Why are my monstera adansonii leaves curling?

The 4 most likely causes

The cause of monstera adansonii curling leaves usually narrows to one of the items below, ranked by how often we see each in Growli's diagnostic chats. Work down the list — most readers find their answer in the top two.

1. Low humidity (Likely)
   Monstera adansonii is native to humid environments and struggles when household humidity drops below 40%. The first sign is crispy brown leaf tips, followed by pale, curling foliage. A humidifier, a pebble tray, or grouping plants together raises local humidity meaningfully.
2. Underwatering or letting it dry too long (Likely)
   Underwatering looks similar to overwatering at first — both produce limp, dull leaves — but the soil tells the truth. If the soil is dust-dry several centimetres down, water deeply. Monstera adansonii prefers water when the top 2-3cm dry, roughly weekly in the growing season.
3. Wrong light level (Possible)
   Monstera adansonii tolerates lower light than most, but tolerating is not thriving. In dim conditions it slows down, drops older leaves, and becomes more vulnerable to overwatering because the soil never dries. Give it bright indirect light; variegated forms need even more.
4. Spider mites (in dry indoor air) (Possible)
   Monstera adansonii is a spider-mite favourite in dry indoor air. Hold a leaf up to a strong light and check the underside for fine webbing or tiny moving specks. A weekly shower in the sink and raising humidity above 50% breaks the cycle.

Why monstera adansonii in particular

The thin, hole-punched leaves of Monstera adansonii carry little water reserve, so they curl and cup inward fast when the air is dry or the roots run short. Native to humid rainforest understorey, this vine feels an average centrally heated room as a desert, and the leaves roll to cut water loss. Persistent curling that comes with crisping edges usually means humidity and moisture are too low; curling on an already wet pot instead hints the roots can no longer drink.

Normal turnover, or real trouble?

A brand-new adansonii leaf pushes out tightly rolled and takes days to open flat, so a curled newest leaf at the tip is birth, not stress, and needs nothing. Judge the already-open leaves instead. When those cup, roll under at the edges or crease, the thin tissue is losing water faster than the roots resupply it. Relaxing within hours of a drink means thirst; staying curled on damp soil means suspect the roots.

How to diagnose in 60 seconds

Run these quick checks before you change anything — the right fix depends on what you find.

• Is the curl upward (cupping) or downward (rolling)? Upward usually = heat or light stress; downward usually = water or pest issue.
• Check the newest leaves first — pests and herbicide damage hit new growth fastest.
• Monstera adansonii wants water water when the top 2-3cm dry, roughly weekly in the growing season. Push a finger into the mix and hold it against that: still damp well before it is due, alongside the symptom, is the overwatering signature.
• Check the underside of curled leaves for spider mites, aphids, or thrips with a phone-camera macro.

The fix — step by step

Unlike a tougher pothos, this rainforest vine really wants moist air, so the fix pairs root watering with humidity around the leaves. Move it off the radiator or vent, and cluster it with other plants or run a humidifier nearby. If the compost has dried hard to the core, rewet it fully by standing the pot in tepid water until the surface darkens, then drain. Steady moisture keeps the thin leaves flat.

This is the recovery sequence Growli walks users through for monstera adansonii with curling leaves. Work through the steps in order; skipping ahead is the most common reason a plant fails to bounce back.

1. Identify the curl direction. Upward cupping points to heat or light stress; downward rolling points to water stress, pests, or cold shock. The fix depends on which one you see.
2. Inspect leaf undersides for pests. Hold a phone torch behind a curled leaf — spider mites show as fine webbing, aphids as clusters of green or black dots at the growth tips, thrips as silvery scrapes.
3. Adjust water or microclimate. If the soil is bone dry, soak monstera adansonii thoroughly. If the room is below 40% humidity and the species is humidity-loving, add a humidifier. If heat is the issue, move out of direct midday sun.
4. Treat any pests at the source. Rinse pests off in the sink, then spray leaf undersides with insecticidal soap or a neem-oil mix every 5-7 days for three weeks to break the egg cycle.
5. Wait for new growth. Curled leaves rarely uncurl. New growth will tell you if the cause is fixed — if the next set of leaves comes in flat, you have solved it.

When this can't be saved

Most cases of monstera adansonii curling leaves are recoverable, but a few red flags point to a plant that has gone past the point of return. If you spot any of these, consider propagating a clean cutting and starting over.

• New growth is thin, twisted, and fern-like (a classic herbicide-damage signature on monstera adansonii).
• Curl is paired with mosaic-pattern discolouration — that points to a viral infection with no cure.
• Every leaf curls within 24-48 hours of a single event — usually permanent shock damage.

Prevention

For monstera adansonii, the single biggest preventative is matching its native rhythm: water when the top 2-3cm dry, roughly weekly in the growing season, bright indirect light; variegated forms need even more, and a free-draining pot with a working drainage hole. Outdoor edibles benefit from a thick mulch layer that stabilises soil temperature and moisture, both of which reduce curl. For indoor plants, keep a digital hygrometer in the room and aim for 50% humidity — humidifiers or pebble trays close the gap cheaply.

Common questions

Related guides

• What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
• Is monstera adansonii toxic to cats and dogs? — toxic to pets, per the ASPCA
• How often to water monstera adansonii — the watering brief
• When to repot monstera adansonii — pot size and timing
• Curling leaves on plants — the full diagnostic guide across species
• What's wrong with my plant? — Growli's flagship diagnosis index
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