Plant-it Basics 🌱

A Little History, Because “Know Thy Plant” 🌎🌿

Say hello to Monstera adansonii, also known as the Swiss Cheese Vine – because yes, it’s full of holes, much like your weekend plans. Its Latin name sounds super bougie (try saying it like you’re on a Netflix drama: Mon-STARE-uh ad-an-SON-ee-eye), but this plant is as low-key as wearing pajamas to brunch. It also goes by other fun names like windowleaf and monkey mask plant 🐵, which perfectly capture its whimsical personality.

Native to the lush, tropical rainforests 🌧️ of Central and South America, Monstera adansonii thrives in warm, humid conditions. In its natural habitat, you’ll find it climbing trees and creeping along the forest floor, perfectly at home in the humid undergrowth. Whether scaling a tree like a jungle acrobat or sprawling on the ground, it’s a monkey-approved favorite in the rainforest! This popular Monstera plant is part of the Araceae family – yup, the same leafy clique that gave us Philodendrons and other overachieving plant influencers. Whether it’s climbing toward the canopy or dangling gracefully, this plant is always the star of the rainforest show. 🌿✨

Fun Facts to Keep You Rooted 🌱

Those Insta-worthy hole-y leaves? They’re called fenestrations (fancy word alert) and they’re not just for looks. In the wild, they help the plant survive torrential downpours by letting rain and wind pass right through. Nature really said, “Work smarter, not harder.”

And a bonus fact for you…Those fenestrations also make your Monstera look boujee AF while still fitting your budget. 💰🌱

Plant Rants and Revelations 🌿

My Monstera Journey: From Trader Joe’s to Drama Central 👑🎭

It all started in Fall of 2022 with a perfect bundle of leaves from Trader Joe’s. Picture this: I strolled in for some blue corn chips to snack on that evening and instead walked out with a leafy supermodel. Confident I couldn’t mess this up, I plopped it into a giant pot, gave it a big drink of water 💧, and called it a day. 🍼

At first, my Monstera, which I had lovingly named “Monchichi” (after the adorable cartoon monkey of my childhood 🐒), thrived. New leaves popped up like magic🪄, and I thought, This is it! I’m a certified plant parent!

But then, the drama started: overwatering, underwatering, and my forgetful fertilizer habits turned my thriving vine into a limp, scraggly mess. Even though it had the prime sunlit spot in my house – think Beverly Hills of plant real estate – it looked more like a houseplant horror story. 🚫🌿

Frustrated, I trimmed it back and tried careful watering, but things only got worse. Finally, I uncovered the villain in my plant saga: the gorgeous pot I had lovingly chosen had no drainage holes. For a whole year, Monchichi had been living in a swampy soup that I created. 😱

Determined to save my leafy monkey friend, I gave it a glow-up 🌟 with a custom mix of chunky soil packed with homemade compost, perlite, and fertilizers, and added a moss-filled stake to encourage climbing—Monstera adansonii love to climb, just like the cartoon monkey Monchichi 🐒 it’s named after! I hydrated the moss, scaled back on watering the soil, and crossed my fingers (and toes) for good measure. This high-maintenance 💅 swiss-cheese vine queen was getting the VIP treatment, and I was ready for the challenge! With this new setup and regimen, within a month Monchichi began swinging upward, producing lush, bushy leaves. The monkey magic was officially back, and Monchichi was thriving! 🐵🌟

The Results: From Survival to Thrival 🌱💪

At the two-month mark, the transformation was wild—my once drowning Monstera was exploding with growth! 🌟

To keep up with its progress, I repotted it into the same pot but added a bigger moss pole loaded with enough sphagnum moss to keep it climbing strong. For extra rainforest vibes, I placed it near a humidifier—it was basically a jungle in my living room! 🌿🌧️ Then I moved it to a sunny spot next to my other monsteras, forming the ultimate leafy squad. With its new setup, Monchichi became the life of the plant party 🪅 and required extra care—less pot space meant watering had to be precise, but it was totally worth it. 💧

It loved climbing up that stake like a chimp – I mean champ! 🐒🏆 In less than four months, it grew so fast that I had to buy two extra packs of sphagnum moss to keep up with its upward ambitions. With each new leaf, it reached toward new heights, showing off its vibrant, thriving growth. This plant was truly living its best jungle dream! 🌞🌿

Now, six months after repotting and replacing the moss pole, my Monstera was bursting with so many leaves that I had a tough decision to make: keep stacking stakes and basically build a Monstera treehouse for my secret society (complete with secret passwords 🤫 and handshakes 🤝), or finally start propagating. Condo life isn’t exactly treehouse-friendly, so I ditched the secret club idea and chose to procreate—Monstera style! 🌱✨

These propagations successfully rooted into three stunning new plant designs: one sits proudly on top of my kitchen cabinets, another brightens my balcony 🌞, and the third is in a planter I’m designing for my front door, surrounded by pothos and philodendrons. It’s a full-on plant family reunion over here! 🌿🎉

The amount of propagation cuttings I do on a near-weekly basis is so out of control that I’m planning to launch my own Cuttings Shop (stay tuned for details! 🛒✨) so I can share Monchichi’s babies with others looking to start their own plant journeys. 🌱💕 In the meantime, I keep trimming her back to continue filling up the plant designs spread throughout my home, creating a vibrant green canopy of life. 🌿🏡💚

Sprout Score

Lessons Were Learned 🌟

Here’s what this dramatic (but ultimately rewarding) Monstera adansonii journey taught me.

First, Monsteras are not like pothos, which can practically survive an apocalypse. While pothos forgive overwatering, underwatering, and even complete neglect, Monsteras require a little more finesse. 🌊🚫 These plants thrive when climbing, so investing in a sturdy stake is key to helping them live their best Tarzan life. 🪜🌱

And let’s talk about watering. Overwatering is the silent killer for most plants, and my Monstera taught me that hard lesson. I now use a clear plastic pot with holes for most of my plants so I can see what’s going on with the soil or a moisture meter to avoid guesswork. Trust me, it’s a game-changer. 🪴✨

The biggest takeaway? Consistency is everything. Regular watering, fertilizing, and journaling your plant’s progress will help you catch issues before they become drama. And don’t forget the magic of propagating! Trimming and creating new plants not only helps the original thrive but also turns your space into a lush green haven. 💚✂️

Final Score: Two Green Thumbs – All Hands on Deck 🌿👍👍

This level is for plant parents ready to step up their game. Monstera adansonii is forgiving but not indestructible. You’ll need patience and effort, but the rewards? Totally worth it. With some wins and a few mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the Swiss Cheese Vine life. ✨

For information on the green thumb score, visit the Green Thumb Rating Guide.

Thinking about snagging some goodies from this post? 🌱 Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! From moss to fertilizer and even those trusty moss pole stakes, everything’s chilling on the Grow Gear page—a handpicked list of plant parent must-haves. Consider it your shortcut to green thumb glory. 📋✨