It’s always satisfying to see our indoor houseplants thrive. With proper care, your Monstera will grow… and grow… and yep, it’s still growing.
Happy Monsteras can get big pretty quickly, especially larger varieties like the Monstera deliciosa. To keep the foliage looking good and healthy, you need to know how to prune Monstera plants.
Pruning helps improve air circulation, encourages healthy new growth, and helps maintain the plant’s size and shape.
When trimming a Monstera, always use a pair of sharp, clean pruning shears. Make firm cuts between leaf nodes, and don’t remove more than one-third of the foliage!
Pruning can feel like a daunting task — after all, no one wants to hurt their plants. So here’s a handy guide for trimming Monsteras so you can become a plant pruning pro.
When to Prune | Before Pruning | How to Prune a Monstera | Trimming Monstera Roots | Care Tips
Do You Need to Prune Monstera Plants?
Generally, you don’t need to prune a healthy Monstera plant unless it gets leggy, top-heavy, or overgrown.
If you’re nervous about chopping off parts of your beloved plant, don’t worry — there are several good reasons to trim your Monstera!
Benefits of pruning a Monstera
In the right growing conditions, Monsteras are fast-growing plants, adding 30–60cm a year. Regular pruning lets you control the plant’s growth, keeping it neat and tidy.
By trimming older or overgrown foliage, you can:
- Improve air circulation
- Encourage healthy growth
- Maintain a neat size and shape
- Prevent overcrowding in the pot
- Lessen the risk of pests or disease
Do not prune more than one-third of the foliage at once, though, or you’ll shock the plant.
Pruning can also help “reset” your plant if the growth is leggy or unbalanced, usually due to low light. Monsteras will “stretch” towards any nearby light, leading to thin stems with large gaps between leaves.
By trimming off the leggy stems and giving the plant adequate light, you’ll encourage new, healthy foliage!
Reasons to prune ASAP
There are some cases where you must prune your Monstera ASAP, such as:
- Pests
- Diseases
- Physical damage (e.g. broken stem)
If the plant has pests or disease, dispose of the cuttings in a bag and do not compost them. Disinfect your shears and tools afterwards.
When to Prune Your Monstera
As an indoor plant, you can trim a Monstera at any time of year, but it’s best to prune during the growing season (early spring to early autumn).
During this time (the warmer months), the plant is actively growing, so it can heal and bounce back more quickly.
On the other hand, avoid pruning in winter or the rainy season. In cooler months, the plant’s growth and recovery will be slower, so there’s a higher risk of infections or rot.
Tips for Pruning a Monstera
Don’t cut into your Monstera yet! Here are the tools to use and some good things to know ahead of a pruning session.
What to use for pruning Monsteras
Your main tool for pruning is a pair of sharp pruning shears. You want to make quick, clean cuts so you don’t cause excessive damage and the plant can recover quickly.
For very large Monstera varieties, like a mature Monstera deliciosa, it’s better to use a box cutter or loppers, since regular shears will be too small for the thick stems.
Make sure you disinfect the shears beforehand with either rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Just give them a quick spritz, then wipe them dry.
For those with sensitive skin or allergies, wear gloves so you don’t come into contact with the plant’s irritating sap!
If you’re planning to propagate your Monstera, get a jar or bottle to hold the cuttings.
Where do you cut when pruning a Monstera?
When pruning a Monstera stem, cut between leaf nodes or aerial roots. Any new growth will emerge from the nodes.
If you’re pruning just the leaves, cut the petiole (the stalk attaching the leaf to a stem) as close to the stem as possible. Any remaining parts will die off and fall.
Do you need to prune dead or yellowing leaves?
Not necessarily — and if your plant doesn’t have disease or pests, it’s better not to prune yellowing Monstera leaves!
Plants are capable of “self-pruning” through leaf senescence, a controlled process that breaks down the nutrients in a dying leaf and redirects them back to the plant.
If you cut off a yellowing leaf, you interrupt this process. It may not cause much harm in the long run, but it adds stress to your plant and takes away valuable nutrients.
Instead, leave the leaf and it will drop once the plant is ready. Otherwise, you can give the leaf a gentle tug and see if it comes off easily — if not, leave it alone.
You should only prune yellow or dead leaves if the plant has pests or disease. In that case, prune off all affected foliage and bag it up for disposal.
How to Prune Monsteras Properly
Prep your tools so you have them all on hand before you get to work. If you’re also repotting your Monstera, lay a plant tarp or mat on the surface to catch any loose soil.
Go over your plant and identify what parts need pruning, such as leggy stems or overcrowded foliage. If your plant has pests or disease, be very thorough — you want to trim all infected parts.
However, if over half the Monstera is affected, it might be better to take healthy cuttings instead and propagate a new plant.
Once you’ve identified the problem areas, take your pruning shears. Ensure they’re as sharp as possible to minimise the risk of crushing the stem or botching the cut.
Make one clean cut through the stem at an angle, between leaf nodes (or above an aerial root).
It’s optional, but you can improve air circulation and minimise fungal problems by trimming older leaves or stems near the base of the plant.
Save healthy cuttings for propagation if you want, then dispose of the other parts.
When you’re done, put the plant back in its original spot so it can recover.
How to Trim Monstera Roots
Foliage isn’t the only part of your Monstera that can be pruned! In some cases, you can opt to trim the roots of a Monstera as well.
Pruning the root ball
If your Monstera is rootbound and you can’t or don’t want to repot to a larger container, you can prune the roots! This generally doesn’t hurt the plant and can help slow down growth.
Remove the Monstera from its pot and expose the root ball. If it’s rootbound, you’ll see lots of circling roots near the base.
Use a box cutter or clean pruning shears to (carefully!) cut up to 30% of the roots at the base. Focus on any growth that is circling or tangled, and do not remove more than one-third of the roots.
Wait at least a few minutes so the cuts can close up a bit, then replant the Monstera in the same container with fresh, chunky potting mix.
Pruning aerial roots
There’s usually no need to trim off Monstera aerial roots — they help your plant take up extra water and nutrients, especially if you’ve staked your Monstera.
If they make your plant look untidy, though, you can prune them without issue! Just make a quick, neat cut as close to the stem as possible.
Take care not to get the cut parts wet for a few days, to minimise the risk of rot. The cuts will eventually heal and callous over.
Monstera Care Tips
You don’t need to do anything special after pruning — just care for your Monstera as usual!
Give your plant lots of bright, indirect light, especially if you have a variegated Monstera. Make sure it has a chunky, well-draining potting mix for healthy root growth.
Water when the soil is mostly dry. Use your finger or a wooden stick (like a chopstick) to test the soil moisture. Take care not to get the cut parts of the stem wet, so you don’t risk them rotting.
Fertiliser isn’t strictly necessary, but you can use a balanced houseplant fertiliser every few weeks in the growing season.
FAQs About Pruning Monstera Plants
Here are some more tips and answers to common questions people have about pruning Monsteras.
How to prune a Monstera that is too tall
A too-tall or overgrown plant — like a large Swiss Cheese Plant — is usually top-heavy and risks toppling over. Pruning helps get your Monstera’s size back under control.
It can feel daunting, but just remember it’s helping your plant.
Use a box cutter, sharp knife, or loppers when pruning the larger stems. Pick several of the topmost leaves and stems, since you want to cut back the height.
Make firm cuts above a leaf node, taking care not to drop the stem — you don’t want to hurt yourself or the plant!
You can reinsert the cuttings into the soil, or propagate them separately.
How to trim damaged Monstera leaves
If your Monstera has torn or broken leaves, you can prune them for aesthetic reasons! A healthy Monstera will be able to tolerate some light trimming with little issue.
Still, if you don’t mind a slightly wonky appearance, the damaged leaves won’t harm your plant. It’ll even get nutrients from the leaves before letting them fall!
Make one clean cut at the base of the petiole, as close to the stem as possible. If the stem has damage as well, make the cut right above the nearest leaf node.
No need to save these cuttings — the damage means you shouldn’t propagate them.
How to make a Monstera bushier
Two things: pruning and staking!
Monsteras are epiphytic plants in the wild, using aerial roots to climb up tree trunks. You can mimic that habit by giving your Monstera a stake to climb (like a moss pole), and it will reward you with lush, large foliage.
Combine the stake with light pruning to remove or prevent leggy stems, especially near the top of the plant.
By removing the top growth, the plant can direct the auxins (plant hormones) lower down, resulting in a bushier Monstera.
