Swiss Cheese Vine

How to care for Swiss Cheese Vine

Light

Monstera adansonii grows best in bright, indirect light, such as that found a metre or two back from a south- or east-facing window screened by a sheer curtain. It can adapt to moderate light levels but growth will slow and the characteristic leaf fenestrations may be less pronounced. Direct summer sun, particularly through glass, will scorch the foliage and should be avoided.

Watering

Water thoroughly when the top 2-3 cm of compost have dried out, allowing excess to drain freely through the pot. Reduce watering frequency in autumn and winter when growth slows. Overwatering is the most common cause of decline; soggy compost encourages root rot, so never allow the plant to sit in standing water for prolonged periods.

Soil and potting

A well-draining, peat-free potting mix is ideal. A suitable blend consists of a general houseplant compost combined with perlite or coarse grit at roughly a 2:1 ratio to improve aeration and drainage. The roots need sufficient oxygen, so compacted or heavy soils should be avoided.

Feeding

Feed once a month during the active growing season (spring through to early autumn) with a balanced liquid fertiliser diluted to the manufacturer's recommended strength. No feeding is necessary during winter when the plant is largely dormant. Avoid over-fertilising, as salt build-up in the compost can damage roots.

Humidity and temperature

As a tropical species, Monstera adansonii prefers relative humidity of 50% or above. In drier homes, placing the pot on a tray of damp pebbles, grouping it with other plants, or using a room humidifier will help. Keep the plant at temperatures between 18 and 27 C and protect it from cold draughts, open windows in winter, and temperatures below about 13 C, which can cause cold stress and leaf damage.

Repotting

Repot every one to two years in spring when roots begin to circle the base of the pot or emerge from drainage holes. Move up one pot size (typically 2-3 cm larger in diameter) to avoid an excessively large volume of compost that retains moisture around the roots. Use fresh potting mix at repotting to replenish nutrients and improve soil structure.

Pruning

Pruning is not strictly necessary but can be carried out in spring or early summer to control the plant's length, encourage bushier growth, or remove any damaged, yellowed, or dead stems. Cut cleanly just above a node using sterilised scissors or pruning shears. Removed healthy stem sections can be used for propagation.

Is Swiss Cheese Vine toxic?

Common problems

How to propagate

Stem cuttings in water

Cut a healthy stem section of 10-15 cm containing at least one node and one or two leaves. Place the cutting in a jar of clean water, ensuring the node is submerged but leaves remain above the waterline. Keep in a warm, bright spot and change the water every few days; roots typically appear within 3-6 weeks, after which the cutting can be potted into compost.

Stem cuttings in compost

Prepare a stem cutting as above and insert it directly into a small pot of moist, well-draining potting mix, ensuring the node is buried. Cover loosely with a clear plastic bag to retain humidity, place in a warm position with bright indirect light, and roots should establish within 4-8 weeks.

Air layering

Select a healthy stem with a visible node, make a shallow upward cut or remove a small ring of bark just below the node, pack damp sphagnum moss around the wounded area, and wrap tightly with clear polythene film secured at both ends. Roots will grow into the moss over several weeks; once well-developed, cut the stem below the rooted section and pot it up.

Where Swiss Cheese Vine comes from

Native to Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Leeward Is., Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, Windward Is.. Now naturalised or cultivated in 1 other regions worldwide.

Story and origins

The genus name Monstera is believed to derive from the Latin word 'monstrum', meaning monster or marvel, likely a reference to the striking, perforated appearance of the leaves, which early European botanists found extraordinary. The species epithet 'adansonii' is a Latinised patronym honouring Michel Adanson (1727-1806), a French-Scottish naturalist and botanist who was among the first to formally describe the species from specimens collected in tropical America. Together, the full name translates roughly as 'Adanson's marvel'.

Monstera adansonii was first described scientifically by Michel Adanson in 1763 based on material from South America, and the species was subsequently further documented as botanical exploration of the New World tropics expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries. For much of the 20th century it remained less prominent in horticulture than its better-known relative Monstera deliciosa, but it gained considerable popularity as a houseplant from the 2010s onwards, partly driven by the broader resurgence of interest in tropical foliage plants and partly by its relatively compact size making it suitable for smaller homes. In its native regions across Central and South America it grows as part of the understorey flora of humid tropical forests, climbing trees without significant cultural symbolism attached to it in the way that some other tropical plants have acquired.

Varieties to know

Monstera adansonii 'Variegata'

A variegated form bearing irregular patches or streaks of white or cream on the foliage; considerably slower growing than the species type and rarer in cultivation.

Monstera adansonii 'Archipelago'

A highly sought-after variegated cultivar with bold, block-like sections of white variegation on the leaves; commands high prices due to its scarcity.

Monstera adansonii var. laniata

A naturally occurring variety with slightly larger, more elongated leaves and fenestrations that tend to be positioned closer to the leaf margin; sometimes sold as a distinct plant in specialist nurseries.

Fun facts

• The fenestrations (holes) in the leaves are thought to serve an adaptive function in the wild, allowing strong rainforest winds to pass through without tearing the leaf blade, and potentially enabling light to reach lower leaves in the dense understorey canopy.
• Despite its common name of Swiss Cheese Vine, the plant is not closely related to Monstera deliciosa (which is more typically called the Swiss Cheese Plant), and the two are separate species with notably different leaf shapes and sizes.
• In its natural rainforest habitat, Monstera adansonii is hemiepiphytic, beginning life as a ground-rooting seedling and then climbing up tree trunks using aerial roots, sometimes eventually losing contact with the ground entirely.
• The species was formally described by the French botanist Michel Adanson in 1763, making it one of the earlier Monstera species to be documented by European science.
• Monstera adansonii produces aerial roots along its stems that it uses both to cling to surfaces and to absorb moisture and nutrients from the surrounding air and debris in the wild.

Swiss Cheese Vine FAQ