A species of flowering plant native to southern Mexico and Panama, Monstera deliciosa is a hardy and easy to care for plant known by many names, but most commonly the âSwiss cheese plantâ due to the unique development of ridges and holes on its more mature leaves. The âdeliciosaâ part of the plantâs name comes from the pineapple-like fruit it bears in its natural habitat!The Variegated Monstera requires similar care to that of the solid green Monstera deliciosa. The main difference is the white portion of the variegated Monstera leaves cannot absorb light, so the plant needs to work twice as hard to photosynthesize. Therefore, low light conditions are not ideal and you should keep your variegated Monstera in bright ambient light to make it happy.
Monstera likes soil that is evenly moist, but not constantly saturated. Don't let the pot sit in a tray of water. If you tend to overwater your plants, use a moisture meter.
It does best with bright light, but not much direct sun, unless it's weak sun. The leaves might burn if exposed to too much sun, so its best to filter it through a curtain, shade cloth, etc.
Monstera likes moderate amounts of fertilizer and does not need a lot of fertilizer to be happy. Feed about every 3-4 months with a general-purpose fertilizer that contains micronutrients. Follow the dosage on the package.
Monstera likes well-draining soil that's high in organic matter. A typical mix is 3 parts potting soil to 2 part perlite, pumice or coarse horticultural sand. An alternate mix is 2 parts of coco fiber or peat, 1 part small-grade orchid bark, and 2 parts perlite. If you tend to overwater your plants, add extra perlite to your mix.
The plant can eventually grow 15+ feet vertically and horizontally if left unpruned, however you may cut it back to any size you wish. It will form side shoots from below where you prune
It can handle a wide range of temperatures, but it's happiest between about 65-85 degrees F (18-29°C).
Use a pot with drainage holes. A permanent home for a large, mature plant that is allowed to spread would be about 10 gallons (40 liters), but if pruned shorter it may be kept in a smaller pot.
