If Alocasia are the divas, Monstera are the easygoing ones. They are climbing aroids from Central American rainforests, which explains almost everything about how they behave indoors.
What every Monstera wants
- Bright indirect light. They will survive in medium light, but fenestrations (the holes) need good light to develop.
- Water when the top 5cm dries. They tolerate a missed watering far better than a soggy pot.
- Something to climb. A moss pole is not decoration. Aerial roots gripping a surface is the signal that triggers larger, more fenestrated leaves.
Why your Monstera has no holes
Juvenile Monstera leaves are solid hearts. Fenestrations arrive with maturity, and maturity arrives faster with strong light and vertical support. A Monstera sprawling sideways across a shelf in dim light will stay juvenile for years.