Houseplant · Araceae
Swiss Cheese Vine
Monstera adansonii
Give it bright indirect light and something to climb and the Swiss cheese vine settles in fast, its hole-punched leaves filling out before you know it.
Bright indirect
60–85°F · 16–29°C
USDA 10–12
3–8 ft · 0.9–2.4 m
Overview
The Swiss cheese vine gets its cheerful name from the rows of holes that open across its leaves as it grows up. It is a climbing aroid from the tropical forests of Central and South America, where it scrambles up tree trunks toward the light. That same climbing habit comes with it indoors, so it is happiest trained up a moss pole or trailing down from a high shelf.
It sits in the arum family beside philodendrons and pothos, and like its cousins it asks very little of you. Bright indirect light, a chunky mix that drains well, and a drink only when the top of the soil has dried are most of the work, and none of it is hard to get right. The holes, known as fenestrations, are your reward, and they widen as each leaf grows.
It is easy to mistake this for the larger Monstera deliciosa, though it is really a smaller, quicker vine with a finer look. Give it warmth, humidity, and room to climb and it grows fast, which makes it a forgiving plant for a first try. The one thing to hold onto is that every part of it is toxic if a pet or child chews on it, so keep it up out of reach.
Care
The short version: give it bright indirect light, a well-draining pot mix, and water only once the top inch or two has dried. Keep it warm and humid, offer something to climb, and it will grow fast and forgive the odd slip.
Light
For the fullest leaves and the most holes, give it bright indirect light. It gets along fine in medium light or partial shade, though growth slows and the leaves stay smaller and more solid there. Just keep it out of harsh direct sun, which scorches the foliage.
Water
Wait until the top 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of soil has dried, then water thoroughly and let the pot drain. Soggy soil is the quickest way to rot the roots, so when in doubt, lean dry. This vine is easy to read and lets you know it is thirsty long before it ever sits too wet.
Soil
A well-draining, organic-rich potting mix is ideal, especially loosened with some bark or perlite so water passes right through. It is relaxed about pH and happily takes anything from 6.0 to 8.0. What matters most is the drainage, not the exact blend.
Temperature
Keep it between 60°F to 85°F (15.6°C to 29.4°C), which suits most warm homes just fine. It has no frost tolerance and sulks in a cold draft, so keep it clear of chilly windows and air conditioning vents in winter.
Humidity
This tropical vine loves air above 50% humidity. It will manage in ordinary room air, but a little extra moisture rewards you with bigger, healthier leaves. A pebble tray, a humidifier, or a bright bathroom spot all do the trick.
Feeding
Through spring and summer, feed it every two weeks with a balanced houseplant fertilizer at the usual strength. Ease right off in fall and winter as growth slows. That steady feeding through the warm months is what keeps it growing so fast.
Pruning
Trim leggy vines to keep the plant looking full, and cut off any damaged leaves down at the base. Pruning during the growing season is a bonus, since it hands you cuttings to root. Pinching the tips encourages bushier growth instead of one long bare stem.
Repotting
Move it into a fresh pot every 1 to 2 years in spring, going up just one size when roots poke through the drainage holes, circle the pot, or growth stalls. Fresh mix and a touch more room keep this fast grower happy. Slipping in a stake or pole at the same time gives it something to climb.
Size & spacing
Trained up a support indoors it climbs to about 3 to 8 feet (91 to 244 cm) tall, with a spread of roughly 1 to 3 feet (30 to 91 cm). Give it room to climb or trail and the vines fill the space in no time.
Troubleshooting
Almost everything that troubles this vine comes back to how you water it and the air around it, and the good news is that most of it is easy to reverse. Catch the early signs on the leaves and roots and you can set things right before they spread. Find what you are seeing below, then act while it still helps.
Mushy roots and a wilting plant
Root rot is the more serious one, and it happens when roots stay wet too long and start to suffocate; tip the plant out and you will find them brown and soft. Take heart, because even now you can rescue it: trim away every soft root and settle the plant into fresh draining mix. Just water more gently from here on and it has a real chance to bounce back.
Fix:
- Unpot plant
- Cut away rotten roots
- Repot in fresh draining mix
Leaves turning yellow
Try not to worry if a leaf goes yellow, because overwatering is nearly always the cause and it is easy to correct. Feel the soil and the base of the stem: if the soil stays wet and the stem feels soft, that is your answer. Water less, let the pot drain well, and wait for the soil to dry before the next drink and the plant will settle again.
Fix:
- Reduce watering
- Ensure pot drains freely
- Let soil dry before next watering
Dark spots on the leaves
Those brown or dark leaf spots turn up when water lingers on the foliage and the air around the plant sits still, and they are gentle to fix. Snip off the marked leaves and try to keep water off the foliage next time you water. Give the plant a little more breathing room too, and dry leaves with fresh air moving past them will keep new spots away.
Fix:
- Remove affected leaves
- Avoid wetting foliage
- Improve air circulation
Fine webbing and speckled leaves
Spider mites tend to arrive when the air goes dry, and they leave a faint webbing and a dusty, stippled look on the leaves. You can handle them: rinse the foliage, wipe the leaves clean, and reach for insecticidal soap if the pests stay on. Peek at the undersides now and then and keep the humidity up, and you will usually keep them away for good.
Fix:
- Rinse foliage
- Wipe leaves
- Apply insecticidal soap
Brown bumps stuck to the stems
Scale insects show up as little brown bumps fixed along the stems and leaves, and they will not simply brush away, but do not let that discourage you. Dab each one with alcohol, ease the rest off by hand, and finish with a coat of horticultural oil. Give any new plant a quick check and keep it apart for a bit, and the rest of your plants stay safe.
Fix:
- Wipe with alcohol
- Remove scale by hand
- Apply horticultural oil
New leaves come in solid with no holes
There is nothing wrong here, so relax: solid leaves simply mean a young plant or a spot with too little light. The lovely holes come with age as the vine climbs and grows up. Set it somewhere bright but out of direct sun, offer it a support to climb, and let it take its time; the split leaves are on their way.
Fix:
- Provide bright indirect light
- Allow plant to mature
- Add climbing support
Toxicity
This is a toxic plant from leaf to stem, so it does deserve a little care. Every part holds insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that burn the mouth and throat the moment they are chewed, causing drooling, pain, and swelling. Keep it out of reach of pets and children, and pull on gloves when you prune, since the sap can irritate skin.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Moderate
A cat that bites into a leaf ends up with a mouthful of sharp calcium oxalate crystals. Keep a gentle eye out for drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, or trouble swallowing.
Dogs Moderate
A dog that chews the foliage feels a strong burning in the mouth, drools heavily, and gets an unsettled stomach. Happily, the sting tends to warn them off before they swallow much.
Horses Toxic
Those same crystals leave a horse with an irritated mouth and gut, drooling, mouth pain, and colicky discomfort. It helps to keep the plant well out of their reach.
Rabbits Toxic
This vine is not safe browse for a rabbit. Even a nibble brings mouth irritation, drooling, and digestive upset, so tuck it somewhere they simply cannot get to.
Livestock Toxic
Goats, sheep, and other grazers can end up with painful mouth and gut irritation from the oxalate crystals. There is really no reason to let them near it.
Birds Toxic
A pet bird that shreds a leaf gets the same burning irritation in the beak and throat. Keep cages and perches well clear of the foliage.
People Caution
No part of this plant is food. Chewing it burns the mouth and swells the lips and throat, and the sap can leave skin itchy or sore, so slip on gloves before you prune.
Wear gloves; sap can cause contact dermatitis
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Only a couple of named forms of this vine show up in cultivation, and these are the two worth getting to know.
subsp. laniata
An accepted subspecies that has taken in the older name Monstera friedrichsthalii, which now stands as a synonym of it.
'Mint' (variegated)
A variegated form recognized by the RHS, its leaves softly marbled with pale mint green.
How to propagate
This is one of the friendliest houseplants to make more of, and a single healthy stem is all you need to grow a whole new plant.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Spring to summer · Several weeks to root
Stem cuttings are a wonderfully simple way to make more of this vine, and it is hard to go wrong. In spring or summer, snip just below a node that already carries an aerial root, then rest the cutting in water or moist mix. Give it a few weeks and roots settle in, and you have a brand new plant to enjoy.
Air layeringModerate
Growing season · Few weeks to form roots
Air layering lets a stem root while it is still joined to the parent, which makes it a reassuring choice on a fussier vine. Wrap a node in damp moss during the growing season and give it the few weeks it needs to root. Once the roots are there, cut the new plant free and pot it up.
Myths
The holes appear because the plant is underfed.
Feeding really has no part in it, so you can set that worry aside. The holes, called fenestrations, open as each leaf matures, and a young or shaded plant just has not reached that stage yet.
Adansonii is just a baby Monstera deliciosa.
It is an easy mix-up, but the two are not the same plant at all. Monstera adansonii Schott is its own accepted species, not a young form that grows up into deliciosa.