Monstera Deliciosa
An incredibly popular houseplant – our own Monstera deliciosa! The delicious monster!
A native of the Mexican region, Monstera has been adopted all around the world. It remains one of the most popular houseplants. A water lover that grows best in semi-shade, Monstera’s popularity is due to its unique and interesting leaves. It has unusually large leaves that have natural holes and indentations. In fact, it was because of its large-sized leaves that it was named Monstera in the first place.
But why is it called deliciosa? Well, that’s because of its incredibly delicious and edible fruit! Yes, Monstera houseplants don’t produce flower and fruit because of which we have remained ignorant about this attribute. In the wild, its fruits look somewhat like the maize, and take an incredibly long time to ripen – more than a year! The ripened fruit gives out the fragrance of pineapples and bananas.
You know its other moniker? Swiss Cheese Plant (which, incidentally, is also the name of its close relative, Monstera adansonii) and Fruit salad plant. Both monsteras love water and must be watered frequently during summer months – even up to twice a day.