Complete Guide to Monstera Burle Marx Flame Care (The Bone Plant)

The Key to the 'Flame'

The Monstera ‘Burle Marx Flame’ is not a low-light plant. While many Monsteras are forgiving of shady corners, this cultivar - with its thick, succulent-like leaves and slow metabolism - needs energy to produce those iconic deep cuts.

Bright, Indirect Light is the gold standard.

• Indoors: Place it directly in front of an east-facing window, or a few feet back from a south or west-facing window. It craves intensity but can scorch in direct, harsh afternoon sun.
• The Connection to Form: Light is directly linked to leaf shape. In lower light, new leaves will emerge smaller, with shallower cuts, looking more like a solid arrowhead than a flame. To maintain the “skeletal” look, you must provide high light levels.

Signs of Light Stress

• Too Much Light: The deep green leaves will start to bleach, turn pale yellow, or develop scorched, crispy brown patches (sunburn).
• Too Little Light: The plant will essentially go dormant. New growth will stall, and if a leaf does emerge, it will be “reverted” - solid or with minimal fenestration. The risk of root rot also skyrocketing in low light because the plant isn’t using water fast enough.

The 'Bone Plant' Watering Strategy

This is where the ‘Burle Marx Flame’ differs significantly from the thirsty Monstera adansonii. Its leaves are much thicker and stiffer, allowing it to store more moisture. Conversely, its growth rate is slower, meaning it consumes water less rapidly.

The Golden Rule: Let it dry out. You should allow the top 50-75% of the soil volume to dry out completely before watering again. If you stick a chopstick into the pot and it comes out damp, wait.

• Summer: Water thoroughly when the soil is mostly dry (usually every 7-10 days, depending on conditions).
• Winter: drastically reduce watering. I often water my mature BMF only once every 3-4 weeks in the depths of winter.

How to Water Properly

When you do water, don’t sip - soak. Take the plant to the sink or shower. Run lukewarm water through the pot until it pours freely from the drainage holes. This does two things:

1. It ensures every root gets moisture.
2. It flushes out built-up salts from fertilizers which can burn the sensitive roots.

Never let this plant sit in a saucer of standing water. “Wet feet” is a death sentence for the Burle Marx Flame.

Why Standard Soil Fails

The Ideal Aroid Mix Recipe

You want a mix that looks more like a pile of forest debris than dirt.

• 40% Orchid Bark: Large chunks (pine or fir) provide the main structure.
• 30% Perlite or Pumice: For drainage and aeration. I prefer large-grade perlite or sponge rock.
• 20% Coco Coir or Potting Soil: Just enough to hold a little moisture and nutrients.
• 10% Charcoal: Helps keep the mix fresh and filters impurities.
• Optional: A handful of worm castings for slow-release nutrition.

When you water this mix, the water should run through it almost instantly. That is what you want.

Feeding a Slow Grower

Because the Burle Marx Flame grows slowly, it is a light feeder. Dumping heavy fertilizers on it won’t force it to grow faster; it will just burn the roots and cause leaf tip burn.

• The Schedule: Fertilize only during the active growing season (Spring and Summer).
• The Product: Use a high-quality liquid balanced fertilizer (like a 10-10-10) or a fish emulsion.
• The Dosage: Dilute to half or even quarter strength. It is better to under-fertilize this plant than to over-fertilize.

If you repotted recently with fresh soil (which usually contains starter nutrients), skip fertilizing for the first 3-4 months.

Tropical Warmth

This plant is a true tropical. It resents the cold.

• Ideal Range: 70°F - 85°F (21°C - 29°C).
• The Danger Zone: Anything below 60°F (15°C) will cause the plant to sulk. Sustained temperatures below 55°F (13°C) can cause permanent damage, yellowing, and leaf drop.

Be mindful of drafts. A blast of cold air from an AC vent or a drafty window in winter can cause the newest, most tender leaf to turn black and abort.

Do You Need a Humidifier?

In its natural (or collection) habitat, humidity is nearly 100%. However, the ‘Burle Marx Flame’ is surprisingly adaptable thanks to its thick, waxy cuticle which retains moisture well.

• Minimum: 40-50% (Average home). It will survive here, but growth may be slower.
• Ideal: 60-75%. This is the sweet spot.
• Maximum: 80%+. If growing in a greenhouse or cabinet, ensure excellent airflow to prevent fungal spots.

If your home is very dry (winter heating), run a humidifier nearby. Misting is generally ineffective and can actually encourage fungal issues on the dense foliage if water sits in the leaf folds.

The Spadix

Is it Monstera Dilacerata?

Similar Plants

• Monstera Deliciosa: Much faster growing, thinner leaves, wider leaf blades. The fenestrations don’t reach as deeply to the midrib as the ‘Flame’.
• Monstera ‘Sierrana’: Another rare form with deep cuts, often confused with ‘Burle Marx Flame’, but ‘Sierrana’ tends to have slightly wider lobes and a different growth habit.
• Philodendron Stenolobum: Often confused due to the long, narrow leaves, but P. stenolobum grows in a rosette pattern and does not vine like a Monstera.

👉 Check out our Complete Monstera Species List to see how the Burle Marx Flame compares to all 70+ other species.

The 'Snug' Philosophy

Unlike the Monstera deliciosa which acts like a root octopus, the ‘Burle Marx Flame’ has a more modest root system. It prefers to be slightly rootbound.

• When to Repot: Only when you see roots physically growing out of the bottom drainage holes, or when the pot is so full of roots that it dries out in 2 days. This might only be every 2-3 years.
• Pot Size: Go up only one inch size. Moving a small plant into a massive pot is the #1 way to rot a Burle Marx Flame. The excess soil holds too much water.

Minimal Intervention

Because this plant grows so slowly, you will rarely want to cut it. Every leaf is a precious investment of time (sometimes months!).

• Dead Leaves: Prune only entirely yellow or brown leaves.
• Size Control: Rarely an issue.
• Propagating: Only prune if you intend to propagate.

Patience is Required

Propagating this plant is not for the faint of heart. It roots significantly slower than a deliciosa or adansonii.

1. The Cut: Identify a healthy section of stem. You must have a node (the bump on the stem). A leaf without a node will never grow a new plant.
2. Callous: After cutting with sterile shears, let the cut end dry for 2-4 hours to callous over. This seals the wound against rot.
3. The Medium: I prefer Sphagnum Moss or Perlite over water for this species. Water propagation can sometimes lead to rot before roots form.
   • Moss Method: Wrap the node in damp (not wet) sphagnum moss and place in a clear cup or bag. Keep warm.
   • Perlite Method: Place the cutting in a cup of damp perlite with a reservoir of water at the bottom (not touching the stem).
4. The Wait: It can take 4-8 weeks to see significant root action. Do not rush to pot it in soil until the roots are 2-3 inches long and have secondary branching roots.

The Usual Suspects

The thick leaves of the ‘Burle Marx Flame’ are somewhat resistant to pests, but not immune.

• Scale Insects: These are the most common enemy. They look like small brown bumps on the stems and undersides of leaves. They suck the sap and weaken the plant. Pick them off manually or treat with rubbing alcohol.
• Spider Mites: If you see tiny white specks or webbing, increase humidity and wash the leaves.

What is Wrong with My Plant?

• Yellowing Leaves: Usually overwatering. Check the roots immediately. If the soil is wet, you are drowning it.
• Brown Crispy Tips: Low humidity or inconsistent watering (letting it get too dry for too long).
• Blackened New Growth: Rot or cold damage. Did you water into the sheath of the new leaf? Did the temperature drop?
• No Growth: It needs more light and warmth. If it’s winter, this is normal.

Architectural Elegance

This plant deserves to be a focal point.

• The Moss Pole: To get the best leaf shape, give it a moss pole. As the aerial roots dig into the moss, the plant feels secure and produces larger leaves. A clear-backed moss pole looks especially modern.
• Lighting: Use a spotlight or grow light to cast shadows. The rib-cage leaves cast incredible, dramatic shadows on a wall.
• Pot Choice: A simple, matte ceramic pot (white, black, or terracotta) complements the complex leaf structure without competing with it.

Who Was Burle Marx?

The 'Dilacerata' Confusion

For years, this plant circulated in the collector market under the name Monstera dilacerata. However, when botanists examined the actual herbarium type specimen of M. dilacerata (collected in 1854), it looked nothing like the ‘Burle Marx Flame’. The true dilacerata has much thinner leaves and a different fenestration pattern.

The current consensus among aroid experts is that ‘Burle Marx Flame’ is either:

1. An undescribed species awaiting a formal scientific name.
2. A unique phenotypic variation (morph) of Monstera deliciosa var. sierrana or a related species.

Until science catches up, it remains Monstera sp. ‘Burle Marx Flame’. This mystery only adds to its allure and value in the plant community.

Plastic vs. Terracotta vs. Ceramic

Because this plant is sensitive to rot but also hates drying out too fast, your pot choice matters.

• Clear Plastic (Orchid Pots): My #1 Recommendation. Clear pots allow you to see the roots. You can check for rot without unpotting the plant. They allow light to reach the roots (which is fine for epiphytes) and retain moisture well.
• Terracotta: A risky choice for this plant unless you are a chronic over-waterer. Terracotta wicks moisture away rapidly. Since the ‘Flame’ grows slowly, its roots might dry out too aggressively in terracotta, leading to root desiccation.
• Glazed Ceramic: Good for moisture retention, but often lacks sufficient drainage holes. Always use a nursery pot inside the decorative ceramic pot.

The Importance of Airflow

The 'Moss Box' Method for leafless nodes

Sometimes you might buy a “wet stick” (a chunk of stem with no leaves) to save money. Here is how to grow it:

1. The Box: Get a clear plastic takeout container or propagation box.
2. The Bedding: Fill it with damp sphagnum moss and perlite (50/50 mix). Squeeze it out so it’s fluffy, not soggy.
3. Placement: Lay the stem node horizontally on the moss. Do not bury it deep; just press it gently so the node makes contact.
4. Humidity: Close the lid to create 100% humidity.
5. Light: Place under a grow light.
6. Ventilation: Open the box once every few days to exchange air and prevent mold.
7. Patience: It can take 3-6 months for a wet stick to push out a new growth point. Don’t give up as long as the stick is green and firm.

Bacterial Blight vs. Fungal Spot

Sometimes spotting isn’t just “overwatering.”

• Bacterial Blight (Erwinia): Look for wet, mushy, smelly spots that expand rapidly, even overnight. The leaf might look like it’s melting. Action: Cut off the infected leaf immediately well into healthy tissue. Sterilize your shears. This is contagious and fast.
• Fungal Leaf Spot: Brown, dry spots with a yellow halo. They spread slowly. Action: Improve airflow, keep leaves dry, and treat with a copper fungicide.

Why are the fenestrations disappearing?

If proper “flame” leaves start reverting to solid leaves:

1. Light Drop: Did you move the plant? Did winter arrive?
2. Support Loss: Did the aerial roots detach from the pole?
3. Root Bound: Is the plant literally choking itself? Most often, it is a light issue. Move it closer to the window.

Is Monstera Burle Marx Flame the same as Monstera Dilacerata?

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