Swiss cheese plant

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

This plant’s latin name, monstera deliciosa, translates as - you’ve probably worked this out - ‘delicious monster’. And isn’t it just. The monster part is likely because of its huge, glossy leaves. The delicious part is because in the wild it bears (apparently) very tasty fruit. Either way, this limited edition monstera is monstrously bigger than most and the ultimate king of the jungle. 

The reason its leaves have all those holes is because it’s used to growing in jungle shade. It’s an epiphyte, which means it grows in crevices in large trees. The gaps in its leaves allow the available light to reach the lowest foliage. The holes in the leaves develop as the plant grows larger, which is why this monstera has far more holes than its younger, smaller brothers.

With its gorgeous foliage as its crowning glory, it’s a real statement piece, wherever you put it. It’s not hard to take care of and is tolerant of surprisingly low light. It will also love you if you give it a feed with liquid fertiliser once a month in spring and summer. It will help it grow big and strong.

Did you know?

When it grows really large, the Swiss cheese plant grows long, aerial roots. In Peru, these roots are used to make ropes.