Swiss Cheese Plant, Monstera deliciosa

FAMILY:
Araceae

ORIGIN:
Neotropical America

DESCRIPTION:
Robust, strong climber with thick sparingly branched stems; broadly ovate to heart-shaped long-stalked leathery, glossy, mid to deep green leaves 12 – 36″ long; each leaf is pinnatifid and often perforated with elliptic to oblong holes between the main lateral veins; grows 30 – 70 ft. in nature; possesses a geniculum (rough bump) at the petiole that distinguishes it from the Philodendron genus; this geniculum allows the leaf to rotate in order to absorb more light

CULTIVATION:
Water moderately; fertilize monthly; bright, indirect light

PROPAGATION:
Sow seed or leaf cuttings

COMMENTS:
It takes about 10 months from first spathe formation to fruit ripening. Fruit tastes like a combination of pineapple and kiwi. Just be sure that it’s yellow before eating!

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