I'm trying to figure out what type of indoor plant I have. I don't have pictures yet, but on the tag that came with it, all it says is that it's a Trellis Foliage & it has waxy, heart shaped leaves (some with holes/slits in them). I know that it grows very well (tall & full) in my office with being watered once a week. I know that pictures would really help, but any advice and/or ideas would help. Thank you, Heather
"Trellis Foliage" just means it's a foliage plant on a trellis and has little to do with what specific kind of plant it is. It's a product category, like "Assorted Candy". Look up Monstera deliciosa and see it that might be it.
Thanks for the help Ron. However, that is not the plant that I'm looking for (I know a picture would help). I guess that I need to specify the comment about some of the leaves having holes/slits in them. It's only a few & I heard someone refer to them as "cheese leaves". Not sure if that helps at all. Heather
A common name for Monstera deliciosa is Swiss cheese plant. Young specimens and those under ordinary living room conditions produce long vining stems with small leaves. With age, under suitable conditions (like a bright warm greenhouse or outdoors in a tropical climate) the stems become shorter and thicker, the leaves much larger and with more divisions (and holes). There are similar, related species grown also, with some holes in the leaf but a different leaf outline (not so much a heart shape).
There is also another Monstera hybris called "Swiss Cheese" and that does have heart shaped leaves and is a lot smaller leaf than M. deliciosa. I bought one the other day but don't have pics till I get home later. Maybe this is it?
Thanks for the picture, but that's not it. Most all of the leaves are solid. Only a few might have one hole/slit in it. As soon as I get a chance, I will try to get pictures posted.
my philo looks like that too, some of the leafs are entire (in one compact unit) and some are split : http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g284/Aricicamica/Flori 2006/7574c119.jpg Foliage become split only when it has adequate conditions: humidity and enough light.
Okay, well I guess I was wrong!! My plant looks more like Valentina30's, except mine doesn't have as many holes/slits in the leaves yet. It's also still not real big yet, so I guess with time & growth, it will look the same as the other pictures as well. Thank you all for your help!! Heather
Ron B, my plant si Monstera deliciosa indeed... and the name is synonym with Philodendron pertusum, therefore I use this last name 'cause I like it better than Monstera :) Heather, you got to have some patience with your philo. More light and periodical water spraying will help to obtain that beautiful split (perfored) foliage.
Philodendron pertusum is a very old and outdated name no longer botanically accepted. A tissue culture company in Florida wanted a "new" name to put on their cloned specimens and dug it out to use. You can verify this on either TROPICOS (Missouri Botanical Garden) or the International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Monstera deliciosa was first discovered in southern Mexico and many still believe it is only found in Mexico. In reality, it is found throughout much of Central and the western portion of South America. And almost unbelievably, even though it is one of the most commonly cultivated plants in captive growth, it is still considered rare in nature! When still juvenile, all Monstera species have the heart shaped leaf and only when they begin to mature do they begin to develop the "holes" in their leaves. Although often called a Philodendron, Monstera deliciosa is not a member of that genus. It is an aroid and a member of a rather small genus of just over thirty species. The species gets its name from the spadix produced within the inflorescence. When mature (that takes about one year) the spadix produces an edible fruit which tastes like a mixture of pineapple and strawberry. It is eaten by the people of southern Mexico and Central America where it is common. And despite what you'll read all over the internet, it is not poisonous! It does contain oxalate crystals, but there is far more to the chemistry of oxalate crystals than many pet sites and child protection sites have bothered to research. The fruit is quite delicious (deliciosa) and we eat it just about every year when our spadices mature. You can learn more here if you are so inclined: http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Monstera deliciosa large pc.html
