Monstera is a typical jungle plant, from the tropical rainforest in southern Mexico and Central America. It loves humidity, warmth and big spaces to grow. For this reason it is not a good idea to keep it in your apartment or in small rooms because you will have a hard time keeping it healthy. If you plan on having a Monstera plant inside your house, you will have to give it at least 5 hours of sun light every day. If this condition is met, the Monstera could make an excellent indoor plant.
The leaves are large and “cut” in a way that makes them look very decorative. They are dark green with lighter spots forming pretty patterns all over the leaf surfaces. The edges are cut, shiny and smooth. This gives it an elegant look that can brighten up any room.
Monstera loves water but only rainwater or distilled water, never tap water because it contains chloride which is harmful for plants. Another thing to remember before having a Monstera as an indoor plant is that they need plenty of space to grow because they can reach up to 3 m (10 feet) or more.
When growing as a houseplant, Monstera usually stays around 60 cm (24 inches). If it is allowed to climb and spread out on a pergola, fence or trellis, it can cover an area of approximately 4 by 4 meters. It will provide you with plenty of leaves that are both decorative and edible! You could fill a fruit bowl simply with the leaves of your plant.
Remember not to keep Monstera in small places such as apartments or rooms where it cannot get enough sun light throughout the day. It needs at least 5 hours to stay healthy and strong so if you want to have an indoor Monstera plant, you have to be sure that it will get enough sun light. If you plan on keeping it in your garden during summer, make sure you keep it in a shaded area if the temperature gets too high.
Monstera is a great plant that can brighten up any room, but make sure sunlight reaches it every day and give it as much space as possible for maximum growth. Monstera will provide you with enough leaves to fill a fruit bowl and even more!