Spotlight on Monsteras

Some can be huge such as the commonly known Monstera deliciosa where leaves can be over 1 metre long, or as flat as the shingling Monstera dubia. One cool feature is that there can be a stark contrast between juvenile and mature foliage. There is normally a transition to fenestrated (holes in the leaves) and potentially a huge jump in size of leaf and stem. Monstera typically climb and their aim in their natural rainforest environment is to climb a tree to get up towards the sun. Fenestrations allow air flow around leaves without the wind potentially damaging leaves (say in a storm) although it does look as if a caterpillar has had a field day at first glance. The fruit of some Monstera is edible, so another name for Monstera deliciosa is ‘Fruit Salad Plant’.