Easy
How to care for it, step by step
Care guide checked on
Is it for you?
Suitable for a home with light and climbing space. It grows large, so allow for a sturdy support and keep leaves clear of walkways. [1]
Where to put it
Place near a bright window with strong sun filtered by a curtain. Avoid radiators and draughts. A room around 18–25°C is suitable. [1]
When and how to water
Check the potting mix with a finger: wait until roughly its upper quarter is dry. Then water thoroughly and let it drain; check again before repeating in winter. [2]
Pot and growing medium
Use a pot with drainage holes and an airy tropical-plant mix. When roots fill the pot, choose one only a few centimetres wider in spring. [1]
Step by step
If something looks wrong
New leaves without holes
Check
Is the plant young? Juvenile leaves can be uncut. [2]
What to do
Do not cut them; compare later growth and check that light is adequate. [2]
Unhappy leaves and wet pot
Check
Check moisture and drainage; appearance alone cannot diagnose damaged roots. [2]
What to do
Remove standing water and wait for the stated drying stage before watering again. [2]
Read the sources (2)
- How to grow Swiss cheese plants Royal Horticultural Society · accessed 7 Oct 2026
- Monstera deliciosa NC State Extension · accessed 7 Oct 2026
Monstera deliciosa is a climber from the wet tropics, native to a region Kew identifies as Mexico to Guatemala. Adult leaves are broad, with splits along the edges and openings inside. Aerial roots help it climb: its original setting was a forest, rather than a living room. [1][2]
Young plants usually have leaves without the characteristic holes; as they mature, they can produce new leaves with openings. To observe the difference, compare a small leaf with a more developed one without cutting anything. Those natural perforations need no scissors: the plant runs its own graphics department. [3]
Take this with youLook closely: whole and perforated leaves can reveal different stages of growth.
Read the sources (3)
- Monstera deliciosa Liebm. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · accessed 8 Sept 2026
- Monstera deliciosa (F) Royal Horticultural Society · accessed 8 Sept 2026
- How to grow Swiss cheese plants Royal Horticultural Society · accessed 8 Sept 2026
Original writing and illustration made with AI assistance. Our editorial method
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