PLATE
FLV-SP-01
FIG. 1 —
Monstera deliciosa · Araceae
DETERMINATION — FOR THE KEEPING OF
Monstera deliciosa · Araceae
FURTHER PLATES — FIGS. 2 ONWARD
Cultivated from mature montane stock, each Monstera deliciosa specimen is acclimated for 16 weeks under diffused glass to establish deeply fenestrated lamina and active aerial roots anchored to an untreated western red cedar totem.
CROSS-REFERENCE — THE PLANT ATLAS
HERB-01
Monstera deliciosa
Araceae
Hemiepiphytic Neotropical climber celebrated for programmed cell-death foliar fenestrations that reduce wind torque and allow light transmission to lower canopy leaves.
LIGHT
Bright Indirect Light
WATER
Allow Top 50% Soil to Dry
HUMIDITY
50% – 75% RH (tolerates 40% ambient indoor humidity)
TEMPERATURE
18°C – 29°C (65°F – 85°F); sensitive to sustained temperatures below 12°C
SOIL
Coarse, high-porosity epiphytic aroid matrix: 40% aged Douglas fir bark, 25% horticultural pumice, 25% coco coir chips, 10% worm castings (pH 5.5–6.5).
MATURE SIZE
Floor Statement (1.0–2.5 m)
KEEPING
Effortless / Resilient
NATIVE TO
Montane cloud forests of southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Chiapas) to Panama
PETS
Toxic if Ingested
Contains insoluble calcium oxalate raphides across leaf lamina, petioles, and aerial roots. Ingestion by cats or dogs causes immediate oral irritation, hypersalivation, and localized mucosal swelling (ASPCA verified).
FURTHER READING — THE JOURNAL
An anatomical inquiry into programmed cell death, sub-canopy sunfleck capture, and boundary-layer thermoregulation in Monstera deliciosa.
Dr. Clara Lindqvist
Why root hypoxia—not excess water volume—is the primary driver of rhizosphere collapse in container-grown botanical specimens.
Soren Takahashi
