Everyone knows Monstera deliciosa — the classic Swiss cheese plant with big, split leaves. But there are multiple Monstera species in cultivation, and people often confuse them or buy the wrong one expecting deliciosa growth patterns.

Here’s what actually differentiates the common Monstera species and what that means for care.

Monstera Deliciosa (Swiss Cheese Plant)

This is the classic. Large leaves (30-90cm wide when mature), deeply split with holes (fenestrations), thick climbing stems, aerial roots.

Growth pattern: Climbs aggressively if given support. Can grow 3-5m+ indoors with proper conditions. Leaves get bigger as the plant climbs higher.

Care: Moderate light (bright indirect ideal, tolerates lower light), water when top 5cm of soil dry, well-draining soil, benefits from moss pole or support.

Leaf development: Juvenile leaves are small and entire (no splits). As the plant matures and climbs, leaves develop fenestrations and splits. Takes 1-2 years from propagation to get iconic split leaves.

This is the easiest Monstera to grow and the most forgiving of variable conditions. If you want a large statement plant that’s relatively low-maintenance, this is it.

Monstera Adansonii (Swiss Cheese Vine)

Smaller leaves (10-30cm) with more, smaller holes compared to deliciosa. Thinner, more vine-like stems. Faster growing than deliciosa.

Growth pattern: Vining rather than robust climbing. Trails or climbs loosely. Doesn’t develop massive leaves like deliciosa even when mature.

Care: Similar to deliciosa but needs slightly more humidity and consistent moisture. More prone to crispy leaves in dry Melbourne air.

Leaf development: Fenestrations appear earlier than deliciosa. Even small plants have perforated leaves.

Good for hanging baskets or trailing from shelves. Not the right choice if you want the massive-leaved look of deliciosa.

Monstera Obliqua

Extremely rare in cultivation. Often confused with adansonii. True obliqua has leaves that are more hole than leaf — 80-90% fenestrated. Very slow growing, very expensive.

If someone’s selling you “Monstera obliqua” for under $300, it’s almost certainly adansonii.

Growth pattern: Extremely slow. Delicate. Difficult to grow.

Care: High humidity essential. Not suitable for typical home conditions without specialized setup.

Most people don’t actually want obliqua even if they think they do — it’s challenging and fragile compared to adansonii which looks similar and is much easier.

Monstera Borsigiana

Taxonomically considered the same species as deliciosa, but with smaller, faster growth. Leaves max out around 30-50cm vs deliciosa’s 90cm.

Practically, borsigiana is better suited to homes with limited space. It grows faster, takes less time to develop splits, but doesn’t become as enormous as deliciosa.

Growth pattern: Compact version of deliciosa. Faster maturation.

Care: Identical to deliciosa.

If you want split-leaf Monstera aesthetics without a plant that takes over the room, borsigiana is probably what you want.

Confusingly, many deliciosa sold in nurseries are actually borsigiana. Unless you specifically seek out true deliciosa from specialty growers, you’re likely getting borsigiana, which is fine — it’s easier to manage anyway.

Monstera Siltepecana

Silver-grey juvenile leaves with darker venation. Shingle growth pattern when climbing (leaves lay flat against support). Mature leaves develop small splits but nothing like deliciosa.

Growth pattern: Juvenile phase looks completely different from mature phase. Climbs with leaves flattened against support.

Care: Needs good light for silver coloring. More humidity-sensitive than deliciosa.

Beautiful as juvenile plant. Less impressive when mature. Many people keep it in juvenile phase by preventing climbing.

Monstera Peru (Karstenianum)

Thick, rigid leaves with deeply textured surface. No splits or holes. Compact growth.

Growth pattern: Slow growing. Doesn’t climb as aggressively as other monstera.

Care: More light-tolerant than other monstera. Less forgiving of overwatering.

Looks completely different from the typical monstera aesthetic. Often surprises people who expect split leaves and get textured solid leaves instead.

Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma (Not Actually a Monstera)

Commonly called “Mini Monstera” but it’s not a Monstera at all — it’s Rhaphidophora. Split leaves resemble Monstera but growth pattern and care differ.

Growth pattern: Fast vining growth. Smaller leaves (10-20cm) with deep splits but no holes. Climbs or trails readily.

Care: More forgiving than true Monsteras. Handles lower light better. Faster growing.

If you want split-leaf aesthetic with faster growth and easier care, this is actually a better choice than juvenile deliciosa. Just know it’s not technically a Monstera.

Which One to Buy

Want classic split-leaf Monstera for statement plant: Monstera deliciosa or borsigiana (borsigiana if you prefer smaller mature size).

Want trailing plant with perforated leaves: Monstera adansonii.

Want fast-growing split leaves: Rhaphidophora tetrasperma (even though it’s not technically Monstera).

Want silver foliage: Monstera siltepecana (keep in juvenile phase).

Want texture over splits: Monstera peru.

Want challenge and rarity: Monstera obliqua (if you can even find it and afford it).

Common Confusion

“My Monstera isn’t developing splits” usually means:

1. Plant is too young/small
2. Not enough light
3. No support to climb (deliciosa needs to climb to develop large split leaves)
4. It’s actually adansonii which has holes not splits
5. It’s actually Rhaphidophora which splits differently

Give juvenile deliciosa a moss pole, bright indirect light, and 12-18 months. Splits will develop as it matures.

If you’ve had it in low light without support for years and it’s not splitting, it won’t until conditions change. Move to brighter spot and add moss pole.

Melbourne Growing Conditions

All Monstera species tolerate Melbourne’s indoor conditions reasonably well. None survive outdoors year-round.

Winter indoors with heating dries air significantly. Monstera tolerate this better than many aroids, but browning leaf edges increase in dry air.

Group plants together or use pebble tray to increase local humidity. Misting is mostly pointless — raises humidity briefly then drops again.

Bright indirect light year-round is ideal. East or north-facing windows in Melbourne work well. West windows can be too intense in summer without sheer curtains.

Propagation Differences

All Monstera propagate from stem cuttings with nodes and aerial roots.

Deliciosa/borsigiana: Large cuttings (20-30cm) with 1-2 nodes root easily in water or soil. Takes 4-8 weeks to develop roots.

Adansonii: Smaller cuttings (10-15cm) root faster, often within 2-3 weeks. More vigorous propagation than deliciosa.

Siltepecana, peru: Similar to adansonii. Root reasonably quickly from stem cuttings.

Obliqua: Slow and difficult. Not recommended unless you’re experienced with propagation.

Price Reality

Deliciosa/borsigiana: $15-40 for small pot, $80-150 for large mature plant.

Adansonii: $10-30 for small plant, rarely sold at large sizes.

Peru: $20-50 depending on size.

Siltepecana: $25-60 for decent specimen.

Obliqua: $300-thousands for true obliqua. If it’s cheap, it’s not obliqua.

Variegated versions of any species cost 5-10x more than green versions. Not worth it unless you specifically want variegation and accept that it’s less vigorous and more finnicky.

Final Thoughts

If you’re new to Monstera, start with deliciosa or borsigiana. They’re forgiving, readily available, and deliver the classic split-leaf look people associate with Monstera.

Once you’ve successfully grown deliciosa, you can experiment with other species if you want variety. But don’t expect them to behave identically — each species has distinct growth patterns and needs.

And if someone’s selling you something labeled “Monstera” but the leaves look completely wrong, check what species it actually is. Lots of mislabeling in plant retail, particularly between deliciosa, borsigiana, and adansonii.

Next post I’ll cover moss pole setup for Monstera — why they actually need support and how to set it up properly for best growth.