The variegated Monstera deliciosa is a more recent favorite of the plant species, but its increasing popularity is quite remarkable as everyone wants to own at least one of the beautiful colored Monstera deliciosa houseplants, in their home or indoor garden.
This remarkable, and beautiful plant species dazzles each home with its rich, dark green leaves and distinctive, stunning fenestrations. It comes as no surprise that these houseplants sell for as high as they do.
Still, not a lot of people know about the variegated Monstera deliciosa.
What Does Variegation Mean?
In plants, variegation refers to having different or odd-colored zones in certain areas of the plant leaves and stern. For most plants, variegation occurs when there’s a lack or shortage of chlorophyll in the plant’s cell, which is caused by mutation of the plant’s cells.
Another way in which a plant can be variegated would be through the presence of fungal diseases.
These variegations of the plant’s foliage can come in a variety of forms and types. Some can be two-toned, three-toned, or even quad-toned. Some dotted, some striped, and a lot more.
Types of Variegated Monstera Deliciosa
The Monstera deliciosa comes in a variety of types, well, 5 main types to be exact.
- Monstera deliciosa ‘Aurea’
- Monstera deliciosa ‘thai constellation
- Mint Monstera deliciosa
- Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo Borsigiana’
- Monstera deliciosa Variegata
Monstera deliciosa ‘Aurea’
This less-cultivated variegated Monstera deliciosa species can be distinguished by its yellow splotchy patterned variegation.
Its leaves are rather small and compact as their maximum growth at full maturity is 2ft in diameter.
Another interesting thing about the Aurea is that of all the variegated Monstera deliciosa varieties, it has the least variegation possibility, with some leaves not developing variegation at all.
Monstera deliciosa ‘Thai Constellation’
The Monstera deliciosa thai constellation is the most popular of all the variegated Monstera varieties out there.
You can recognize this popular variegated species from its light yellow or cream-colored splotchy pattern variegation which is in contrast to the variegation of the Aurea.
The galaxy-like variegation of the species is where it gets its name from. And you can find the variegation patterns on almost every leave of this plant,
This is what distinguishes the Monstera deliciosa thai constellation from all other variegated deliciosa varieties, as other varieties are a mix of non-variegated and variegated leaves.
Mint Monstera deliciosa
Of all variegated Monstera deliciosa varieties on this list, the mint monstera is the most difficult variety to find. This is because it is quite new and a lot less known.
You can recognize the mint Monstera deliciosa by its mint green variegation pattern that looks like a marble. In some cases, you might see a white-green variegation as well.
Its less popularity has made it a bit more expensive, even though its mint green colored variegation pattern is not consistent when looking at the whole plant.
Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo Borsigiana’
The second most popular variegated deliciosa variety on this list would be the Albo, or rather the Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo Borsigiana’.
The Albo is quite beautiful and can be recognized by its splotchy or blocky variegation that is pure white in color.
The leaves of the Monstera deliciosa Albo Borsigiana are quite compact and small and you can see a lot of pure white leaves on a mature Albo Borsigiana.
Monstera deliciosa Variegata
This is often regarded as the true variegated variety of the Monstera deliciosa plant species. It occurs through cell mutation of the Monstera deliciosa which is quite natural after germination.
What is special about this true variegation is that it has no specific pattern or color and can not be predicted with ease.
This is why the Monstera deliciosa variegata is quite expensive to buy as it is quite rare to find and is caused by gene mutation and isn’t considered as a stable variegation.
A problem most gardeners and home designers have with this plant species is that it can lose its variegation if not shown proper care and attention. But all in all, it is quite rare and beautiful to behold.
Buying a Variegated Monstera Deliciosa
When purchasing a variegated Monstera deliciosa, there are a few things you must know. First off, beware of purchasing Monstera deliciosa Albo borsigiana or Monstera deliciosa Thai constellation seeds online.
This is because most of these cultivars are not grown from seeds, so anyone offering to sell you their seeds would be scamming you.
Also, inspect each cutting you intend to purchase. Every cutting should at the very least, have one node in its stem.
The node allows for root growth, and without it, your variegated Monstera deliciosa can never grow into a plant.
And, you must avoid purchasing a fully variegated Monstera deliciosa cutting. This is because, without much chlorophyll in the cutting, there’s a very high chance or probability that the plant would not survive for long.
Why are Variegated Monstera Plants Expensive
There are 2 main reasons why the variegated Monstera plants are more expensive. The first of which is that most of the variegated Monstera plant species are either cultured in a lab or gotten as cuttings from an already variegated plant.
So, following the laws of economics, there is a lot more demand for the plant than there is the actually available plant. So a spike in price is normal.
The second reason is that growing a variegated Monstera deliciosa is a lot more difficult than growing the normal Monstera deliciosa, so there are just a handful of people that can grow a variegated deliciosa, and this can draw an increase in price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, most variegated Monsteras are man-made in a lab or through propagating cuttings.
In a year, your variegated monstera can grow as long as 1-2 feet.
Through their fenestrations, the more mature a Monstera plant gets, the more fenestrations appear.
On average, a variegated monstera deliciosa can sell as high as $5000
The lifespan of a Monstera plant is quite long. Many people do not know that some species live for as long as 40 years.
