The purpose of the aerial roots is to grow down into the soil as the plant's stem gets a larger diameter and gets longer, to anchor the plant and allow it to climb. Cutting it would serve little purpose, especially if it has only the one leaf at present time. Those roots should grow pretty quickly down to the soil line and bury themselves, but, you can speed the process by doing what Mentha said, bury the stem farther in the pot. Your plant may have poor variegation for two reasons: either, again like Mentha said, it has never received enough light and needs more, or it may be a genetically weak example of the variegated Monstera. The variegation on these plants is variable. All have the gene for variegation, but whether it is well expressed in each specimen is another thing. If you give it more light and let it start to climb, so that the leaves will get larger as it goes up, you will give it the best chance to reach its full potential.

Hi Sheri! If the plant is truly Monstera deliciosa it isn't a Philodendron at all. The genus Monstera contains 33 to 36 or so species depending on the scientific source quoted. There are many scientific names in the genus but almost all have been sunk into synonymy with a much smaller number of accepted species names. It sounds as if you've done your homework already since you know the name of the botanist that originally published the plant or at least his abbreviated name so I'd say you actually have that species. Monstera deliciosa has a number of natural variations and some produce leaves that remain very small for the entire life of the plant. I was recently given a cutting from a 20 year old plant the the largest leaves weren't 12 inches wide. Philodendron is a very large genus with something close to 1000 species divided into three major sections but that is a totally different discussion. The same common name is used for Philodendron bipinnatifidum (P selloum) since it has multi-lobed leaf margins (edges). Even if the plant were P. bipinnatifidum the growth method is basically the same. It sounds as if your growing conditions are good for Monstera deliciosa since it is very tolerant. I doubt you can over water it since it naturally grows along steam banks in southern Mexico and most of Central America. However, the soil mixture may not be good for this species. Monstera require a very fast draining soil so if you have it in Mississippi clay the roots may not be able to freely grow and gather water and nourishment. The other possible cause would be either lack of or over fertilization. Either is just as bad. Most commercial growers prefer something like Osmocote 30-30-30 for large aroids. If the soil is good I'd try the fertilizer first. If the soil has not been amended I would suggest you mix a large quantity of moisture control potting soil with about 20% peat moss and add a BUNCH of cypress mulch. If you can find a bag of cheap orchid bark with charcoal add that as well along with any compost you can find. I know it may be a big job but if you dig the plant up and replant it in this mix it should begin to thrive. My big question is the weather in your area. Although Monstera deliciosa will likely survive, it will be temporarily stunted by extreme cold. The species is not know to do great much north of Orlando so keep that in mind. You can shield it from the cold during any really cold nights but try to keep it from long exposure. You should know this species craves to climb. I have several large specimens in my own atrium and one is now 10 feet up the nearest tree. I've seen them in the tropics and in South Florida at least 50 feet into the canopy and have read of them climbing much higher. Other than that, without photos to examine I'm not sure what other advice to offer.

Overwatering is really a misnomer. What's really going on is that some types of soil can stay moist for too long, because of the texture of the particles, and they way they lodge tightly together, filling all spaces in the pot. When that happens, there are no tiny air pockets and roots can rot. When a drip saucer is used, the bit of standing water in there can also be lethal to roots. When roots are rotting, they are unable to deliver moisture and nutrients to the leaves, and the effects manifest as yellowing, brown edges, eventual death of the plant. Learning how to avoid that can greatly increase your success with any potted plants. To read specifically about that, this article is extremely informative. Bagged potting soil is often not what one would describe as well-drained, especially after significant time has passed. It can settle (in conjunction with some decomposition as well) and suffocate roots as it turns into muddy muck. Meanwhile, the roots have filled the spaces they find suitable, and eventually run out of room to grow. A well-drained soil... water flows out as fast as you can pour it on, and dries within a few days. The way (stuff to use, amounts of it) to achieve that is the worthy subject of debate, but about the principle, there is a huge confluence of agreement. Ideally, about any (non-cactus) plant would like to have soil that is never dry, never soggy, always well aerated.

Yeah, taking a closer look, it looks like the seller didn't give you very much stems to work with. All I see there are the petioles, which connect the leaves to the stems. New growth will only emerge from the stems, and you weren't given much of that to even work with. So I would ask for a refund or replacement, if at all possible.Here's a closeup of my plant's stems. They're what the roots are emerging from, as well as the petioles. Looking closer at your photo, I don't see any stems whatsoever. To me, it looks as though the seller just snipped off a couple of short growth tips and stuck them in some pots. Have you unpotted them? Do they have any roots at all? If so, then they might pull thru. Just as long as the stems, what little of them there are, are still firm and viable. Under ideal conditions, these plants just might make it. But unless you got these for a very cheap price, then they weren't worth whatever price you paid for them. My first ever Monstera was a very healthy, well-rooted plant with multiple stems and at least a dozen or so leaves, and it only cost me around seven dollars. I've seen large, two-gallon sized pots of Monsteras for sale at Home Depot for just over twelve dollars. I just took a quick glance of the selection over on Amazon and none of them seemed reasonably priced. Even if these plants didn't suffer any cold damage, I wouldn't find these cuttings acceptable. Not for those prices. Places like Home Depot or Lowe's sell large Monsteras for only $12.98. Much more bang for your buck. Get your money back and shop elsewhere. If the seller doesn't work with you, then post a negative review, along with your photo. They ripped you off.