Last Updated on October 28, 2021 by Sophie
Widely referred to as Monstera Minima, Philodendron “Ginny”, and Philodendron “Piccolo,” Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma goes by many names. However, the Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma is not actually a type of Monstera at all, despite how similar the leaves might look! Here’s your complete care guide to the Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma, including propagation tips, how much the plant needs watering, and the type of soil the plant will need.
With their glossy green appearance and many holes, even on younger plants, Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma is an aroid which will make a wonderful addition to your indoor collection. Part of the Araceae family, the plant is native to the South of Thailand and Malaysia.
As you might imagine from its incredibly similar appearance to the Monstera Deliciosa, the plant is often mistaken for its distant cousin, even in plant sales and nurseries. In other circumstances, the plant is also mistaken for the Epipremnum pinnatum.
Contents
Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma Plant Care & Watering Guide
Watering your Mini Monstera
Root rot is one of the biggest cause of plants dying in the home and so, when in doubt, it’s definitely better to underwater your plant as opposed to overwatering it. The amount of water your Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma needs is dependant entirely on how much light it receives, the time of the year, and whether or not the plant has entered into the growing season (spring and summer).
I personally find my Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma plants to be pretty hardy and, though not recommended, they can often recover from patchy watering schedules. The mini Monstera is also not as susceptible to water type as plants such as Calatheas and brown tips are certainly less common.
When it comes to humidity, the Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma does better than other aroids at lower humidity conditions, though it will certainly enjoy higher humidity if possible. Finally, the plant enjoys moist soil, but not saturated. Try not to let the plant fully dry out between waterings.
Best soil conditions for your Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma
Just like the Monstera Deliciosa, your Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma will enjoy a well draining soil so as to avoid root rot. Something which is created for jungle plants which is a mix of organic matter with perlite and sphagnum moss is perfect. As one of the fastest growing aroid plants, given the right conditions, the plant can put on as much as a staggering six to twelve feet of growth during a single season.
In the wild Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma is a climbing plant, and so when it’s large enough, you’ll want to consider planting it up with a moss pole. Your plant may also need trimming on occasion on account of the fact that the branches seem to grow in every direction, and so will likely need some guidance so as to grow up the moss pole.
Best light conditions for your Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma
Like many aroids, for example the silver sword philodendron, the best light for the Ginny Philodendron is indirect bright light. What this means is not placing the plant directly in front of a South facing window, where it may well dry out too quickly between waterings, but instead a North facing window, or several feet back into the room.
How to propagate Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma
The mini monstera really is one of the easiest aroids to propagate and, once you get the hang of propagation, you’ll soon discover that the plant propagates much more easily than other varieties of aroid.
The best way to propagate Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma is via stem cuttings. Simply cut the plant with a section that includes one, and preferably two, nodes. Then place in water and wait for several weeks, and sometimes over a month, for roots to form.
Then pot up the Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma rooted cutting in well-draining potting mix and you’ll have a brand new plant addition to your home, or alternatively a fantastic gift for another plant lover in your life.
The right environment for your mini monstera
On a final note, it’s worth noting that one of the most important aspects to consider when caring for your Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is the kind of environment that the plant enjoys growing in. As this plant is a climber (as opposed to a creeper), indoor gardeners would do well to provide ample growing tools for the plant to grow up (so as to promote plant growth).
One of the easiest things to do is to place a moss pole in the plant pot so that the plant can easily grow up it. This also makes the plant easier to move in the future. Alternatively, it’s perfectly possible to train your plant to grow up a wall or around a doorway with the aid of a few hooks attached to the wall/ doorframe.
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1 Comment
Marlene Plantkins
October 25, 2020 at 5:14 pmHello, thank you very much for these tipps. I recently did some propagation on my Rhapidofora and followed your advises – It worked out just fine! If I could give an additional advise: When propagating in water, add some pothos (epipremnum aureum) to the Monstera Minima. Photos increase the rooting of other plants if put in water together!