MONSTERA ADANSONII, THE SWISS CHEESE PLANT

Monstera is a very easy plant to grow as a houseplant. He loves to climb, so provide him with a stake or trellis to climb. It can also be left hanging, but a climbing Adanson Monstera (another name) will produce larger leaves. This is my plant, I grow it as a pendant. In this way it tends to develop longer stems but with smaller leaves.

The Swiss cheese plant is a tropical ornamental plant that has aerial roots that grow from the stem. The roots rest against the ground or any available support, which gives the monstera the ability to climb like a vine if supported. Without support, they tend to hang or crawl.

The potted monstera will need a stake if you want it to climb. In nature, she uses her aerial roots to climb up the trunk of a tree or any nearby woody plant. When growing as a houseplant, you can simulate this by inserting a stick with moss in the center of the container.

Adanson’s Monstera is native to the jungles of Central and South America, where they grow under the canopies of large trees. Therefore, plants grow best in filtered sunlight. They can also withstand the morning sun, but not longer than two to three hours.

This plant grows best in peat-based potting soil. Peat helps retain moisture in the soil without making it soggy. For strong growth, a soil pH of 5.5 to 7.0 should be sought. The pot must have a drainage hole that allows all the excess water from the irrigation to evacuate.

Before watering a monstera, test the substrate with your finger. Dip your finger into the dirt (up to the knuckles, if possible) to check if it’s wet or dry. If the soil is almost dry, water it. Don’t let the soil dry out completely.

SPREAD OF THE MONSTERA

To reproduce a monstera, the ideal is to take a stem cutting and plant it using rooting hormones. Nail the cutting into substrate and keep it warm (above 20ºC / 60ºF and protected until you notice new growth. Cuttings may take a while to root, so be patient and keep them in a warm and humid place.

Cuttings can also root simply by inserting the cut stems in water for a few weeks. Once a network of roots appears, plant the cuttings in potting soil. In this photo you can see mine, I put them in water about a month ago and they already have good roots. I want to test if they are plants that grow only in water.