You bought a Swiss cheese plant and it's producing plain, heart-shaped leaves with no holes. Nothing is wrong with it. A monstera only makes its famous splits once it's mature enough and getting enough light. Young plants are meant to have solid leaves. If yours is older and still not splitting, the answer is almost always light, and sometimes something to climb.
01At a glance
- Young plant, solid leaves: normal. Splits come with age.
- Older plant, solid leaves: too little light is the usual cause. Wisconsin Horticulture says perforations won't develop when light is inadequate.
- Give it a support: a moss-covered pole sunk into the pot gives the aerial roots something to grip and keeps stems from breaking.
- Existing leaves won't change. Only new leaves can come in split. Judge progress by the next few leaves, not the old ones.
02Why young leaves are solid
In the wild, a young monstera starts out on the forest floor and climbs the nearest tree. Wisconsin Horticulture describes the juvenile stage as small leaves with no lobes or holes, growing tightly overlapped up a trunk. As the plant climbs and matures, the leaves get bigger and develop deep clefts and holes. One theory is that the holes let strong winds pass through big leaves without tearing them.
So a small plant from the garden centre, with solid leaves, is simply young. There's nothing to fix.
03The fix for an older plant: light
Move it brighter before you change anything else. The RHS recommends bright, indirect light for monstera indoors. Wisconsin Horticulture goes further: bright light in summer, and direct sun in winter, when British sun is weak. In practice that means close to a window, not across the room. Keep it out of harsh summer sun through glass: the RHS warns that direct summer sun often scorches houseplant leaves.
Signs it's short of light:
- Small new leaves, each no bigger than the last.
- Long gaps of bare stem between leaves.
- Stems leaning hard towards the window.
New leaves made after the move are the ones to watch. Monstera isn't fast, especially in an autumn and winter with short days, so give it a full growing season before you judge.
04Give it something to climb
North Carolina State Extension says sturdy support is necessary to stop the stems breaking. Wisconsin Horticulture recommends a tree bark or moss-covered support sunk into the pot. It also suggests watering the moss so the aerial roots can take up moisture.
- Choose a pole tall enough for the next year or two of growth, and push it in firmly near the main stem. Spring, when you repot, is the easiest time.
- Tie the stem loosely to the pole with soft natural string. The University of Florida warns that wire or nylon ties can damage monstera stems.
- Guide the aerial roots onto the pole as they grow. Keep the moss damp so they root into it.
05What about the aerial roots?
Those long brown cords growing from the stem are aerial roots. In the wild, they attach to tree trunks, and the ones that reach the ground root into it. That's their job. Leave them on the plant. Guide them onto the moss pole, or let them reach down into the compost. None of the sources we checked advise removing them from a healthy plant.
06Is it the plant, or the spot?
- Small plant, solid leaves, healthy colour: just young.
- Big plant, new leaves solid or getting smaller: not enough light.
- Leggy stem, leaves pointing at the window: not enough light.
- Lower leaves yellowing, compost wet: overwatering. Wisconsin Horticulture says to water thoroughly, then let the compost dry slightly before watering again, and to water less in winter.
Before handling it or placing it where children or pets can reach, check the safety flags on our monstera profile.
How we checked this
Every care and safety claim on this page is verified against horticultural and veterinary sources.
Sources: RHS — Monstera deliciosa · Wisconsin Horticulture — Swiss-cheese plant, Monstera deliciosa · RHS — Choosing the best houseplants · NC State Extension — Monstera deliciosa · University of Florida IFAS — Monstera growing in the Florida home landscape
Checked 8 October 2026. If our advice ever conflicts with the RHS, believe them and tell us.