How To Care For Plants

How to care for a Monstera adansonii (Swiss cheese vine)

Monstera adansonii

Care facts verified
Swiss cheese vine (Monstera adansonii) climbing a tree trunk, its leaves riddled with oval fenestration holes
Photo: Carlos Henrique RussiCC0source

Smaller and faster than its cousin the deliciosa, Monstera adansonii punches neat oval holes right through each leaf rather than splitting at the edge. It vines eagerly in bright indirect light, wants an airy mix to dry at the surface before each drink, and rewards 60%-plus humidity with bigger, holier leaves. Soggy compost rots the roots — the one thing that kills it. Toxic to cats and dogs.

Care at a glance

Light
Bright, filtered light all dayClose to a bright window behind a sheer curtain; deep shade leaves it sparse and hole-free, while unfiltered direct sun bleaches and scorches the thin leaves.
Water
When the surface of the mix has driedRoughly weekly in summer, less in winter; water until it drains and tip away the excess, since wet feet quickly rot the fine roots.
Soil
Light, chunky aroid mixCoco coir or compost with orchid bark, perlite and a little charcoal so water races through.
Humidity
Wants 60% or higherThe defining holes develop more readily in humid air; group it with other plants, use a pebble tray, or run a humidifier.
Temperature
18–27 °C (64–81 °F)Keep it above 13 °C (55 °F) and away from draughts and air-conditioning blasts.
Difficulty
EasyA vigorous, forgiving grower as long as it has warmth, humidity and a free-draining pot.
Pets
Toxic to petsToxic to cats and dogs — like the rest of the genus it carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that burn the mouth and throat and trigger drooling and vomiting if chewed (ASPCA).

Where it comes from

Native rangeHumid lowland rainforests of Central and tropical South America, from Costa Rica and Panama through the Antilles to Brazil

Propagation

Adansonii is one of the quickest aroids to multiply. Locate a node — the knuckle where a leaf, sheath and aerial root meet — and cut the vine just below it so each cutting carries at least one node and a leaf. A piece without a node will never root, however long you wait.

Stand the cuttings in water, changing it weekly, or press them into damp sphagnum; roots usually show within two to three weeks because the vine is so eager. Pot several rooted cuttings together into airy mix for a full plant, and train the new growth up a moss pole — climbing stems produce the largest, most heavily fenestrated leaves.

Common problems

  • New leaves are small and have no holes

    Likely cause: Too little light, a very young plant, or no support — fenestration develops as adansonii matures and climbs toward brighter light.

    Fix: Move it brighter, give it a moss pole to ascend, and feed in the growing season; mature climbing stems start punching the characteristic holes.

  • Yellowing leaves low on the vine

    Likely cause: Most often overwatering and a waterlogged mix; the fine roots suffocate and begin to rot.

    Fix: Let the surface dry before watering, confirm the pot drains freely, and trim any soft, dark roots when you repot.

  • Crispy brown leaf edges and slow growth

    Likely cause: Air that is too dry for this humidity-loving rainforest vine, sometimes worsened by hard-water salts.

    Fix: Raise humidity, water with rainwater where you can, and keep it clear of radiators and cold draughts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Monstera adansonii and Monstera deliciosa?

Adansonii is smaller and faster-growing, with thinner leaves whose oval holes sit fully enclosed inside the leaf. Deliciosa is much larger and its mature leaves split open at the edges. Adansonii also never develops the deliciosa's edible fruit indoors.

Why does my Monstera adansonii have no holes?

The fenestrations only appear as the vine matures and climbs in good light. A young plant, or one grown dim with nothing to climb, makes solid leaves. Give it bright indirect light, a moss pole and humidity, and the holes follow on the newer growth.

Should I grow my Monstera adansonii trailing or climbing?

Both work, but climbing gives the best plant. Left to trail it stays smaller-leaved; trained up a damp moss pole it mimics the tree trunks it scales in the wild and produces noticeably larger, more heavily perforated leaves.

Is Monstera adansonii the same as a 'Monstera obliqua'?

No, and the mix-up matters. True obliqua is a rare, paper-thin plant that is almost more hole than leaf; almost every plant sold as obliqua is actually an adansonii. If yours grows fast and is widely available, it is an adansonii.

Sources

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