Swiss Cheese Plant or Vine (Monstera adansonii)

Add to My Plants (7)

Close

No account yet? Register

Plant Details

Category: Houseplants

Light: Bright Light

Bloom Season:

Height: 2-3' /

0.6-0.9m

Space: 2-3' /

0.6-0.9m

Zones: 11, 12

Lowest Temp: 50° to 80°F /

10° to 27°C

Colors: Grown for foliage

Basic Care

Plant in organic-rich, well-drained soil. Keep soil moist during periods of active growth. Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly. Dust leaves occasionally to keep plant looking its best. Prune to maintain desired size. Potted plants benefit from a support stake made of wood or coco fiber to give the plant a place to climb.

Water

Water every 5 to 7 days depending on light and temperature. Keep soil evenly moist, but not soggy.

Soil

Light, well-drained soil.

Feed

Once every month through spring and summer.

detailed care guide →

Fast Growth

Heat Tolerant

Ornamental Foliage

Containers

Hanging Baskets

Features

Swiss cheese plant gets its funny name from holes that naturally develop in the plant’s leaves as they mature. The holes give the leaves the appearance of sliced Swiss cheese, but in nature they allow water and sunlight to flow through to lower parts of the plant. Monstera is native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America where it climbs into the trees so the ability for air to flow through the foliage also helps keep strong tropical winds from pulling the vines down.

A word of caution; monstera plants contain a substance called calcium oxalate that is toxic to cats and dogs.

Uses

Looks beautiful trailing from a hanging basket or grown as a potted plant near a bright window. Can also be grown as a patio plant during the summer and brought indoors for the winter.

Swiss Cheese Plant or Vine (Monstera adansonii) Care Guide

Start with a good quality, commercial potting soil. These are usually lighter in weight than topsoil, sterile and pest-free. Many are available with a mild starter fertilizer in the mix.

Select a container with a drainage hole or be prepared to drill holes for drainage if there are none.

Prepare the container by filling with potting soil up to 2” (5cm) from the rim of the planter. Remove the plant from its pot.

Make a small hole in the soil slightly larger than the root ball either by hand or using a trowel. Insert the plant into the hole and press soil firmly around the roots and just covering the root ball. When all the plants are potted, water thoroughly to settle the soil and give plants a good start. Place plant in a reliably sunny location.

Repot every 2 years in the same container or in a container slightly larger than the diameter of the roots.

Prefers moist but well-drained soil. Check the soil moisture with your finger. If the top 2-4” (5-10cm) of soil is dry, or plants are wilted, it is time to water.

Apply water at the soil level if possible to avoid wetting the foliage. Water the entire soil area until water runs out the base of the pot. This indicates that the soil is thoroughly wet.

Most container plants can be pruned freely to maintain the desired size and shape. Keeping the foliage trimmed also keeps the plants looking neat and tidy, encourages the plant to develop more side-shoots and flowers, and reduces the demand for the plant to develop a larger root system. This is important since the roots are in a confined space.

Fertilizers are available in many forms: granulated, slow-release, liquid feeds, organic or synthetic. Determine which application method is best for the situation and select a product with a nutritional balance designed for foliage plants.

Too much fertilizer can damage plants so it’s important to follow the package directions to determine how much, and how often, to feed plants.

Slow-release fertilizers are an especially good, care-free choice for container plants. A single application can often provide plants with the proper level of nutrition all season long.

Companion/Combination Plants

Croton Outdoors (Codiaeum variegatum)

Details & Care Guide

Philodendron (Philodendron species)

Details & Care Guide

Swiss Cheese Plant or Vine (Monstera adansonii)

Plant Details