climbs, the leaves get bigger and more open; that is the common observation, but what the sources back is the support for the stem.

Tie the stem to the pole with a wide, soft tie, without squeezing. For a mature plant, a pole is one of the habits that makes the biggest difference.

Is it growing slowly?

A plant at a standstill doesn’t make new leaves, and with no new leaves there are no new holes. If yours has stalled, start with why a Monstera isn’t growing: the causes overlap — light, pot, season and nutrients.

What won’t make holes appear?

• Cutting leaves or tips. You can’t “trigger” holes with scissors.
• More water. Watering more only suffocates the roots.
• Too much fertiliser. Excess burns the roots. In spring and summer, a normal dose of liquid fertiliser for green plants is enough.

How long does it take to get holes?

There’s no set timetable: it depends on the plant, the light and the size it has already reached. With good light and support, each leaf tends to come a little bigger and more cut than the last, and the first splits arrive once the plant has some size. Each new leaf is a chance to check: compare it with the last one. If it’s bigger or more cut, the plant is heading the right way.

What if only the new leaves have holes?

That’s expected. Holes form on new leaves, and the older ones stay as they were. They don’t change.

What if the holes are brown or yellow?

Then they aren’t fenestrations any more: they’re spots. Read why Monstera leaves turn brown, or look at the yellow ones too.

Summary: what helps make holes

What to do	Why
Give plenty of bright, indirect light	More light, more growth and more cut leaves
Add a moss or coir pole	Protects the stem and, many growers say, leads to bigger leaves
Wait	Young leaves are whole by nature
Water only when the soil dries	Healthy roots support growth
Fertilise in spring and summer	Gives the plant something to grow with

Quick questions

How old is a Monstera when it gets holes? There’s no fixed age: it varies with the plant, its light and the size it has reached.

Do holes appear on leaves that already exist? No. Only new leaves split; leaves that opened whole stay that way.

Does a Monstera with no holes mean it’s unhealthy? Not necessarily. Most often it is young or short of light.

Does a moss pole really help? For holding the stem up, yes. As for the leaves, many growers say they come bigger and more split when the plant climbs.

Every plant has its own timing

The holes come when the plant is ready, and the right light, pot and watering are what get it there. The Verdejar app adjusts the watering rhythm to your plant’s light and pot, so growth stays calm and steady. The rest of the care is in how to care for a Monstera, and the Monstera plant page has watering for each spot at home.

Sources: Royal Horticultural Society · Missouri Botanical Garden · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension · Penn State Extension · University of Minnesota Extension · University of Illinois Extension · Oregon State University Extension. The days between waterings come from the Verdejar watering engine.