Raul654 · CC BY-SA 3.0
About
Known by common names like 'Swiss cheese plant' or 'split-leaf philodendron,' *Monstera deliciosa* is highly valued for its dramatic, large, and naturally perforated leaves. The plant is also notable for its edible, sweet fruit, which ripens to a flavor reminiscent of a fruit salad.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant has large, leathery, glossy, pinnate, heart-shaped leaves that can measure 25–90 cm long by 25–75 cm broad. Young leaves are entire, but mature leaves develop prominent lobes and perforations (fenestrations). The inflorescence features a cream-white spathe covering a yellowish-white spadix, which is 10 to 15 cm high and about 3 cm in diameter. The fruit is up to 25 cm long and 3–5 cm in diameter, resembling a green ear of maize covered in hexagonal scales.
Distribution & habitat
Native to humid tropical forests in lowlands and on lower mountains, specifically in southern Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama. It can also be found introduced in Florida, Malaysia, India, Australia, and the Western Mediterranean.
Cultivation notes
It prefers bright indirect light and temperatures between 20–30 °C (68–86 °F). It requires a well-draining, peat-based soil, such as a mix containing perlite and bark. It is best grown in areas where it can climb, such as against a trellis, and should be watered when the soil has slightly dried out.
History & etymology
The specific epithet deliciosa means 'delicious,' referring to the edible fruit. The genus *Monstera* is named from the Latin word for 'monstrous' or 'abnormal,' referencing the unusual leaves with natural holes. Common names in Spanish and French refer to the change of the leaves from entire to fenestrated.
Habitat
- Altitude
- —
- Altitude Class
- —
- Native To
- Malaysia, Portugal, Colombia, Venezuela, Florida, Mexico, Australia, India, Morocco
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy
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