Axillary Bud

If you have already confirmed Monstera reversion, the next question is not “which green leaf should I remove?” It is which lower growth point should become the new leader. Quick answer: trace the vine backward from the newest solid-green growth. Look for a lower node where visible cream or white variegation still crosses the stem near the axillary bud. If that node is healthy, make the corrective cut above it, leaving the chosen node and bud on the mother plant. ...

Understanding the difference between a Monstera node and an axillary bud makes propagation and reversion pruning much easier. They are related, but they are not the same thing. Quick answer: the node is the section of stem where a leaf and other structures attach. The axillary bud is the small growth point associated with that node that can activate and produce a new vine. For a variegated Monstera cutting, you want a healthy node with a viable bud and, ideally, visible variegation running through the stem near that growth point. ...