'Albo Variegata' monstera guide
Monstera deliciosa 'Albo Variegata', also called Monstera Albo, variegated monstera, Monstera borsigiana 'Albo Variegata'
Published 2026-11-08
Quick care
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- When the top 5 cm (2 in) of soil is dry
- Humidity
- Average room air is fine. More helps new leaves open.
- Temperature
- 18 to 29°C (65 to 85°F). Keep above 12°C (55°F).
- Soil
- Chunky mix: potting soil, orchid bark, and perlite
- Feeding
- Balanced liquid fertilizer, monthly in spring and summer
- Pets
- Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Mature size
- 2 to 3 m (6 to 10 ft) tall indoors with support
- Propagation
- Stem cuttings with a node
- Where to buy
- Collector
This page covers what makes 'Albo Variegata' monstera different. For light, water, soil, pests, and the rest, read the monstera care guide.
What it is
‘Albo Variegata’ is a Monstera deliciosa with bright white sections in its leaves. Some leaves are half white, some have white streaks, and some have only a few splashes. The variegation is unstable. It comes from a natural mutation, so each plant must be grown from a cutting of a variegated stem. That is why it costs so much.
How to tell it apart
| Plant | Leaves | The tell |
|---|---|---|
| ‘Albo Variegata’ | Green with bright white blocks and streaks | Pure white, in sections or half-moons |
| ‘Thai Constellation’ monstera | Green with cream speckles | Cream, spread as speckles over the whole leaf |
| ‘Aurea’ monstera | Green with yellow sections | The variegation is yellow, not white |
Care differences
White tissue cannot make food. ‘Albo Variegata’ grows slow and needs bright indirect light to keep going. It also needs steady water. The white parts brown and crisp fast when the soil dries out too far or the air is dry.
A moss pole helps it grow bigger, stronger leaves. Humidity of 50% or more helps new leaves open without browning.
Reverting
Watch the stem. Variegation shows on the stem as white or cream streaks. If a stem turns all green and puts out all-green leaves, it has reverted. Cut it back to a node on a variegated part of the stem. If the stem below has some white, new growth may come back variegated.
The other risk is too much white. A leaf that is all white cannot feed itself and will brown and die. A stem that turns all white often fades out. The best plants have a balance of green and white.
Grow it from a cutting
Take cuttings only from stems with white streaks at the node. A cutting from an all-green part of the stem will grow all green. Root it in damp sphagnum moss or water. Roots take four to eight weeks.
Buying it
‘Albo Variegata’ is a collector plant. It sells at plant shops and online, often for a high price. Before you pay:
- Check the stem and the node for white. No white at the node means no promise of white leaves.
- Look for balanced variegation. Leaves that are more white than green look striking but often fail.
- Ask whether it is rooted. Many are sold as unrooted cuttings.