Species · genus Monstera · Araceae

Swiss Cheese Plant

Monstera deliciosa Liebm.

Also known as: Fruit Salad Plant · Mexican Breadfruit · Tarovine · Cut-leaf-philodendron · Locust And Wild Honey

Growth habit

liana

Native range

Guatemala, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest

Reference · M. deliciosa

Cultivars of M. deliciosa

The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.

‘Mint’

This Monstera Mint Variegated carries minty white and pale g…

Early

‘Thai Constellation’

Monstera deliciosa 'Thai Constellation'

Well-documented

Guide

The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.

Watering rhythm

Let the top few centimetres of mix dry before watering again — in most homes that lands every 7–10 days, stretching longer in winter. Deep, thorough waterings beat frequent sips; let the pot drain fully.

Source: ai:claude-fable-5

Light and fenestration

Bright, indirect light is what earns the famous splits. In dim corners new leaves come smaller and solid; a few hours of gentle morning sun is welcome, harsh midday sun scorches.

Source: ai:claude-fable-5

The moss pole

This is a climbing aroid — give it a moss pole or totem early and the leaves size up dramatically with each new node. Left to sprawl, it stays juvenile far longer.

Source: ai:claude-fable-5

Care recipe

The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.

Care notes are early — not yet verified

Light: Horta curated (seed)
Water: Horta editorial (hand-curated)
Humidity: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Soil: ai:claude-fable-5
Care: ai:claude-fable-5

Light

Bright, indirect

Water

≈ every 7 days

Humidity

Medium

Temperature

18–29 °C

Soil mix

Chunky, well-draining aroid mix — bark, perlite, and potting soil

Propagation

Stem cuttings with a node, rooted in water or moist mix

Fertilizing

Balanced liquid feed monthly through spring and summer; rest in winter

Growth rate

Fast

Flowering

Rarely flowers indoors; mature outdoor plants bear spathe-and-spadix blooms

ToxicityAuthoritative · species

Toxic to cats & dogs

Insoluble calcium oxalates — oral irritation, drooling, vomiting. This is where toxicity lives: every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.

Reference images

Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.

No reference gallery yet

A few clear photos — habit, a mature leaf, a flower if it blooms — would give this page its eyes.

Add images

Sources: Horta curated (seed) · Horta editorial (hand-curated) · ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-fable-5 · ASPCA

Kept true by its growers

Every fact here carries its source. Grow Swiss Cheese Plant yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — is exactly what keeps this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.