Tons of common names exist for this plant. There is a variety of distinct appellations for the fruit salad plant, Swiss cheese plant, and monstereo. It has been likened to the Mexican breadfruit, as it has little ability to bear fruit. The Monstera adansonii species is sometimes referred to as the Swiss cheese plant.
In the southeastern portion of the United States, it is commonly referred to as a hurricane plant. The leaves of this plant, which have the shape of ears, are wide, but covered with numerous holes created in their natural state. This also gives it the Swiss cheese plant name!
This type of thing has its roots in the tropics of Mexico, Central America, and South America. This plant organism typically lives in rainforests and grows on other plants. It has its origins in the soil, but its roots can also be found along its stem. The roots function as an aerial support and enable the tree to climb higher by grabbing on to bark.
Every part of the split-leaf philodendron is toxic at some stage. No part of the plant, including the leaves, stems, sap, and roots, is suitable for consumption. Given the suitable environment, the plant can produce flowers with a unique spiky appearance.
The flower spike is not edible at the beginning, but later ripens into a unique and consumable fruit. These rarely produce flowers outside of their natural habitat. Greenhouse conditions can mimic their habitat more accurately.
Monster fruit is edible provided you don't have an intolerance for calcium oxalate crystals, however, it should only be consumed when ripe. Green fruit can bring about inflammation of the throat and mouth.
The plant is not cultivated for its produce or its peculiar, bristly blossom that results in its fruit. Instead, it’s grown for those dramatic leaves. The leaves typically grow to be 1-2 feet long when they are in a container. The leaves in their native environment can attain a length of up to 3 feet.
Some cultivated varieties of monstera have leaves with intricate patterns of stripes and spots of white and cream. A mature planting of variegated monsteras with their vibrant hues of leaves is certainly an eye-catching sight within the home. Do not mix up these sweet species with Monstera variegata. Is the fruit of Monstera variegata edible? The same goes for other variegated monsteras.
Caring For Monstera Deliciosa
These are some tips for creating the most optimal environment for your plant.
Light and Temperature
Your monstera plant loves bright, indirect light. It doesn't take much direct sunlight for this to get scorched, which is quite unexpected! Refrain from forgetting, this organism favors living on the ground of the forests of Central America and South America.
It is recommended that the Swiss cheese plant be kept in an area with either partial or full shade exposure. Make sure the room has plenty of natural light, but try to avoid direct sunlight as much as possible.
This tropical plant thrives best in temperatures between 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature falls below fifty degrees Fahrenheit, no further development will occur. If you don't want your plant to perish, you should keep it away from any places that are frigid.
This plant should only be cultivated outdoors if the area’s USDA zone falls between 10 and 11, given the optimal temperature conditions in those areas. If your plant is cultivated in the outdoors, it has the possibility of reaching up to 10′ tall if it is given the correct support. This seldom happens indoors.
Individuals from other regions should make the decision to only keep their plants indoors. Ensure that your jungle plant is kept within the correct temperature range and that the necessary humidity is provided.
Water and Humidity
Drinking an excessive amount of water will make your monstera plant more likely to have rotting problems. But too little, and it may wilt. We should review how to give your plant the most optimal hydration and humidity.
When the ground is arid to around 2 inches beneath the earth, you should start to irrigate. Provide water at the base of the plant. Fill the pot to the brim, then let the extra water run off. Make sure to water the soil multiple times so that it is sufficiently hydrated.
Once the plant has been waterlogged for the last time, drain any residual water remaining in the plant's dish. If you have a tray, disregard this part; if not, move on.
In the winter, slow down your watering frequency. Allow the soil to dry for at least 3 to 4 inches before withholding water, yet make sure the plant does not get wilted. Monstera requires much less water during the winter months.
Humidity-wise, high humidity is preferable. However, your plant can tolerate drier conditions occasionally.
To keep the atmosphere around your plant damp, you can spray it with water. Sprinkling must take place twice every week and should be performed during the morning so the surplus moisture will evaporate. Use filtered water or distilled water to do this.
There’s an extra step with monstera, too. It may be necessary to scrub the leaves of your plant, especially if it is living inside. Add a couple of drops of washing-up liquid to a bowl of water. Soak a towel in the liquid, squeezing out the surplus liquid, and then take that to clean the leaves. Having a cleaning each month will help to lessen the amount of dust gathering on the foliage and help to keep away unwanted pests.
Soil
Monstera likes soils with some sand and a lot of peat, as long as the soil doesn't keep too much water. The ground should be filled with essential elements and should retain moisture without becoming too waterlogged.
I prefer to mix up a conventional potting soil and throw in some extra sphagnum moss. This works surprisingly well. You should consider adding some perlite to your potting mix if it doesn't already contain it. Doing so will help with drainage.
Fertilizer
You have two options for feeding your monstera plants fertilizer.
The primary, and most widely used, option is to locate a liquid fertilizer that consists of 20-20-20 proportions. Mix about a half teaspoon of the substance into a gallon of water. Put the material directly into the ground in lieu of the regular watering. Drain off any extra liquid in the tray when you have finished.
Granules of slow-release fertilizer can be employed to fertilize Swiss cheese plants. Look for a fertilizer containing an equal amount of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, along with a satisfactory amount of magnesium. It's most advantageous to select a fertilizer that contains organic nitrogen since it can be more readily consumed by a plant.
Spread 1/4lb of granules every two months in the first year of the plant's growth. Do not fertilize in the winter. In subsequent years, gradually increase the fertilizer to 1lb. Cut back on fertilizing to occur two to three times during the growing season.
For Monstera deliciosa transplants, it is recommended to choose a sandy soil with a low pH and give it an annual drench of water. The best time to do this would be June during the early summer season. Combine chelated iron with water to give your plants the iron enrichment they require.
Propagation
Propagating Monstera deliciosa can be done using seeds, cuttings, dividing the plant, or by an air layering technique.
Finding the seed of a plant can be a challenge, since it's not typically located in young vegetation. It is essential to plant this plant quickly since it creates fruit and its seeds don't stay fresh for a long period. Cover the soil lightly, and keep it damp until it sprouts in approximately a couple of weeks. It will take quite a while for plants seeded to mature into larger-sized plants.
Take sections from fresh, vigorous leaves that have aerial roots connected. Using sharp pruning scissors, make the cut below a leaf joint, being sure to include the roots in the cut. You can submerge your cuttings in water or put them into a prepared planting medium. Rooting hormones are not needed as Monstera swiftly starts making new roots.
Splitting is not feasible for young vegetation, but it is a wise decision for more established ones. Divide some of the suckers into 12-inch pieces and carefully press them into the ground. The plant will start to expand its roots, and begin to grow.
Finally, there’s a technique called air layering. Moisten some sphagnum moss, wringing out excess water. Wind the material around the spot where a branch root and foliage axil is situated.
Secure the moss with string and envelope it with plastic wrap or a plastic bag when in position. Ensure that your bag has air vents, or make some openings to let air pass through. Fresh offshoots should appear within a few months, and you can cut below the roots to transplant elsewhere.
How Do You Make Monstera Grow Faster?
If you combine all of the individual care suggestions, your Monstera will expand rapidly and you'll have your own jungle in a few weeks.
Giving Monstera plants more light can speed up their growth.
This is possibly the most significant action you can take to speed up your plant's growth.
Your monstera needs light to create energy to grow. In that respect, the more light the better.
Although you are likely aware, the sun is very hot and it can cause burns.
The best way to guarantee optimal growth is with a south or west-facing window that has textured glass or a sheer curtain.
I prefer to bask in the morning sun while facing east, but doing so can bring a lot of unwelcome bugs, thus it is not suitable for the weak-hearted.
My variegated Monstera is afflicted with a higher risk of burning, so I am careful to keep it in a room facing west, but far enough away from the window.
Lights that are specifically designed to encourage growth can dramatically increase the rate of growth, while also reducing the chances of scorching variegated Monstera plants.
Grow lights are beneficial for more than just providing light; they can also generate some warmth, speeding up the rate at which plants grow and allowing them to continue developing throughout the year.
Not all lights are the same when it comes to providing energy for plants – grow lights are significantly brighter than regular LED bulbs, yet normal LED lights can still give some contribution to helping them thrive.
If your plant is located in an area with minimal or average light, don't expect it to achieve rapid growth. It should turn out perfectly acceptable, with the potential to flourish as much as possible.
Brightening the area can lead to your Monstera becoming more full.
If light is abundant, the internodal spacing is smaller.
An increase in brightness will result in shorter inter-node distance, giving the plant a more bushy appearance. Using stakes makes the task simpler and the presentation much cleaner.
When plant people refer to a plant as being leggy, they are referring to it having a large area between its nodes.
Monstera plants can be made to develop rapidly by providing adequate hydration.
Monstera requires plenty of water, but like other vegetation, an excessive amount can cause root rot.
If you want your plant to increase in size rapidly, take a look at the soil occasionally. Water it thoroughly when it’s almost dry.
It's unlikely that drying out your Monstera will cause fatalities, unless this happens sporadically, yet it will force your plant to switch into ‘survival mode’, devoted entirely to preserving its life.
Activities like making new leaves and adding aerial roots will be delayed.
To speed up the growth of Monstera, raise the level of humidity in their environment.
This is the second most critical factor for significantly boosting Monstera growth, next to supplying more light.
So why put it third, below watering?
You can decide how often you water your plant without spending too much additional money.
It's tough to increase humidity in your home without investing in a humidifier.
Monstera can tolerate the humidity found in an average room, which is usually about 40%.
If your goal is to make your Monstera grow quickly and become large, 40% likely won't be enough to reach your goal quickly.
Obtain a hygrometer on Amazon if you are unaware of your humidity levels. This product is equipped with a battery, and can show the humidity and temperature. They are pretty cheap.
65% humidity is…great. Very good.
Reach the 1980s, then you can anticipate significant expansion.
If you're devoted to getting your monstera to produce more foliage, and your air moisture level is less than 60%, then it's recommended that you buy a humidifier. Spraying the cage with water may help transfer illnesses and bacteria, and stone dishes might be suitable, but neither solution is going to increase the humidity sufficiently.
It is unlikely that you would choose to live in an environment with 80% humidity. Sixty-five percent is more probable, yet I must tell you that very humid conditions are vital for rapid growth. If you are aiming to cultivate a juvenile Monstera expeditiously, putting it in a terrarium is an excellent option.
An easy way to make a super moist atmosphere is to use terrariums or cloches. You can also keep the plant in its original pot, so that it's simpler to move it when it grows beyond its boundaries.
Employ moss or coconut fiber as a base and maintain elevated humidity by misting the coconut fiber daily. It’s easy to get humidity into the 90s.
You can increase the growth rate of Monstera by keeping them in an orderly fashion.
Cleaning off the dirt and dust from your monstera is not a glamorous way of stimulating it to create more leaves.
It is free though!
This is a perfect opportunity to finally use that nice Mister you purchased – although I have never seen one that is especially attractive. I opt for amber glass spray bottles since I appreciate their decorative, yet practical, nature.
I used to blend neem oil and dish soap, but I now prefer to use a foliar spray specifically intended for orchid plants. Both are fine. I don't know which one is superior, but the foliar spray has a more pleasant odor.
Give your plant a generous misting, then use a cloth or paper towel to wipe down each leaf.
If you're quite thorough, you could use a microfiber cloth to remove the dust before applying the spray and wiping.
The application of neem oil spray works to repel bugs and eliminate any that may already be present. I have spiders living on my plants that feed on any bugs that may be present. It functions properly if you are able to keep them in place.
Leave a Reply