What Are Those Roots Growing Out of My Monstera?

A brown cord has emerged halfway up your Monstera and is heading across the shelf. Is the plant escaping? No: those are aerial roots, part of its climbing habit. They can look untidy, but their appearance alone doesn't mean your Monstera is sick. Here's how to decide whether it needs support, a new pot, or simply room to be itself. 🌿

Why is your Monstera doing this?

In nature, Monstera uses aerial roots to attach itself to supports as it climbs towards the light. An indoor plant may send them towards a stake, along a shelf or simply into the air. Their appearance alone is not a sign that your plant is sick or needs a bigger pot.

If the plant is becoming top-heavy, provide a stable support suitable for its size. You can gently guide a flexible aerial root towards the support or the potting mix, without forcing it or snapping it. Do not bury large sections of stem just to hide the roots.

A little support goes a long way

A Monstera uses aerial roots as part of its climbing habit. Indoors, those roots can reach across a shelf or grow towards a wall, even when the plant is healthy. If the stem leans and its leaves feel heavy, a sturdy support can help hold the plant in a more natural position. Fix the support securely in the pot and guide flexible growth gently, allowing room for stems to grow.

You do not have to push every aerial root into compost. Some will remain in the air; others may find a support or growing medium. Avoid forcing a brittle root into a tight bend. Aerial roots on their own do not mean the pot is full, the plant is thirsty or its ordinary roots have failed. Those questions need separate checks.

An established Monstera may gradually change leaf size and shape as it matures. Small, widely spaced new leaves can prompt a light assessment, while a leaning stem may simply need support. Look at where the newest growth is heading and whether it receives suitable light before deciding to move the whole pot.

Aerial root or crowded pot?

Repotting becomes relevant if the roots inside the container have crowded out the medium, drainage has deteriorated or watering has become difficult because the pot is genuinely full. Inspect the rootball rather than judging from roots higher on the stem. Select a pot with drainage and a growing medium suited to foliage houseplants. A huge jump in pot size can leave excess mix wet for too long.

The best decision may be the simplest one: leave healthy aerial roots alone, offer support if the plant is unstable, and keep its usual light and moisture under review. They are a visible part of how the plant grows, not a defect to hide.

Read the rest of the plant

If leaves are also small or new growth is leaning strongly, review light and support together. Bright indirect light and a well-drained growing medium suit many indoor Monsteras. In cooler months, check moisture before watering because the pot may dry more slowly.

Aerial roots differ from the roots filling the pot. If the plant is genuinely root-bound, repot when appropriate using a suitable mix such as Grow Buddha Houseplant Potting Soil. If it is otherwise healthy, the aerial roots can simply be part of its character. For wider troubleshooting, see our Monstera care guide. You do not need to “fix” every new bit of growth.

One thing to do today

·       Offer a top-heavy Monstera a stable support; leave healthy aerial roots alone.