A healthy monstera should have lush green, blemish-free foliage. However, if you notice any white spots on your monstera, this is a sign that it is in danger.
White spots on monstera are most likely mealybugs or powdery mildew. To get rid of it:
- Rub the leaves to remove some of the white stuff.
- Apply a safe fungicide with neem oil and increase air circulation to eliminate powdery mildew.
- Use neem oil, insecticidal soap, or rubbing alcohol to eliminate mealybugs.
Overwatering, sprinkling water on the foliage, and using overhead irrigation can all contribute to the spread of white spots on the leaves of a plant. I’ll assist you in identifying and treating white spots on your monstera.
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Why Are There White Spots on My Monstera?
Monstera plants are the perfect combination of low-maintenance and lush foliage. Unfortunately, several pests, diseases, and care issues can cause white patches or scars on these evergreens.
Here are a few of the possible explanations for the problem:
[1] Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is the first thing to look out for if you notice white fluff on the leaves of your plants. You may also have white spots on your monstera because of this.
When powdery mildew develops on your monstera, it’s an indication of the fungal disease that’s causing the white talcum-like buildup. The foliage and flowers can be covered in a grayish or white coating (if your monstera has already bloomed).
Winter is a typical time for the disease to strike. Due to the indoor conditions, powdery mildew is more common on houseplants than outdoor monstera plants.
Fungus thrives in low-light and stifling environments, particularly in places where there is little airflow.
Spotted white circles on lower leaves are an early warning sign. White, irregular patches of fluff will spread quickly and merge to form a single mass. The rapid spread will be aided by daytime highs of 70°F (21°C).
The entire leaf will be covered in a thin layer of white fungi if you do not treat it. It’s easy to confuse it for dust. In contrast, the white fungus does not come off quickly when you wipe down the leaves.
Your monstera’s health will deteriorate and eventually die if it is infected with severe powdery mildew. That’s because the white fungi will completely cover your plant’s leaves, preventing photosynthesis.
Your monstera’s buds, stems, and other parts may develop white patches of powdery fungi.
How to Treat Your Monstera with Powdery Mildew
If your monstera is showing signs of powdery mildew, you must immediately quarantine it. Keeping the fungus at bay will help.
To get rid of most of the white fungus, you can simply rub the leaves
If the powdery mildew isn’t too bad, you can simply snip off the affected skin. If your monstera is infected, it will be able to fight back.
A cultural adjustment can help prevent, slow down, and treat the problems. These include:
- Spacing out your houseplants
- Pruning your overgrown monstera
- Using a small fan to boost ventilation around your monstera
- Avoiding watering your monstera from above
- Not wetting the foliage when irrigating your monstera
- Providing your monstera with bright, indirect light
- Not overwatering your plant
The next step is to use available homemade solutions to treat your monstera. These include:
- Baking soda soapy solution – Blend 0.5 tablespoon non-abrasive liquid soap + 1 tablespoon horticultural oil + 1 tablespoon baking soda into a gallon of distilled water. Apply liberally every week on both the undersides and tops of the leaves to thoroughly coat your monstera.
- Milk spray – Ensure the milk is organic and free from both preservatives and hormones. You must mix 40 ml (about 14 oz.) of the milk into a gallon of water. Spray your monstera at intervals of 7 days until you get rid of the white fungi.
If cultural and homemade methods don’t work, it is time for chemical controls. You can use sulfur-containing fungicides, potassium bicarbonate, or neem oil.
But, for best results, use a broad-spectrum, ready-to-use fungicide (Check the latest price on Amazon here) formulated for powdery mildew.
[2] Your Monstera Has Mealybugs
You aren’t the only fan of monstera. Your plant may also be susceptible to common bugs that feed on the foliage and leave white spots on your monstera.
You’re not the only monstera fan out there. Bugs that feed on the leaves of your monstera and leave white spots on the leaves of your plant are another possibility.
Mealybugs may be to blame if you notice white cottony spots on the foliage. Insects with white, pink, or gray soft-bodied bodies leave fluffy or cottony stuff on the vegetation where they lay their eggs.
To find mealybugs on the backs of leaves, look for them in groups along veins. In addition to the stems and leaves, some will gather on the joints between them.
Insect sapsuckers, Mealybugs, will rob your monstera of its vital nutrients. However, black sooty mold can grow as a result of the honeydew they secrete.
Other symptoms of a mealybug infestation include:
- Severely affected leaves start turning yellow and fall off prematurely.
- Presence of ants farming the sweet honeydew
- Discoloration or paling of monstera leaves
- Stunted or distorted growth
How to Get Rid of Mealybugs from Monstera
There are many ways to control mealybugs on your monstera:
- Spray your monstera weekly using a solution containing 1 part 99% isopropyl alcohol and four parts water.
- Suppose you are a gardener who prefers biological controls. You can use natural predators like ladybug beetles, parasitic lacewings, and mealybug destroyers.
- Spray your monstera once weekly using neem oil, insecticidal soap, or a pyrethrin spray for chemical control.
- Consider hosing down your monstera outside so that water can knock off the mealybugs of your plant.
- You can also crush and hand-pick them.
[3] Thrips causing White Spots on Leaves
If you find these weird spots on the foliage and one on the stem. If the roots look just fine, then it is thrips for sure.
And I’ll attack multiple fronts, including systemic, topical, witchcraft, and anything else you can think of.
How to Get Rid of Monstera Thrips
It’s a good idea to start with neem. Then, you can continue to use it as a topical. Still, I’d begin to incorporate it into your water as well, so you’re using it as a systemic.
The wipe down is necessary because it takes time for the systemic effect to kick in. Neem has two ways of killing. First, it chokes because it is heavy oil.
Second, neem has an active ingredient that interferes with the critter’s development, resulting in its death. This is especially true if the neem is cold-pressed and not hexane extracted.
When creatures eat the plant, they are poisoned by the neem in the soil absorbed by the plant’s roots. Neem seed meal (ground neem seeds) is a product.
It has the appearance of instant brew. Make sure you don’t use too much of it! Mold can grow in large quantities. Take a lesson from my mistakes!
[4] Nitrogen Deficiency
If white spots on your monstera are accompanied by yellowing foliage, there’s a good chance your plant is lacking nitrogen.
Nitrogen deficiency could occur for various reasons:
- Your monstera sits in a dark area or low-light conditions and, therefore, cannot photosynthesize adequately.
- The growing medium has been depleted of nutrients (or nitrogen, in particular)
- Your monstera has not been repotted for far too long
- Root damage or root rot prevents proper absorption of nutrients
- The soil is too dry for nutrients to be absorbed
- Poorly-drained soil that cannot hold onto moisture
- The potting mix has become too soggy or waterlogged
- The growing medium is too acidic (pH lower than 4)
Whatever the reason, the emergence of uneven white spots on your monstera signifies nitrogen imbalance. The lack of iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, or manganese may cause it.
Other common symptoms of nitrogen deficiency include:
- Leaves partially or completely pale
- Leaves die and fall off prematurely
- Stunted growth & shriveled leaves
- Yellow of foliage, especially of lower leaves
How to Fix Nitrogen Deficiency in Monstera
- Repot your monstera using a new growing medium if the potting mix has been depleted of nutrients
- Take your monstera to an area where it will be shined upon by bright, indirect sunlight
- Mix some coffee grounds into the potting mix
- Add a nitrogen-rich fertilizer to the soil or spray using a foliar feed
[5] Your Monstera Has White Mold (Saprophytic Fungus)
The saprophytic fungus that causes white mold on your monstera is entirely safe for it.
The white spots on your plant may turn into a powdery mildew-like covering, so you’ll probably think it’s powdery mildew.
In most cases, irrigation water splashes on the leaves and stems and spreads the soil-borne fungus. If you’ve overwatered your monstera, the white mold may also appear on the soil’s surface.
In the end, it’s all about what the white mold tells us about your care mistakes. There is a good chance that you have left your monstera in a damp, stale, or low-light environment.
In addition, the white mold may interfere with photosynthesis and compete with your monstera for nutrients in the soil. As a result, your plant’s leaves may turn yellow.
How to Get Rid of White Mold from your Monstera
Scoop out the top 1 inch of the growing medium to eliminate most of the spores
Now, cultural adjustments can also control and prevent future mold growths:
- Improve lighting conditions – ensure it gets lots of bright, indirect sunlight
- Don’t wet or splash water on the leaves
- See to it that you don’t overwater your plant
- Improve air circulation around your monstera
If the mold growth is mild, apply a generous helping of cinnamon powder on the growing medium. This will help sterilize the potting mix.
[6] Your Monstera Has Become Sunburned
White patches are common when your monstera has been exposed to too much direct sunlight. Sunburn can also result in other symptoms like:
- Paled, bleached, or white foliage
- Brown leaf tips & edges
- Leaves turn yellow, then darken
- Droopy and wilted
How to Treat Sunburned Monstera
- Immediately you must relocate your monstera away from direct sunlight
- Snip off the seriously-sunburned parts
- Water your monstera accordingly
[7] Edema
Edema is the most likely cause of crusty white spots on the undersides of monstera leaves. You’ll see this when your monstera absorbs more water than it uses or loses through transpiration and evaporation.
In the early stages, water-soaked or watery blisters or bumps on the underside of the leaves are common symptoms. White spots will appear as they shrivel and dry out.
The spots will eventually die and fall off, giving the leaves a spray-painted appearance. Leaves may also fall off as a result.
How to Treat Edema in Monstera Plants
Improper watering habits cause almost all cases of edema. Check if you have overwatered it or if the soil has poor drainage. You may have to repot your monstera.