🪜 Tips
🌿 Climbing plants
🌿 In brief
A supported climbing plant does not merely look better: it produces noticeably larger leaves. The moss pole is the standard support for aroids with aerial roots, while a trellis suits thin vines, and in both cases the secret is to train the plant regularly with soft ties.
A Monstera left to grow freely spreads across the floor, becomes tangled, and eventually produces increasingly smaller leaves. Placed against a support, the same plant straightens up, anchors its aerial roots, and produces leaves twice as wide. Supporting plants is undoubtedly one of the most striking aspects of indoor plant care, and one of the simplest - provided you choose the right support and do not wait until the plant is already a mess.
Why support plants
This is not an aesthetic choice. For climbing plants, support triggers a visible change in behavior within a single season.
Larger leaves
Climbing aroids reach a more mature stage when they grow upward. New leaves become larger, and in Monstera they begin to split.
Aerial roots find support
These roots are not decorative: they seek a surface to cling to. On a moist pole, they anchor themselves and supply the plant with water.
A more upright form, a more compact plant
The stems stop creeping and tangling. The plant grows upward instead of spreading out, which makes all the difference in a small space.
Conversely, a climbing plant that hangs freely remains perfectly healthy - it is simply another use, that of hanging plants. Supporting plants is for those who want large leaves and vertical growth.
Types of support
Four types of support cover every situation. The choice depends on the thickness of the stems and whether or not aerial roots are present.
| Support | Who is it for, and why? |
|---|---|
| Moss pole | The best choice for aroids with aerial roots: Monstera deliciosa, Epipremnum pinnatum, Philodendron scandens. Kept moist, it nourishes the roots. |
| Coconut fiber stake | The same principle, with a rougher, more durable texture. It retains less water than moss, so it needs to be moistened more often. |
| Trellis or hoop | For thin, flexible vines: Scindapsus pictus, Hedera helix, Syngonium. Guide the stems without root anchoring. |
| Simple bamboo stake | A temporary solution for straightening a leaning stem or supporting a young plant while waiting for a proper support. |
Epipremnum pinnatum on a moss poleAlready trained: the pole is in place, and all that remains is to keep it moist.View the plant →
Monstera DeliciosaThe climbing plant that benefits most from growing upward: large, split leaves.View the plant →
Philodendron scandensProminent aerial roots: perfect for a first moss pole.View the plant →
Scindapsus pictus 'Argyraeus'Thin, flexible stems: ideal for a trellis or hoop.View the plant →
The guideline is simple: if the plant produces large brown aerial roots along its stems, it wants a moss pole. If its stems are thin and flexible, a trellis is enough. Our guide to indoor climbing plants details the species in each category.
💡 The right height
Choose a stake taller than necessary, or a stackable model. Otherwise, a plant that reaches the top in six months will have to be completely untied to replace it.
Installing a moss pole
The best time is when repotting: the substrate has been removed, the roots are visible, and you can push in the stake without damaging anything. With a plant that is already potted, it is possible, but more delicate.
Positioning the stake
Push it all the way to the bottom of the pot, against the side, on the side where the stems naturally grow out. It should stand on its own without leaning: an unstable stake will eventually tip under the weight of the foliage, taking the plant with it. Then fill in the substrate around it, pressing down lightly only at the base of the stake.
Bring the stems closer together
Bring each stem against the support, directing the aerial roots toward the moss. Never force it: if a stem resists, leave it and come back to it in a few weeks, once growth has softened it.
Tie without tightening
Use wide, flexible ties - plastic-coated garden wire, fabric ribbon, or a plant clip. Each tie should allow you to slide a finger between the stem and the support. Thin wire or tying it too tightly will eventually strangle the stem as it thickens.
🌿 Keep the moss moist
This is what makes all the difference: mist the support with each watering, or pour a little water over its top. On a dry support, aerial roots never attach.
Training over the months
Supporting the plant is not a one-off task: it is regular care that takes a few minutes each time.
- Check the ties once a month during active growth: a thickening stem soon needs to be loosened.
- Guide each new shoot as soon as it is a few centimeters long, while it is still flexible.
- Add one tie every 15 to 20 centimeters of stem, no farther apart.
- Turn the plant a quarter turn from time to time so it grows straight and does not become bare on one side.
- Remove ties that have become unnecessary once the aerial roots have taken over and hold the plant on their own.
After a year, a well-supported plant holds itself on its support: the aerial roots have penetrated the moss, and the ties are only needed for new growth. This is also when the difference in leaf size becomes spectacular compared with the beginning.
Mistakes to avoid
Four mistakes keep coming up, and they are all easy to avoid.
⚠️ Never cut aerial roots
You may be tempted to trim them because they stick out. These are precisely the roots that will anchor and nourish the plant: guide them toward the support; do not remove them.
The second mistake is waiting too long. A woody stem can no longer be straightened: it breaks. Give a young climbing plant a support, or at the latest as soon as it begins to spread out, never after two years of creeping growth.
The third is tying it too tightly. A thin tie, string, or bare wire will eventually cut into the stem, causing it to constrict and dry out above the attachment point. Wide and flexible, always.
The last is installing a support in a pot that is too small. The support takes up space and throws everything off balance: if the plant deserves a support, it also deserves a stable pot and repotting in fresh substrate at the same time.
Verdeia - Living Plants
Climbing plants that want to grow upward
Monstera, Philodendron, Scindapsus, Syngonium: discover our indoor climbing plants, from fine vines to spectacular foliage.
Frequently asked questions
It supports the aerial roots of aroids, which anchor themselves to it and draw water from it. The plant then grows upward and produces larger leaves.
As early as possible, ideally when repotting, and always before the stems become woody and brittle.
Yes: mist it every time you water. On a dry support, aerial roots cannot attach themselves, and the support only serves to hold the plant.
It's best to avoid it: they are what anchor the plant and absorb moisture. Guide them toward the support rather than removing them.
With a wide, flexible tie, loose enough to slide one finger underneath. Never use thin wire or tightly wound string, which eventually cuts into the stem.
Well supported
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