The Complete Guide to Moss Poles for Houseplants

Have you noticed your Monstera growing long roots up the stem, reaching across your room like tentacles? These are aerial roots and your beloved is creating them for one reason:

It's trying to climb.

Monsteras and many of our other favourite houseplants don't naturally grow as neat little freestanding specimens conveniently sized for a shelf in IKEA. In the wild, many of them climb.

They use aerial roots to grab onto trees and other surfaces and work their way upwards towards the light.

Unfortunately, most of us don't have a tropical tree growing through the middle of the living room, so enter stage left:

✨The moss pole.✨

But what actually is a moss pole? Do you need one? Does the moss need to stay wet? Why are there seventeen different types? And will putting one behind your Monstera finally convince it to stop growing horizontally across the sofa?

Let's get into it.

What Actually Is a Moss Pole?

At its simplest, a moss pole is a vertical support for climbing plants. But there's an important difference between a proper moss pole and simply sticking a pole in a pot.

A normal plant stake supports the plant. A moss pole can support the plant and give its aerial roots something to grow into.

The inside is usually filled with sphagnum moss, which can be kept moist. Your plant's aerial roots can then find their way into the moss and begin anchoring themselves to the pole, they can also have a little drink whilst they are there.

Essentially, we're trying to give the plant something vaguely resembling a tree. Just significantly smaller, and without the bugs... hopefully 😬

Why Do Plants Like Moss Poles?

A lot of popular houseplants are natural climbers. Monstera, Philodendron, Pothos and plenty of other aroids spend their lives looking for something to climb.

Give them nothing and they'll improvise.

Unfortunately, their definition of something to climb may eventually include your wall, furniture or anything else within reach. Believe me when I say, those roots can cause some damage... Sorry Wifey.

Growing Up Instead of Out

Without support, climbing plants have a tendency to sprawl. That adorable little Monstera you bought two years ago can eventually become an enormous green octopus occupying half the room. A moss pole encourages vertical growth instead.

Mature Growth

You'll sometimes see claims that:

MOSS POLES GIVE YOU MASSIVE LEAVES!!!

It's slightly more complicated than that.

Providing proper climbing support can help a climbing plant develop more mature growth, but a moss pole isn't a cheat code. Light, nutrition, watering, genetics, temperature and the maturity of the plant all matter too.

Put a Monstera on a moss pole in a dark cupboard and you're still going to have a very unhappy Monstera.

Which Plants Actually Need a Moss Pole?

“Need” might be slightly strong.

But moss poles are particularly useful for climbing plants that produce aerial roots.

Good candidates include:

• Monstera

• Philodendron

• Pothos / Epipremnum

• Rhaphidophora

• Syngonium

• Scindapsus

• other climbing aroids

If your plant naturally wants to climb, it's probably worth considering.

If it doesn't? Don't randomly give it a moss pole because TikTok told you to.

Does My Monstera Need a Moss Pole?

Technically, no.

Your Monstera isn't going to dramatically collapse and die because it doesn't have one. But Monstera are climbing plants.

As they mature, they can become big, heavy and increasingly determined to head in whichever direction they fancy.

Giving one proper support helps control that growth and gives its aerial roots somewhere to attach.

It's especially useful if you'd prefer your Monstera to grow upwards rather than gradually claiming ownership of the entire room.

Moss Pole vs Coir pole

These get confused quite a lot, mostly because sellers of coir poles call them moss poles... even though they don't contain any moss... go figure.

Coir poles can provide great support for a plant that would otherwise topple over, but they do not provide a moist environment for aerial roots to grow and root into efficiently or provide water for those roots to drink. 

What Do You Put Inside a Moss Pole?

You can put in whatever you like, but our preference is sphagnum moss. Sphagnum absorbs a lot of water while still maintaining air around the roots.

Before filling your pole, soak the moss and gently squeeze out the excess water, Then fill the pole. Don't cram it in, you want to keep it airy and leave space for the roots to penetrate, but you don't want it too loose that it does not provide a stable base, nice and firm should do it.

Does a Moss Pole Need to Stay Wet?

It should be that terrible word, moist. Too wet and excess water will dribble down and flood your pot, too dry and the roots won't bother growing and the moss will become hydrophobic, making watering harder.

You want it like a Mary Berry cake... moist.

Why Does Moss Pole Design Matter?

The more moss that's exposed to the surrounding air, the faster it can lose moisture and the more work you have to do. That's why we have designed our moss poles with an enclosed back.

The back does not need to provide contact to a plant on the other side, so just makes sense.

It doesn't mean you'll never have to water your moss pole again, we haven't defeated evaporation, but it helps.

How Do You Water a Moss Pole?

Gravity is your friend. Water from the top and the it will absorb into the first layer of moss, once that layer has had it's fill, the excess water will travel down to the next later, so on and so forth.

Our modular moss poles use a removable water feeder at the top, allowing water to gradually move down through the sphagnum. If you have a homemade moss pole, a plastic bottle with some holes in will do the trick.

How often you'll need to refill it depends on your home.

Temperature, humidity, airflow, pole size and the amount of moss all make a difference so don't water on a schedule. Check the moss.

Too much water and the excess will flood the pot below, too little and your aerial roots won't grow properly. 

Also, if you let the moss dry out too much, it will become hydrophobic, meaning the water will run off, usually to the outside of the pole and run straight into the pot. You have been warned!

How Do I Attach My Plant to a Moss Pole?

Should be pretty obvious but the back of the plant goes against the pole. If there are no aerial roots you should see little bumps (root primordia) where roots will grow from, this is what you want facing the moss.

Position the stem against the pole and loosely secure it with something gentle such as plant ties or Velcro. You want it firm enough so the young aerial roots can touch the moss (Just the tip 😏) but not so tight that the plant feels like a hostage, potentially damaging the stem.

Just keep the stem close enough for new aerial roots to find the moss.

A note of caution, please avoid attaching the petioles (the stalks connecting leaves to the main stem) as these need freedom to move so they can orient themselves towards the light. Stick to the stem and you are golden 👍

When Should I Give My Plant a Moss Pole?

Earlier is easier. Smaller plants are generally easier to work with and new aerial roots will grow into the moss much easier. Older, woody aerial roots may not root in.

That said, you can absolutely add one later.

Repotting is usually a good opportunity because you've already disturbed the plant and can position the pole properly alongside the root ball.

How Tall Should My Moss Pole Be?

Slightly taller than the plant itself so it has room to grow. If it is a lot taller than the plant, you will be watering a lot of moss that is not doing anything.

Too small and the new growth of the plant will have nothing to latch onto and grow may stall. 

We have designed our moss poles to be modular so they can grow with your plant so they are always the perfect length.

Why Choose a Modular Moss Pole?

The biggest advantage is simple:

you don't have to replace it every time your plant grows.

Your plant may already have roots established throughout the lower sections of the pole.

The last thing you want to do is rip all of that apart because the pole isn't tall enough anymore.

With a modular system, the established section stays exactly where it is, you just add another section to the top and let the plant carry on.

Round vs D-Shaped Moss Poles

Round poles have a smaller footprint and a more traditional pole shape. They're useful when pot space is limited or you simply prefer a slimmer support.

D-shaped poles provide a wider growing surface facing the plant while keeping the rear enclosed. That gives aerial roots plenty of access to the sphagnum.

For bigger climbers such as Monstera and Philodendron, that wider growing surface can be particularly useful.

What Should a Moss Pole Be Made From?

You'll find all sorts.

Wire mesh. Plastic mesh. PVC. 3D-printed PLA. 3D-printed PETG. Homemade poles constructed from whatever somebody found in the shed.

For our own moss poles, we use PETG.

Why?

Because we're designing something that's going to spend its life around water + damp sphagnum + humidity.

PETG is tough and moisture resistant, making it well suited to the job.

It also allows us to 3D print features that would be difficult to achieve with a traditional DIY pole, including modular connections, enclosed backs and integrated watering systems.

How Do You Extend a Moss Pole?

With a modular pole, it's refreshingly uneventful.

For the round moss poles, you grab the next piece and screw it in.

The the D-shape, our poles come with a connector piece and screws, simply slot in the connector piece and the next piece of pole and screw onto the existing one.

Can Moss Poles Cause Root Rot?

A wet moss pole doesn't automatically equal root rot.

The aerial roots growing into the moss aren't the same as the plant's main root system sitting in waterlogged compost. However, remember that water moving through your moss pole may eventually make its way into the pot.

So if you've just thoroughly watered your plant and then pour half a reservoir through the moss pole, that water hasn't disappeared into another dimension.

Take it into account.

Good drainage and an appropriate potting mix still matter.

Do I Need to Push the Aerial Roots Into the Moss?

No wrestling required. Point them towards the moss and keep the plant reasonably close to the pole. New aerial roots can find their way through the openings themselves.

If you've got a mature aerial root pointing completely the wrong direction, don't aggressively bend it around as you may damage them... then you will feel like a bad plant parent.

How Do I Choose the Right Moss Pole?

Easy, choose ours 😏

Ok, so you want one that is stable, easy to grow along with your plant, doesn't require a 42 page manual to put together, is easy to water and something most people forget:

Does it look good in your home!

No point growing a lovely beautiful plant and then putting it on an ugly pole. Plus, it would be nice if it matched your house décor, right?

Our Approach to Moss Poles

When we designed the Pot It Like It's Hot moss pole systems, we concentrated on the annoying bits.

Moss drying too quickly, awkward watering, plants outgrowing fixed poles, bulky supports and plant accessories that look like something you'd rather hide behind the foliage.

So our moss pole systems feature:

• modular, extendable sections

• different designs for growing surfaces

• enclosed backs to help reduce moisture loss

• removable water feeders

• secure pot stands

• moisture-resistant PETG construction

• 11 colour options

• UK design and production

Our D-Shaped Modular Moss Pole gives larger climbers a wide growing surface. Our Round Modular Moss Pole provides the same basic system in a more compact form.

And because they're modular, when your plant reaches the top you don't need to start again. Just add another section.

The Bottom Line

Moss poles aren't compulsory.

Your Monstera isn't going to report you to the plant police if you don't buy one.

But if you have a climbing houseplant and want to encourage it to grow vertically, a moss pole can provide both physical support and somewhere for its aerial roots to establish themselves.

Choose a design that suits your plant. Fill it with sphagnum. Keep it reasonably moist. Give your plant plenty of light and good general care. And then enjoy the brief period where everything looks beautifully under control...

...Until the plant reaches the ceiling.