Monstera Adansonii Houseplant Care Guide

Must-Have Jungalicious Vine

This month we are featuring a plant that adds the perfect jungalicious vibes to any home. If you love the Monstera Deliciosa but don’t have the room for this giant houseplant, the plant we’re featuring this month might be the perfect solution! It has the same unique impact just in a smaller, more manageable size.

Introducing… Monstera Adansonii

Plant Level: Intermediate

Cost: $20-$50

Winner of the most jungalicious vine (awarded by us)

Monstera Adansonii

The Monstera Adansonii plant goes by many names, five holes plant, trailing split-leaf plant, monkey mask plant and our personal favorite, the swiss cheese vine. This cute nickname is the perfect description for the holes that begin to appear more and more on the leaves as the plant ages. This plant is part of the Araceae family and originates from Central and South America. In its natural habitat, this plant loves to climb. It will attach itself to tree trunks and branches through aerial roots and make its home reaching for the sun. 

As it started trending on social media in recent years, its rise to fame made it rare and hard to come by. Luckily, more recently, it’s starting to be offered at many local nurseries and even some big box stores. Now that it’s available for all, grab yourself one, and let’s learn everything you need to know to have a thriving swiss cheese vine!

Light:

Thrives best in bright, indirect light. Can handle short periods of direct sunlight but long exposure will burn the leaves. Add a grow light bulb to a nearby light fixture to help supplement light if needed. It can tolerate low light situations but this environment will slow its growth significantly.  

Water:

Finding the right watering schedule for your swiss cheese vine might take a little bit of time and effort on your part. You want to find a good balance between not letting your plant dry out fully and not overwatering. Once the soil barely begins to dry out, the top inch or two of soil, it’s time to water. When you water make sure to water thoroughly. Plant your Monstera Adansonii in a pot that has great drainage to help prevent root rot.

Soil:

Use a quality well-draining houseplant soil. Mix in some bark and perlite for the perfect houseplant soil. 

Humidity:

The most difficult part about keeping this houseplant happy in our homes is its need for humidity. Native to tropical jungles it thrives in a very humid climate. Without it, the plant will produce smaller leaves that are farther apart. Add a humidifier to your space to help increase the humidity for your plant. You can also mist daily to help boost humidity levels around the plant temporarily. 

Fertilizer:

During the growing season, spring through summer, use a quality houseplant fertilizer to help this jungle queen explode with new growth. 

Toxicity:

This plant is moderately toxic to pets and humans. Keep out of reach of curious pets and children. 

Swiss Cheese Vine Varieties

These are different varieties of the swiss cheese vine. The two main varieties that you’ll find readily available are the narrow leaf form and the wide leaf form. The differences are right in the name with the narrow leaf form, the leaves are skinnier and pointier; and with the wide leaf, the leaves are rounder and wider in shape.

If you’re looking for an ultimate unicorn plant check out the Variegated Monstera Adansonii! This absolute stunner is super rare and will cost you a pretty penny if you’re looking to add it to your collection.

Special Considerations:

The swiss cheese vine loves to climb. If you don’t have it trailing give it some support by adding a moss pole. When allowed to climb the leaves of this plant can grow even larger!

Get your Monstera Adansonii here

Our favorite way to display the Swiss Cheese Vine is in a hanging planter!

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Here’s your Monthly Plantspiration featuring the Monstera Adansonii

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