Monstera vs. Philodendron

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Plant Savvy Here!

One of the hottest houseplants of 2020 is the monstera deliciosa, also known as the swiss cheese plant for its dramatic split leaves. You can find it all over Pinterest and Instagram, and designers are using it in everything from earrings to fabric prints to handbags.

People everywhere are also mistakenly calling it a split-leaf philodendron. In fact, I purchased a monstera deliciosa from a nursery last weekend and it was actually labeled by the grower as a split-leaf philodendron. But it’s not a philodendron at all!

Monstera vs. Split-Leaf Philodendron

Monsteras are actually a different plant family, grown for their fruit in Mexico and Costa Rica. The name is Monstera deliciosa because of the delicious large fruit they produce. Their leaves become giant, hence the name “monster fruit,” and can be quite dramatic, with variegation patterns that are almost white.

Philodendrons are trailing vines in the same family as pothos. The name philodendron actually translates into “love tree,” perhaps because of their heart-shaped leaves. Their leaves never get as big as monstera leaves and they grow much more like a pothos.

And here’s where it gets tricky. There are two real species of split-leaf philodendrons, but their leaves are nowhere near as dramatic as the monstera deliciosa.

-Monstera Plant Resource

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