Monstera Varieties

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Monstera deliciosa — the Swiss Cheese Plant

The original and most iconic monstera. Monstera deliciosa produces large, glossy, heart-shaped leaves that develop deep splits (lobation) from the leaf edges and oval perforations (fenestrations) through the blade as the plant matures. Young plants start with solid, unperforated leaves; the characteristic holes only appear once the plant is mature enough and receives sufficient light.

It is a climbing plant in nature, using aerial roots to ascend trees. Indoors, a moss pole or stake encourages the plant to grow upward and produces larger, more fenestrated leaves. Without support, it sprawls. Can reach 5 to 8 feet indoors over several years.

The "borsigiana" variant sold in many nurseries is slightly smaller-leafed and faster-growing than the true species. It is often mislabeled simply as M. deliciosa. The geniculum (elbow) on the petiole is more pronounced on true deliciosa. For practical care purposes the difference is minimal.

Care: Medium to bright indirect light. Water every 1 to 2 weeks, letting the top inch dry. Normal indoor humidity (40 to 60%) is fine. Toxic to cats and dogs.

Monstera adansonii — Monkey Mask Monstera

A smaller, more trailing monstera with elongated leaves covered in multiple oval holes that go entirely through the leaf blade from an early age. Unlike deliciosa, which develops holes only with maturity, adansonii produces holes even as a young plant. The leaves are narrower and more pointed than deliciosa.

Adansonii is well-suited to hanging baskets, shelves, or climbing a thin pole. It grows faster than deliciosa and tolerates medium light better. There is a wide-form and narrow-form variant; the narrow form has more elongated leaves with larger relative holes.

Care: Medium to bright indirect light. Water when the top inch is dry. Higher humidity (above 50%) encourages larger leaves with more holes. Toxic to cats and dogs. For full details, see our Monstera adansonii care guide.

Monstera Thai Constellation

A tissue-culture-produced variegated form of M. deliciosa with creamy white and pale yellow variegation splashed and speckled across the green leaves like a star constellation. The variegation is stable, meaning it does not revert to solid green, which is a significant advantage over Albo Variegata.

Thai Constellation was originally produced in Thailand (hence the name) and was extremely expensive when supply was limited. As more tissue culture labs have scaled production, prices have dropped substantially. It is now more accessible than Albo Variegata, though still more expensive than standard deliciosa.

Care is the same as standard deliciosa but the plant grows slightly more slowly due to reduced chlorophyll in the variegated areas. Give it bright indirect light to support the less efficient photosynthesis. Highly variegated (mostly cream) sections are beautiful but grow very slowly.

Monstera deliciosa Albo Variegata

The most visually dramatic variegated monstera: large blocks of pure white on green leaves, sometimes producing half-and-half leaves that are literally white on one side and green on the other. Unlike Thai Constellation, this variegation is a natural genetic mutation, not tissue culture. It is unstable, meaning sections of the plant can revert to solid green.

Albo Variegata is propagated by stem cuttings only, and each cutting may or may not carry forward the variegation. This unpredictability, combined with slow growth and high demand, keeps prices high. Sections with mostly white leaves are beautiful but fragile; with little chlorophyll, those leaves cannot photosynthesize efficiently and the plant needs very bright indirect light to compensate.

Prune back any stems that revert to solid green to encourage the plant to continue producing variegated growth. Never let the plant produce more than 2 to 3 fully white leaves in sequence; the following leaf will usually be partially green to compensate.

Monstera dubia

A climbing monstera with an unusual juvenile form: the small, heart-shaped leaves lie completely flat against whatever surface the plant climbs on (a board, a wall, a tree trunk). In this shingling form, the leaves alternate sides as the plant climbs, creating a striking pattern pressed against the surface. The juvenile leaves are solid green with silver variegation.

In maturity (which usually requires a very large, established plant in ideal conditions), M. dubia produces large perforated leaves similar to other monstera. Most hobbyists keep it in its shingle form, which is unique and highly sought-after. It requires a flat climbing surface to display properly; without one, it sprawls and the leaves do not press flat. Rarer and more expensive than deliciosa or adansonii.

Monstera siltepecana — Silver Monstera

Another shingle-type monstera in its juvenile form, with silvery green elongated leaves that flatten against climbing surfaces. More common than M. dubia. In mature form (rarely seen indoors) it produces large fenestrated leaves. Juvenile siltepecana is often confused with Scindapsus pictus (satin pothos), which it resembles. In good conditions it climbs readily up a moss pole. More available and less expensive than M. dubia.

Monstera obliqua — the rarest true monstera

Monstera obliqua is one of the rarest monstera species and one of the most misidentified plants in the hobby. True obliqua has extremely thin, delicate leaves that are more hole than leaf tissue, sometimes 90% perforations. It is extremely difficult to grow indoors, requiring very high humidity and very careful care.

Almost everything sold as "M. obliqua" is actually M. adansonii. True obliqua is vanishingly rare in cultivation. If a plant is easily available and reasonably priced, it is almost certainly adansonii, not obliqua. True obliqua collectors are very specific about provenance. Do not pay obliqua prices for a plant without verified authentication.

Rhaphidophora tetrasperma — "Mini Monstera" (not actually a monstera)

Sold everywhere as "mini monstera," Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is not in the Monstera genus. It is in the same family (Araceae) and has a similar split-leaf appearance, but is a distinct plant. It is faster-growing than true monstera, stays smaller, and is much more widely available and affordable.

R. tetrasperma produces split leaves from a younger age than monstera deliciosa. It climbs enthusiastically and does well on a moss pole. Care is similar to monstera: medium to bright indirect light, let the top inch of soil dry between waterings. Toxic to cats and dogs. Its scientific name is sometimes abbreviated as "Rhaphi" in the plant community.

Varieties comparison