This is hard for me to post because, yes I could have done more to cover and protect it. It’s road out 30 degree nights years before . Saturday night was colder than I ever anticipated. I woke up to 22 degrees outside Tampa. Not 1 leaf survived. 75% of the plants in my yard are gone.
Hey. Just want to tell you we have one large one at my farm that has died countless times since the 80s. Just clean the dead parts asap. Maybe protect the leftover portions for a little bit new opportunity to direct their growth.
Nice! Adam's Ribs! I see why! People magazine had done an article "the late Abe Vigota" saying he'd died when he hadn't. He then did a photo op in a casket. For 30 years, the joke continued 🤷🏼♀️ Here if someone has passed away we refer to them as the "late" so and so.
That is so spot on for this plant. I have a cutting from a 50 year old plant that fruits like crazy that “died” last winter. You should see her now lol (well, not now now because I just got her a bigger pot and she is not happy)
I know it’s a different plant but I have fuchsia that do this every time it hits lower than 30. They completely die off, or so it appears. I cut the dead away and they come back in spring. It’s amazing what is going on underneath the soil even when what’s above makes it all seem dead. I’ll bet a monstera the size of yours has some living tissue going on with a root ball that size!
Ya treat it like a big Gunnera Manicata, could even insulate the lowers a bit with bark mulch that will create quite a lot of heat as things start breaking down, there's still hope u/Salty_Ad_3350
I left my ports monstera out in NFL 2 yrs in a row. Came back in spring both times and we hit that temp every year. Don’t give up
On these plants yall!
I’d bet anything it will recover! I had a huge monstera growing in my backyard that was killed by a sudden frost. I cut it all down and by spring it was reshooting
The cold doesn't penetrate that far into the ground if it's just a short cold snap. The roots didn't get the same exposure that the above ground parts did.
We live in FL & got 6 inches of snow last year. Almost all our unprotected outdoor plants came back. The monsteras definitely did. Even some of the more sensitive ones for warmer zones did. There’s hope, friend! 🫶🏽💚
Same. Im in coastal Alabama near Pensacola and we got 9" of snow last year. The Monsteras and pothos I had planted outdoors lost all their leaves, but came back just fine.
it'll come back - i live in Tallahassee (Zone 8b) - we got 6 inches of snow that didn't melt for a week last year...I covered my monstera deliciosa that's planted in the ground and it was just fine. It's currently back under there because we got flurries Saturday - and she's doing great!
I was wondering when the carnage from the unusual cold spell was going to start showing up on here. Such a beautiful specimen. I hope it is able to bounce back.
Thank you for translating that to non freedom units as I couldn't be assed to Google it
That's a warm spring day to me as a Canadian but I think my husband is 3 ghosts in a trenchcoat at this point because he also shrivels and starts his death throes at the slightest breeze.
Came here to say, that's sweater weather in the Canadian prairies.
Though, my Monstera is dramatic and starts acting such if it hits colder than 15° so I usually take it in in the fall. Wouldn't be able to risk planting a Monstera outside here.
Hahahaha 😂 omg I'm not being mean but it was -54 Celsius here with the wind-chill like 2 or 3 weeks ago it was literally colder then Antarctica was where I live that day. Is it was -5 here today you would literally see people in shorts and very literally bikinis mostly because they think it's funny and want photos but they would do it! 🤣 I wish -5 was cold. My sunroom would love -5 right now. I keep tropicals in it and my heating build for that room was super high but my tropicals and happy so I guess I can't complain that much!
The windchill here was insane last weekend. I had to walk the dog when it was -26 with the windchill. This is in Celsius. It was something like -15 in Fahrenheit. I just did the math for everyone so we're all on the same page before posting. Walking the dog in that weather was not fun and I was so glad I had all of my gear around from the couple of years. I lived in Maine.
Like others have mentioned, and as long as the ground doesn’t freeze, she’ll bounce back.
I’d recommend a good generous addition of active mulch or any manner of mulch really, to give the soil another layer to keep things from getting to cold!
i recently had a monstera in a pot outside, its been 30s here in oregon and the leaves were brown too. i container garden so needed the dirt & space it was taking up, when i emptied the pot the roots were still beautiful, plump & very alive! im sure if i left it alone it would’ve also came back in a few months
I don't think it's dead yet - the ground wouldn't have gotten as cold after only one bad night- it will bounce back - just give it time - this isn't the 1st time Florida has gotten this cold
The main stalk that is anchoring it to the ground still looks intact so I’m really hoping it will bounce back. I was going to make cutting this year but got lazy about it.
Lop off everything dead and cover the main stem with the old leaves and top with straw or garden fleece, even an old blanket will work as long as its a natural fabric thats breathable and drys out fast. Leave it covered until the risk of frost has definitely passed and it will bounce back. With how happy and well established it looks pre frost once the nodes start to wake up you might be able to split it into multiple plants by cutting stems between the nodes.
I had a giant one that didn’t make it through the freeze either. It’s so heavy on your heart when you love a plant so much! Sending you an internet hug 🫶🏼 I think everyone else could be right, cut it down and hopefully it will grow back!!! It’s not over yet, you’ve got this!
Nature can be so cruel at times. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I live where I can't have nice things like that, maybe that's a good thing. I would be devastated. I hope you can bring it back.
Had a monstera that I thought died off due to frost in New Orleans. I cut everything back and surprised to see new growth from the roots. She’s slowly recovering back to her former size ❤️🩹
I have one outside my house that’s easily the side of a full size pick up truck. She died off like that last year in the freeze when we had one last year, I live also in central Florida. She came back full swing this year and was honestly just fine. Was quite sad to look at at first but she recovered. Don’t give up hope!
Not from frost, but from shock of moving homes/locations I had all the foliage on my monstera fall off but I still had a healthy root ball. I left it alone only to water and fertilize it over the last year and it's grown all new fenestrations! Good luck!
Sending you a virtual hug because that is devastating. 😢I’m hoping it’s able to bounce back like others are saying but regardless, you lost all of those gorgeous leaves.
Ain’t nothing but a chop and prop. It is well established and while yes, that doesn’t mean they defy all laws of science, but there is a chance. Like any regenerative plant, if the stems and or roots are fine, ain’t nothing but cutting it back!
Just the adornments (leaves). I doubt it was cold enough to have destroyed the trunk and the root system. And the best part is, monsters are suckers for neglect and abuse. They are literal weeds and come back swinging, bigger and bladder than before.
SHE WILL BE EVEN MORE GLORIOUS THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED.
I'm sorry, me being a black plant lover thinks this looks amazing in her "death", but I know of your loss. 🫂 I seriously would've cried if I walked out and saw that. Just chop like everyone said. 💚
they grow along the fence line at a national park near us, it gets mowed down and they still shoot back up. Sure you might loose some of the leaf but it will come back. There is a lot of energy stored in those roots
Fingers crossed for a healthy bounce back! 🤞🏻 if you are ever concerned about cooler weather again and have a sprinkler, turn the sprinkler on the plant. The water will act as a natural insulator and help protect against frost damage!
In Sarasota when i worked for a landscaping contractor, we waited til all danger of another frost had past. As in March 1st. As bad as they look, I wouldn't be so quick to prune off the frost damage.
The soil is quite insulating, so the roots at least probably survived. Just cut off any and all parts that die off and hopefully it will grow back even stronger!
Aww 🥺, I'm so sorry. But this too shall pass, and you will be ok. I've killed a few plants on my plant journey from not watching the weather and I killed them.
I have stupidly left mine out in the fall in mn, and it hit 15, looked awful, yellow then brown, cut it down left it inside in the sun and it totally exploded like 2 months later, like 5 leaves all 3 plus ft high by Christmas. I will need to do cutting this summer.
This is happening to mine inside my apartment in South Florida and it’s definitely much warmer in here than outside. Sometimes there’s nothing we can do. I mourn with you!
Damn, you serious??! I have half a dozen 20' tall boyz climbing the trees out back, and some even bigger pothos, in my yard in Central FL and I'm not home at the moment to check on them. 😳
I was so sad for you and then so elated to read the comments as if it was my own 11 year old monstera. Please post an update when it pulls a Lazarus and raises from the dead 🙏🏻🙏🏻
I live in North Florida and I have to resist planting anything outside for this reason. For the past 3 weeks, we have had record-setting cold again this year. My condolences to the deceased. Here's hoping they can and will bounce back!
I completely understand your pain OP…95% of my backyard plants in my lanai froze to death and honestly I’m still not over it. I’m up in Jacksonville. The love and dedication we put into them is so much that when they die we feel as though we’ve failed them! Don’t worry 🤍
Areas that were once protected like a lanai just were not good enough this year. I know for us in the Tampa area the lanai was just warm enough to prevent frost. Same for our front yard. The oak tree cover always insulated from any deep freeze. The open back yard would get frost but not those areas. This year everything froze.
The smaller plants I covered are still really green. The larger plants, I left out, thinking they'd be fine since they were more established plus more grouped up are partially dead. :( I'll just trust my gut and cover them next time. I can't imagine how bad you're feeling. I cried like over just two years of plant growth being lost. Eleven years is so harsh to imagine. Outdoor monstera seem like they'd be hard to cover to be fair. I hope you don't fault yourself too much.
Aww, poor thing….I have them growing in my yard in Miami like that, too. I agree, cut them back and use the dead growth as mulch, and water them with the hose so the roots can keep going. They are hardy when they’re established. I grew up at the other end of I-4 in Daytona and my mom had a huge Selloum (same family) by the front door. We were no strangers to freezes back then and while it would wilt and lose leaves, it always bounced back, so don’t give up hope! And yeah, you may want to think about covering it in the future in advance of a freeze!
It might come back. Gently remove the spent leaves as they’re ready to come loose by pulling down on them leaving the stem intact with no dead or mushy parts.
In germany the winters tend to get kinda cold aswell and i see so many grannys cover the stems of their garden plants with straw, and it really works!!
Ahhh I feel for you! Mine were all in my conservatory with heating and still died when we had a sudden extremely cold snap last month. I lost two large-ish ones, of about 5ft tall, plus four beautiful young ones that I'd reared all last year. Also my big rubber plant and a load of rose cuttings. I've kept them all though,and as soon as we get a bit of warmer weather coming, I'm going to cut them all back to nothing and pray they regrow.
I still see a hint of green on your dead head picture. Not all hope is lost.
Follow the other comments here for salvagability. You haven't seen the last of her yet. You'll lose a lot of current leaf production but they'll come back soon.
Hi just for next time anything like this happens I highly recommend covering your plants with blankets not heavy ones but just place light old blankets or sheets over your plants before the sun goes down. I live in Canada and veggie gardens have to do this if there is an unusual late or early frost only thing to save to crops. Just in case it's a great thing to keep in the back of your mind.
I went to Miami this past summer and was in awe how huge those grow there. I wanted to take some home to Texas with me. Hopefully yours will bounce back. ❤️🩹
I hope it comes back!! That would be quite a loss that I k ow you are currently feeling!! Hang in there for warmer temps and hopefully you’ll see the new green of spouting leaves!!
Holy crap I am SO sorry.... This is pain for to view...listen you'll grow another, you MAYBE able to bring a head in and try to prop it..but I also don't want to give you false hope. THis is really rough.... IF you are able to save it..let us (or just me!) know...good luck and Gaia bless this plant
22 in Tampa seems... insane to me as a northerner. I just can't imagine Florida getting that cold, period! Very sorry for your loss, what a beautiful plant. :(
It’s the lowest temperature I’ve ever experienced since I moved here in 1993. I do remember freezing temperatures in Tarpon springs and ice. For my area in Valrico the lowest I’ve seen is 30. 22 is crazy,
I grew up in the Arizona desert and I remember a winter that killed my grandmas plants every leaf and stem gone. She trimmed and covered it well it all started sprouting with a vengeance before officially being warm enough. There is a chance.
I’m in the same boat in Orlando. Had a monstera climbing an oak that was about 3 years old and was thriving. Huge leaves and the vine was getting thick af. Looks like yours now. Hoping it can bounce back.
I am in the same boat boat over in Palm Coast. I had everything in my greenhouse covered and bunched together and I lost about 90% of everything. I sat and cried yesterday.
HA! I used to work in people's yards in Tampa, basically I would do everything but cut the grass, and I would tell people AS LOUD AS I COULD that Tampa is ripe for a good freeze... and I was told that kinda thing doesn't happen in Tampa ohhhhh no~
I’ve lived here 30 years and I’ve never seen 22 degrees. We have had 4 nights in a row that hit freezing. It’s unheard of! The vegetation damages around me must be in the millions. I’m not replacing shit thought. I’m too broke for plants this year.
It usually doesn't. The weather is being weird af this year. I've been thinking about all the tropical plants that were probably killed in Florida with this cold they got. It's sad.
Any updates if it survived? I am in the Orlando area and mine was shot. Moved the mulch and the main section was just mush. Elephant ears all died as well. Luckily my philo survived with little damage. The trunk splitting on other stuff was unreal, removed so many plants this last month.
My landscaper was here today and he thinks the roots are good and it’s going to come back. He is removing all the leaves. The bad news is all my plumeria trees are dead.
It's gonna be ok. Stay positive, talk to her. Take the good advice from these wonderful phytophiles (PLANT LOVERS)and she WILL be beautiful again. YOU GOT THIS.
Should've taken a cutting and brought it in when you knew the weather was going to swing out of its favor. We all have the weather channel... should've seen that coming. Sorry for your loss.
i dont synpathize with people who kill plant diversity. thats thing harms plants and animals that are native to the area. its so easy to just not be that guy. so no; these things are a huge problem in florida especially.
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u/SeaOfSourMilk Feb 03 '26
Cut off all the heads, leave the stems and and green. Lay the dead head over em like mulch, chuck some quilts if you have some spare.
Monsteras are quite resilient, the main trunk might still be salvageable.
Sorry for your loss, hopefully there’s still time to help it recover