Appearance

Growth form

It climbs with aerial roots and needs a sturdy support indoors.

Leaves

Young leaves may be solid; mature leaves develop both enclosed holes and deep cuts along the edges.

Fruit

Indoor plants rarely fruit. The fruit is edible only when fully ripe; unripe parts can irritate the mouth.

Look-alikes

Swiss cheese vineMonstera adansonii

Swiss cheese vine (Monstera adansonii) has leaves that are usually smaller, with oval holes that stay inside the leaf edge. Mature Swiss cheese plant leaves also split deeply from the edge.

Images coming soon

Tree philodendronThaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum

Tree philodendron (Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum) has leaves with deep lobes but no enclosed holes. Mature Swiss cheese plant leaves can have both lobes and enclosed holes.

	Leaf edge	Enclosed holes
Swiss Cheese Plant	Deeply split	Present
Swiss cheese vine	Usually unbroken	Several oval holes
Tree philodendron	Deeply lobed	Absent

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• Homes
• Greenhouses

Range

It is native from Mexico to Panama. In North Carolina it is grown indoors; it can grow outdoors in plant hardiness zones 10–12. In Florida, it is considered a high invasion risk in natural areas.

Growing it

Care

Give it bright, indirect light and let the upper part of the potting mix dry between waterings.

Toxicity

Leaves and stems can irritate the mouth if eaten, and sap can irritate skin.

Name and classification

Varieties and forms

Some cultivated forms have white or yellow markings on the leaves. ‘Aurea’ and ‘Albo Borsigiana’ are named forms.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

NENot Evaluated·Not yet assessed