Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa)

Everyone loves a cheese plant! The distinctive cuts and holes in the leaves make the Monstera a firm favourite plant for the home. A relatively fast growing plant, and the leaves can turn into huge, showy masterpieces. 

There are numerous types of Monstera, but the deliciosa has the glossiest, largest leaves of the more common varieties. 

The Monstera deliciosa is a fairly hardy plant, and can tolerate both low and high light conditions. However in order for optimal growth, you want to ensure it has a good level of indirect sunlight, ideally close to a window. With darker conditions, you'll find the plant will get quite leggy and leaves not as full.  

Although Monstera originate from more tropical regions, spraying the plant can be a little troublesome when it gets to mould and disease. It's better to water the soil directly, to keep the root system damp. They don't need constant watering, and a sign of your Swiss Cheese Plant needing a top up is when the top layer of soil becomes dry. 

In the wild, Monstera deliciosa can grow as tall as 60 feet! But you're unlikely to achieve that in the house. With ample repotting, periodic fertilising, and ideal light conditions, you can expect your plant to reach a height of around 10 feet at it's peak.