![]() ![]() You can cut the plant just below the aerial roots and then plant that. ![]() While this only accounts for a tiny percentage of what the plant actually needs, it can still help keep your monstera healthy.Īerial roots are also quite useful when propagating your monstera. This makes transpiration more efficient and means you won’t have to water the plant as often if there’s proper humidity.Īerial roots can also pull some trace nutrients from the air, such as nitrogen. This, in turn, allows the plant to grow taller and have bigger leaves.Īnother key benefit is that it allows the plant to pull moisture directly from the air. The most obvious reason is that they allow your monstera to grasp onto surfaces for support. Now that you know what aerial roots are, there are many good reasons to keep them around. Lateral subterranean roots spread out underground to provide stability while also collecting moisture and nutrients from the surrounding soil. When you normally think of roots, this type comes to mind. However, these roots bore into the ground if they make contact and add extra stability while also performing a similar function underground as lateral roots. This type of root is similar to aerial roots and serves a similar purpose. In non-epiphytic plants, aerial roots are more parasitic, boring into a host plant and stealing nutrients. In some plants, aerial roots can produce offshoot plants (such as spider plants). The aerial roots can also pull moisture and trace nutrients out of the air. Aerial RootsĪerial roots begin as little nubs on the central vine and grow into tendrils that can be several feet long.Īs an epiphyte, these aerial roots cling to surfaces to provide support to the plant without causing any harm to the plant or structure they’re latching onto. Monsteras are epiphytic, meaning they cling to trees in their natural habitat.Īs a result, they have 3 different kinds of root structures. However, there are some things you can do if the aerial roots are bothering you. What Do You Do With Aerial Roots On Monstera?Īerial roots can be a little unsightly, but they’re perfectly normal on plants such as monstera and are actually beneficial to the plant. Let’s take a moment to look at what aerial roots are, what they do, and what (if anything) you can do with them. These growths are actually quite normal and are known as aerial roots. However, many growers are alarmed when they first notice strange growths on their monstera. You can also simply tuck the roots back into the pot of your plant as well if you wish – or just leave them and let them do their thing.Monsteras are quite popular houseplants that are best known for their foliage. Providing your monstera with something to climb, which mimicks its natural growing conditions, will result in larger leaves and more vigorous growth. That being said, many growers choose to leave the aerial roots intact and provide their monsteras with a support to climb – like a moss pole or trellis. So trimming them back or cutting them off entirely ultimately will not harm the plant. When grown indoors aerial roots don’t serve much of a purpose most of the time and a monstera’s aerial roots can get long and out of hand quickly. This is the golden question and likely the reason you are here reading this article, and the answer is – yes…kind of. Photo by Huy Phan on Unsplash Can I Remove Aerial Roots? Some aerial roots can even photosynthesize thanks to the presence of chlorophyll, which soil roots have no need for. In fact, aerial roots are a type of adventitious root, meaning they grow from nonroot tissue like the plant stem and leaf tissues. While they perform many of the same functions (absorb nutrients and moisture, provide support, etc.) aerial roots and roots that grow in the soil are not one-in-the-same. Epiphytes are not parasitic to their host plants. An epiphyte is a plant that grows on the surface of another plant, and derives much of its nutrients and moisture from the air, rain, or debris accumulating around it. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |