A Coco Coir Plant Pole, often called a Moss Pole or Totem Pole, is an essential accessory for many popular indoor plants. It is a vertical support structure made from a stake that is tightly wrapped in coconut husk fibre (coir). The coir material is natural, biodegradable, and provides several key benefits for climbing plants, particularly aroids like Monsteras, Philodendrons, and Pothos.
Key Features and Benefits
- Natural Support: It mimics the trunks of trees and other structures that climbing plants naturally grow up in the jungle, providing a strong anchor point.
- Encourages Maturity: The rough, fibrous texture allows the plant’s aerial roots to firmly grip and embed themselves. When aerial roots attach and receive moisture, the plant is tricked into thinking it’s climbing high, which encourages it to produce larger, more mature leaves.
- Moisture Retention: The thick coir fibre holds moisture, which is highly beneficial for the aerial roots. You can spray or mist the pole to provide local humidity and moisture directly to the climbing roots.
- Easy Installation: The pole can be easily pushed into the potting mix of your plant’s container.
- Extensible: Many modern coir poles are designed to be stackable, allowing you to easily add another pole on top as your plant grows taller.
Usage Tips
- Placement: Insert the pole firmly into the centre of your plant’s pot, taking care not to damage the main root ball. Do this when potting up to avoid root damage later.
- Attachment: Gently secure the main vine or stems of your climbing plant to the pole using soft garden ties, twine, or velcro strips.
- Encouragement: Make sure the aerial roots are pressed against the coir. Regularly mist the pole (not just the leaves) to encourage the aerial roots to grow into the coir. This is critical for getting those big, beautiful leaves!
