Cheese plant or Mexican bread plant. (Monstera deliciosa). (Araceae). Alternative Botanical Name: Philodendron pertusum. Monstera is a popular fol
Cheese plant or Mexican bread plant. (Monstera deliciosa). (Araceae). Alternative Botanical Name: Philodendron pertusum. Monstera is a popular foliage plant easily recognized by its large glossy leaves that are dissected with deep splits and perforated with oblong holes. In nature, Monstera is an evergreen liana that climbs high into the rain forest canopy, attaching itself to trunks and branches and supporting itself above the ground with long tentacle-like aerial roots. The aerial roots grow downward out of the thick stem and take root where they touch the ground. The vines are only sparingly branched and a single vine can reach more than 70 ft ( m) in length. Older plants develop the characteristic split and perforated adult leaves that stand away from the supporting tree trunk. The inflorescence is an 8-12 in ( cm) creamy white Jack-in-the-pulpit-like structure with a bract (spathe) surrounding a spadix (Jack). The spadix is the fleshy upright spike with tiny flowers (male flowers on the top, female flowers on the bottom) on it and the spathe is the boat-shaped bract that surrounds the spadix. The spadix takes a little over a year to mature. It ripens into an aromatic fruit that looks a little like a green corn cob after the spathe falls off. Flowers and fruits are rarely produced in plants grown in the house. Another interesting characteristic of this plant is that the seedlings, upon germination, will grow in the direction of the darkest area (not just merely away from light) until they encounter the base of a tree to grow on. They will then begin to climb toward the light, which is generally up into the canopy of the tree upon which it is growing. Native to Mexico and Central America. It is said that the ripe fruit of Monstera tastes like a combination of banana, pineapple, and mango. The fruit takes a little longer than a year to mature to an edible stage. All parts of Monstera deliciosa are poisonous except the ripe fruits.
Size: 3064px × 4592px
Location: London, UK
Photo credit: © Georgette Apol / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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