Limited Edition Variegated Monstera

For more care advice about Ziggy, check out our complete guide to Swiss cheese plant care.

You won’t find a variegated Monstera in the wild. In fact, it’s very hard to come by anywhere. This extraordinary plant is the result of some very careful cultivation. It’s so rare and so prized that plants have been known to exchange hands for thousands of pounds.

The reason it doesn’t appear in the wild is because the plant naturally wants to be all green. The white variegation makes it more delicate. The green parts of the leaf contain chlorophyll, which allows plants to absorb light, which they turn into energy. The white parts contain no chlorophyll. So variegated plants have to work harder to live.

This is still a very happy plant, it just requires a little more care to keep it healthy. Because it absorbs light less efficiently, it needs lots of it (but not direct sun). If you don’t have ample light, the all-green Monstera, Chaz, is an ideal alternative. It can happily live in semi-shade.

If you have the right conditions for the variegated variety, you are in for a treat. This plant is basically a celebrity.

Did you know?

Variegated Monstera are so desired that some varieties are developed in high-tech laboratories.