The plant of the day (8) - Monstera deliciosa

In its native habitat from Mexico to Panama, the Swiss cheese plant will scramble up the trunks and along the branches of large trees, anchoring itself by means of string aerial roots, which also take in moisture and nutrients, It matures into a large plant with heart-shaped leaves, up to 18in. (45cm) across on 1 ft (30cm) stalks. The common name arises from the leaves , which are undivided on a young plant, but which gradually become deeply incised between the veins, with holes in the remaining sections.

Size :  Height 10ft ( 3m ) or more
Light : Indirect sunlight
Temperature : Normal room.
Moisture : Keep barely moist all year round.
Feeding : Apply standard liquid fertilizer once a month from spring through to fall.
Propagation : Take tip cuttings with two leaves in spring, or stem cuttings of  a single node with a short length of stem. Alternatively, layer or air-layer.
Special needs :  Train the stem against a moss pole -  this will allow the aerial roots to anchor and take in moisture in the same way that they would in the wild

Monstera deliciosa

Comments

Popular Posts