Houseplant · Araceae
Swiss Cheese Vine
Monstera adansonii
Hand it bright indirect light and something to climb, and the Swiss cheese vine fills out fast with those hole-punched leaves.
Bright indirect
60–85°F · 16–29°C
USDA 10–12
3–8 ft · 0.9–2.4 m
Overview
So where does the Swiss cheese vine get its name? From the rows of holes that open across its leaves as it grows up. It's a climbing aroid from the tropical forests of Central and South America, where it clambers up tree trunks to reach the light. That climbing habit comes right along with it indoors, so it does its best work up a moss pole or trailing off a high shelf.
It's in the arum family with philodendrons and pothos, and like those cousins, it doesn't ask for much. Bright indirect light, a chunky mix that drains well, and water only when the top of the soil's dried out, and you've pretty much covered it. Those holes, called fenestrations, are the fun part, and they get wider as each leaf grows up.
People are always mixing it up with the bigger Monstera deliciosa, but this one's a smaller, faster vine with a finer look to it. Give it warmth, humidity, and room to climb and it takes off. Just one thing to keep in mind: every part of it is toxic if a pet or a kid decides to have a chew.
Care
The short version: bright indirect light, a well-draining mix, and water only once the top inch or two has dried out. Keep it warm and humid, hand it something to climb, and it grows fast.
Light
Want the fullest leaves and the most holes? Give it bright indirect light. It'll get by in medium light or partial shade, but growth slows down and the leaves stay smaller and more solid. Just keep it out of harsh direct sun, or the foliage scorches.
Water
Water once the top 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of soil has dried out, then give it a good drink and let it drain. Soggy soil rots the roots faster than anything, so when you're not sure, stay on the dry side. Honestly, the plant tells you it's thirsty long before the soil ever sits too wet.
Soil
Go with a well-draining, organic-rich potting mix, and loosen it up with a bit of bark or perlite so water runs right through. It's not picky about pH and takes anything from 6.0 to 8.0. What really counts is the drainage, not the exact mix.
Temperature
Keep it somewhere between 60°F to 85°F (15.6°C to 29.4°C), which is basically most warm homes. It's got zero frost tolerance and hates a cold draft, so keep it away from chilly windows and AC vents in winter.
Humidity
This is a tropical vine, so it likes the air above 50% humidity. It'll live in regular room air, but give it a bit more moisture and you get bigger, healthier leaves. A pebble tray, a humidifier, or a bright bathroom all do the job.
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 when it slows down. That steady feeding through the warm months is what keeps it growing so fast.
Pruning
Trim back leggy vines to keep it looking full, and cut off any beat-up leaves down at the base. Prune in the growing season and you get free cuttings to root, too. Pinching the tips gets you bushier growth instead of one long bare stem.
Repotting
Repot it every 1 to 2 years in spring, bumping up one pot size when roots poke out the drainage holes, circle the pot, or growth stalls. Fresh mix and a little more room keep this fast grower moving. And while you're at it, drop in a stake or pole so it's got something to climb.
Size & spacing
Trained up a support indoors it hits 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 spot in no time.
Troubleshooting
Most of what goes wrong with this vine comes back to how you water it and the air around it. Catch the early signs on the leaves and roots and you can usually sort it out before it spreads. Find what you're seeing below, then act while it still does some good.
Mushy roots and a wilting plant
Root rot is the big one, and it creeps in when the roots stay wet and can't breathe, so they end up brown and soft when you tip the plant out. Slide it out of the pot, snip off every soft root, and settle it into fresh draining mix. Just remember, it only sticks if the overwatering stops for good.
Fix:
- Unpot plant
- Cut away rotten roots
- Repot in fresh draining mix
Leaves turning yellow
Seeing yellow leaves? Nine times out of ten it's overwatering and a pot that stays too wet. Have a feel of the soil and the bottom of the stem, and if the soil's soggy and the stem's gone soft, that's your culprit. Back off the water, make sure the pot drains well, and don't water again until the soil's had a chance to dry out.
Fix:
- Reduce watering
- Ensure pot drains freely
- Let soil dry before next watering
Dark spots on the leaves
Brown or dark leaf spots usually crop up where water sits on the leaves and the air's a bit stale. Pick off the marked leaves, keep water off the foliage when you water, and give the plant some breathing room. Dry leaves plus a bit of moving air, and you won't see new spots.
Fix:
- Remove affected leaves
- Avoid wetting foliage
- Improve air circulation
Fine webbing and speckled leaves
Spider mites love dry air, and they leave behind faint webbing and a speckled, dusty look on the leaves. Give the foliage a rinse, wipe the leaves down, and reach for insecticidal soap if they won't quit. Peek under the leaves now and then and keep the humidity up, and they'll mostly leave the plant alone.
Fix:
- Rinse foliage
- Wipe leaves
- Apply insecticidal soap
Brown bumps stuck to the stems
Scale insects look like tiny brown bumps stuck to the stems and leaves, and they won't just brush off. Dab them with alcohol, pick the rest off by hand, and finish up with horticultural oil. Give any new plant a once-over and keep it apart for a while, and they won't spread to the rest of the gang.
Fix:
- Wipe with alcohol
- Remove scale by hand
- Apply horticultural oil
New leaves come in solid with no holes
No holes yet? That's usually just a young plant or not enough light, so nothing's actually wrong. The classic holes turn up as the vine gets older and starts to climb. Pop it somewhere bright but out of direct sun, give it something to climb, and let it grow into those split leaves.
Fix:
- Provide bright indirect light
- Allow plant to mature
- Add climbing support
Toxicity
Here's the deal: this is a toxic plant from leaf to stem. Every part of it holds insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that burn the mouth and throat the second they're chewed, so you get drooling, pain, and swelling. Keep it out of reach of pets and kids, and slip on gloves when you prune, since the sap can bother your skin.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Moderate
If a curious cat bites a leaf, it gets a mouthful of sharp calcium oxalate crystals. Keep an eye out for drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, and trouble swallowing.
Dogs Moderate
A dog that chews the leaves is in for a real burning mouth, loads of drooling, and a queasy stomach. The good news is the sting usually stops them before they get much down.
Horses Toxic
Those same crystals irritate a horse's mouth and gut, so you'd see drooling, mouth pain, and colicky discomfort. Best to keep the plant well out of their way.
Rabbits Toxic
This isn't safe browse for a rabbit, plain and simple. Even a nibble brings on mouth irritation, drooling, and an upset tummy, so keep the vine somewhere they can't get at it.
Livestock Toxic
Grazers like goats and sheep can end up with a painful, irritated mouth and gut from the oxalate crystals. There's really no reason to let them near it.
Birds Toxic
A pet bird that shreds a leaf gets that same burning irritation in the beak and throat. Keep cages and perches clear of the foliage.
People Caution
None of this plant is meant for eating. Chew it and your mouth burns while your lips and throat swell, and the sap can leave skin itchy or raw, so throw 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
There are only a couple of named forms of this vine floating around in cultivation. Here are the two worth knowing.
subsp. laniata
It's an accepted subspecies that's taken in the old name Monstera friedrichsthalii, which now counts as a synonym of it.
'Mint' (variegated)
It's a variegated cultivar the RHS recognizes, with leaves marbled in pale mint green.
How to propagate
Want more of these? It's one of the easier houseplants to copy, and one healthy stem is really all you need.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Spring to summer · Several weeks to root
Stem cuttings are the easy way to turn one vine into several. In spring or summer, cut just below a node that already has an aerial root on it, then pop the cutting in water or moist mix. Give it a few weeks and it'll root into a whole new plant.
Air layeringModerate
Growing season · Few weeks to form roots
Air layering roots a stem while it's still attached to the parent, so it's the safer bet on a fussy 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, just cut the new plant free.
Myths
The holes appear because the plant is underfed.
Nope, feeding's got nothing to do with the holes. The holes, called fenestrations, open up as each leaf matures, and a young or shaded plant just hasn't got there yet.
Adansonii is just a baby Monstera deliciosa.
People mix them up all the time, but they really aren't the same plant. Monstera adansonii Schott is its own accepted species, not some baby version that grows up into deliciosa.