It's not a Philodendron, it's Monstera deliciosa. Generally though, they like similar conditions. Drooping leaves like that look like not enough water. But if the soil is too wet it can rot the roots and prevent the plant from getting water, same result. What type of soil is it in and does that pot have a drainage hole.

Hi there,

Thank you for your response! The pot does have a drainage hole, but i'm not sure what type of soil it is. I purchased the plant from Lowes, and just transferred the entire thing over to a new pot. I'm also starting to see little round white pieces, that look a lot like fungus. Should I re-soil the plant?

Could you post a close-up of the soil with the white bits? They could be just perlite, or they could be lime accumulation on the soil. Stick a finger into the soil - is it wet or dry? If you water, does the water drain out properly from bottom of the pot?

The soil and water questions are top considerations, but some plants don't like hot or cold air blowing on them particularly if dry. Is that an AC vent next to it?

Faster draining soil is better, something that doesn't stay soggy. These plants grow up trees in nature. The roots run down the tree trunks and into the leaf litter on the ground. So they like to have air around the roots and also moisture.

Hi All,

Thanks so much for your feedback, I really appreciate it! I attached pictures of the white bits in the soil. Some of the leaves have started curling into each other..not sure what that means either. I'm going to resoil the plant this weekend. Hopefully this will help.

This plant's root has low ability on absorbing water, so if you put this plant in spot where the leaves evaporate water more than the root able to haddle, it will be droopy. They're no soil, even the most suitable one, that able to boost root to perform double it's initial capability instantly, so best you can do asap is reduce the leaves evaporation. Try move the plant to higher humidity spot, far from air conditioner. Mist them when it's look suffer. In humid environment, evaporation is low, that why many tropical rainforest plant adapt by having huge leaves. If it's not help yet, try reduce evaporation by reducing the leaves. Cut some if necessary.

The white bits in the soil look like perlite to me and the “curling leaf” is actually a brand new baby leaf! Be gentle with it, it will unfurl and open and should be a lighter color and darken in green as it matures.

How do you water when you water (how much)? They droop when they are thirsty. But they also don’t like drafts. What is the room temp like? Has the AC been on? What’s the humidity like?

Another thought. The leaves facing the window appear to be more upright. Do you ever turn it?

This monstera looks very dry. They want high humidity, and don't deal well at all with being directly in the path of a dry air vent, much less a full air conditioner. Given the dryness of the air, it may want watering more than you're doing. Don't go by the calendar. Stick a bamboo skewer into the soil (as deep as it will go) and water thoroughly when it comes out somewhat dry. The potting mix looks fine -- assuming the water drains readily when you water it. If not, you want a faster draining mix.

So, to sum up: get it out of the AC unit's line of fire. Look into humidifiers, or at minimum start taking it into the bathroom with you when you shower to let it soak up the moist air. And think about supplemental light, such as a 5000-6500K CFL bulb in an adjustable lamp/fixture you can point down at the plant. (I have mine on appliance timers.) I hope that helps. It's a lovely plant that's not hard to care for once its basic needs are met.

You guys are all amazing! Thank you so much. I will water it more often, and make sure it's draining properly. The AC is never on, but when it is, we usually move the plant out of the way. I do turn it as well! I'll water more often these next two weeks and post another update.

Thanks so much everyone!

I've started watering it every other day, and its WORKING!! The leaves have perked up quite a bit. The pot does not have sufficient drainage, so i'll have to get a new pot. Other than that, it looks like a pretty happy plant :) Thanks everyone!!

Looking much better. One thing I would do now is move the plant stand in front of that window. Those large leaves are essentially just like solar panels, eager to soak up all of that bright sunlight. Or at least rotate your plant about once a week, so every leaf gets its moment in the brighter sunlight. This will also help prevent the leaves from bending towards the window. Monstera deliciosa may not like direct sun, but they still prefer very bright indirect sunlight.

Yes, she'd probably enjoy more light, but what is that under a window? If that's an AC, she shouldn't be in front of it whether it's turned on cooling or heating, both would mess her up. If whatever the unit is isn't turned on, then yes, definitely put her in front of the window on those days, she'll love you for it (provided it's not a full-South exposure and she doesn't get torched there).

She looks much happier. Where in the world are you? In high latitudes you don't want to repot a plant until it is spring, generally, because that's when they really kick the growth to high gear. For a Monstera, I'd recommend a large sturdy plastic or ceramic pot with a good drainage hole. Note that it will grow huger the bigger pot you give it, and you don't want to get into the game of pot-one-upMonsteraship with it. Give it a pot and see how big it gets, and give larger pot only if you want the plant larger. If you are happy with size, just let it live in the pot it has, and maybe trim it occasionally (you can root the cuttings in water for more plants, sometimes they even have air roots so you'll be ready to plant more or less right away).

I am so glad Monstera is making a fashion comeback - I loved them when I was little and they were everywhere, and now that we bought a house with a large living room, I am growing one of my own - mine is tinier than yours, I bought her with still-unperforated leaves (total babyhood for Monstera), but she's now up to 8 perforations on the newest leaf, and I am very excited! :D

As a little kid, I remember watching 'The Golden Girls' on television. They always had one or two Monsteras in the background of their living room. They were most likely artificial, but I was always intrigued by them and their foliage. This lingered in the back of my mind and was pretty much forgotten about up until after I finally had one of my own. I was browsing channels and stopped on one of their reruns late one night. That's when I noticed the plants again and connected the dots. I thought it was funny how long lost childhood memories have a way of resurfacing when you least expect it.

When I was a kid my father had one in the garden and it would flower and fruit regularly. But he didn't know that you could eat the fruit. I found out later and had to explain it to him, he was a bit difficult to convince.

Did you try it? What was it like?

They taste very nice, sort of like a tropical fruit salad (they're sometimes called Fruit Salad Plants). The only difficulty is that they ripen slowly from one end. So you eat them progressively. The green outer layer of the fruit is composed of fused scales which separate as the flesh ripens underneath. When the scales come off easily then the flesh immediately below is okay to eat. Then you put it back in the fridge and wait again. Of course it would be easier to open a tin of tropical fruit salad and eat that, hence the fruit is mainly eaten for the novelty value, until the novelty wears off.