monstera
Araceaie
 
In its natural habitat. plants of the genus Monstera climb the trunks and along the branches of trees, clinging to the bark by means of thick aerial roots, which not only attach the plant to the tree, but also absorb water and nutrients. Only one species, thedelicious monstera, is commonly cultivated as an indoor plant. The glossy leaves of an adult M. luscious reach 50 cm in width. with petioles 30 cm long. and they are basically cordiform, but deeply indented from the margins almost to the midrib, and perforated in other sections. These indentations on the surface of the leaves help the plants, when in nature, to resist the strong tropical winds. Adult monsteras with active aerial roots are the ones with the most attractive leaves, with very pronounced indentations, while young plants have leaves that can be entire. As they develop, they acquire the characteristic perforations and jagged margins. 
 
The inflorescence, which rarely appears indoors, is made up of a creamy-white spathe surrounding a thick spadix 20 cm long. The spadix originates an edible white fruit with a taste similar to that of pineapple. Indoors, however, they rarely bloom. If properly cultivated, they can grow very tall, 3 to 5m high and 1.50 to 2.50m wide - and thrive indoors for years. Moss tutors that simulate the bark of the trees they climb in the wild contribute considerably to the health of monsteras grown indoors. there is a wayM.d. 'Varied', whose leaves have white or cream spots of irregular shapes and sizes.
 
CARE
 
Light. Actively growing monsteras do best in shaded direct sun, but in winter they can receive full sun. In inadequate light, the long petioles of the leaves will become longer and the leaves smaller and somewhat less jagged.
 
Temperature. Normal ambient temperatures are adequate. At temperatures above 21°C, place the pots on trays with wet pebbles to raise the level of humidity.
 
Watering. Water sparsely. moistening the mixture slightly and allowing the top third to dry before watering again.
 
Fertilizing. Apply an ordinary liquid fertilizer every two weeks. only during the period of active growth.
 
Bottling and repotting. Use a good quality suitable potting mix. In spring, move plants to the above size pots until the maximum convenient pot size is reached. From then on. carry out annual surface replacement of the filling mix
 
Special remarks. Keep the leaves clean with the help of a sponge. If using moss tutors, attach the aerial roots to them; if not. insert them into the potting mix.