Monstera: July Plant of the Month

If you’re looking for a big, fun, statement house plant, a monstera is the right pick for you! It is a great option to fill an empty corner with it’s funky, glossy, large leaves.

Technical name: Monstera Deliciosa
AKA: Split-leaf Philodendron or Swiss Cheese Plant

The monstera is a member of the arum family. They are actually lianas from Panama and southern Mexico. In the wild, monstera plants use their aerial roots to secure themselves to tree trunks, rocks or the soil. They wrap and climb upwards, growing their large leaves providing shade. They are native to southern Mexico, but you can create a similar environment at home and enjoy Monstera wherever you live! 

As mentioned, the monstera is a climber, so you want to make sure it has something it can attach on to for support. It is a fast growing plant (1-2 feet per year) when kept in indirect light and moderately watered. They do like the humidity, so you can have a humidifier around it or occasionally mist the leaves with a spray bottle. Monsteras are toxic to humans and pets, so be sure to keep yourself, your fur babies and kids away.

Tips for caring for a Monstera plant:

-Do not place in full sunlight. It needs sunlight, but full sunlight is too much and will burn the leaves.

-Monsteras will grow toward the sun, so make sure to rotate them.

-Water your Monstera moderately. The soil can stay lightly damp, but do not drench. 

-You can propagate a Monstera plant by trimming one of the leaves and placing it in a glass of water for it to root. 

-the nickname “Swiss Cheese Plant” comes from the unique holes the leaves have in them. 

-Monstera plants can live up to 40 years.

-Research shows that Monstera plants are highly effective at purifying the air!