| Information | Swiss cheese plant |
|---|---|
| Common names: | Swiss cheese plant, monstera, ceriman, Mexican breadfruit, fruit salad plant |
| Botanical name: | Monstera deliciosa (syn. Philodendron pertusum) |
| Family: | Arum (Araceae) |
| Type: | Climbing evergreen houseplant |
| Repotting season: | Spring |
| Height: | 3m (10ft) or more |
| Spread: | 1.5m (5ft) or more |
| Aspect: | Bright, indirect light |
| Temperature: | 18 to 29°C (64 to 84°F) |
| Hardiness: | H1B |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
One of the largest and easiest houseplants you can grow, the Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) injects a room with charm, colour, and architectural shape. Yes, it looks as seventies as Paisley print, but this lovable, old faithful is having a much-deserved revival.
One of the plant's defining features is its enormous heart-shaped leaves, which are capable of reaching 90 centimetres in the right conditions. Once mature and in a bright position, they develop slits and fenestrations (holes) that resemble Swiss cheese and stencil the floor and the walls with light when the sun shines through them. The plant's other famed characteristic is its size: capable of bonkers proportions, it can grow into an impressive feature in a large room. As a houseplant, 3 metres is decent, but monstera can live for decades and could grow a lot bigger. In the rainforests of its native Mexico and Guatemala, this beautiful beast can pull itself all the way up 20-metre trees using its aerial roots. As they will receive more sunshine, the leaves further up the tree have more prominent holes and slits, which allow light and rain to fall onto the rest of the plant beneath. In the wild, mature monstera produce white spathe blooms, followed by fruit that is said to be delicious, if you get the timing right. Picked too soon, the ceriman or Mexican breadfruit, as it's known, could burn your mouth, thanks to a high level of calcium oxalate. It takes a year or more to ripen, at which point the cob-shaped 25-centimetre fruit's wonderful scent becomes less intense and it begins to shed its scales. The taste is said to be similar to a mix of pineapple, kiwi, strawberry, and banana, hence one of the plant's common names: fruit salad plant. Sadly, as a houseplant it’s very unlikely a monstera will bear fruit, but it easily earns its place by having leaves the size of dinner plates and heaps of character.
Where should I put Monstera deliciosa?
Swiss cheese plants dislike direct sunshine. Ideally, place them in bright or medium indirect light; they will tolerate part shade, but the leaves won't grow as big or as holey. Being fond of humidity, monstera does very well in bathrooms and kitchens. It can survive down to 10°C (50°F), but won't grow as well as it will at 18 to 29°C (65 to 85°F).
How do you care for a Swiss cheese plant?
Watering and feeding
When the compost feels dry or the pot is light when you lift it, give your Swiss cheese a drink by sitting its pot in water in the sink or bath for half an hour to an hour. Whilst the water is soaking up, wipe dust off the leaves using a damp cloth and aerate the soil by gently plunging a chopstick into it a few times; let the water drain away before putting it back on its tray. The compost can be kept a little moist (but never waterlogged) during summer, but let it dry out completely before watering in winter. Add food to the watering can once a month, during spring and summer.
When your monstera has grown into a hefty beast, watering becomes tricky! The simplest method is to pour water into the pot and allow it to soak in for half an hour to an hour, before siphoning the excess water out of the tray with a tube.
Humidity
Since this jungle plant enjoys humidity, it is well worth sitting your monstera on a tray of pebbles and water and misting the leaves regularly, if it isn't growing in a humid environment (such as a bathroom).
Support
Once it reaches a decent size, your Swiss cheese will have the oomph to climb. Provide support in the form of a central pole, and help it to climb by gently tucking the aerial roots around the pole and into the compost. In time, once the plant reaches a substantial size, a solid frame may be required; although it might be preferable – for solidity and aesthetics – to have someone build a bespoke wall-attached metal or wooden frame, if you intend your monstera to become a large room feature.
Pruning and bushiness
If necessary, cut the plant back in spring, but be warned its leaf size may be smaller at first when it re-grows. Monstera deliciosa is a climber, and the best way to make it look bushy is to provide it with support, as detailed above.
Repotting
When repotting is necessary, use a mix of potting compost, perlite, orchid bark, and horticultural charcoal. Wait until the plant is fairly dry to do it. Choosing a light pot may seem logical (should you need to move it), but could cause the plant to topple over, in which case a heavier, sturdier pot (sat on a good-sized tray) is better, with watering carried out by siphoning (as detailed above).
5 Other easy, leafy, large houseplants to grow
*Rubber plant (Ficus elastica) - Excellent for architectural shape, this dark-leaved leathery evergreen is a doddle to grow in humid rooms, such as a kitchen. A huge tree in its native habitat in Asia, but rarely exceeds 2.5 metres as a houseplant.
*Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) - With trunk-like stems, this undemanding fig eventually grows into a graceful 3 or 4-metre house tree. The variegated forms inject rooms with light. Weeping figs loathe draughts and love bright, indirect light.
*Bamboo palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) - A mass of lightweight emerald fronds, this leafy low-maintenance star enjoys humidity and bright, indirect light. Can grow to 4 metres in warm conditions, but unlikely to reach that as a houseplant.
*Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) - A vigorous vine with heart-shaped green leaves marbled with cream and gold. Air-purifying, shade tolerant, and hardy, it is easy to grow as a trailing or climbing plant. Capable of 20 metres, but can be pruned.
*Fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) - Bearing huge upright glossy green leaves that are the shape of a violin, this fashionable African evergreen can reach 2.5 metres in filtered sunshine and humidity. Pinch out the growing tips to encourage it to branch.
Mini monstera to try
Monstera adansonii is very similar to the Swiss cheese plant but has ovate leaves that are much smaller. Both are climbers, but in the UK the Swiss cheese often looks more like a shrub. M. adansonii on the other hand is more vine-like and can be vigorous, making it a great trailing or climbing plant for large light-filled rooms.
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma resembles a miniature Swiss cheese plant, but has leaf cuts (as opposed to holes). It's excellent for growing around a frame or pole and can reach high ceilings.
What are the white bugs on my monstera?
Mealybugs are insects that can attack Swiss cheese plants in conservatories; look for them on the undersides of the leaves. If you don't want to use insecticide, a severe infestation is often best dealt with by throwing the whole plant away. Alternatively, bring in predatory ladybird beetles (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) to polish off the mealybugs.
Monstera safety for children and pets
Never try to re-pot or move a large, heavy monstera on your own as you could injure yourself. The plant is toxic, so avoid buying one if you have a small child, cat, or puppy that eats everything in sight.
