Everything You Need to Know about Monstera Adansonii Care

The Monstera adansonii Swiss cheese plant…

Ah, the cheesiest of them all. (Get it? Because it’s the Swiss cheese plant? Ba-dum-tsh.)

If you’re a proud owner of the Monstera adansonii (or considering getting one), this care post is for you. We’re going to get into all the details of adansonii care, tips, and tricks. And, trust me- it’s pretty easy.

But, if you don’t have one just yet, you may just find yourself buying one like this at the end of this care guide. ( I mean, who doesn’t need another plant? You’re welcome.)

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I do receive a small commission if you purchase a product using my link, with no addition cost to you!*

The Monstera Adansonii

Not to be confused with the Monstera deliciosa, the Monstera adansonii is a tropical plant, knows for its vining capabilities and small, fenestrated leaves.

(Quick tip- fenestrations are the holes you see in plants. The plant makes them, naturally. Sometimes, a plant will even begin to produce a leaf through the hole of a separate leaf. They’re seriously quite fascinating.)

If you can’t already tell, the “Swiss cheese vine” nickname comes from its similar appearance to.. well, Swiss cheese. (I mean, minus the huge color and shape difference.)

This common houseplant comes in two forms: wide and narrow.

Although we’ll primarily be seeing on the narrow version (as far as pictures go), the care is the same for either plant.

*Before we go any further, I do want to point out that this plant is toxic to animals. So, to keep your pet babies safe, make sure they are unable to get a hold of your Monstera adansonii or are trained to stay away from it.

Monstera Adansonii Care

I find this plant to be relatively easy to take care of. If you let it vine up a moss pole like this or wall, the leaves can get relatively big. But, it will also do great as a hanging plant like mine!

Light:

Even though this tropical houseplant loves bright, indirect light, it can burn if it is put too close to a window.

In its natural habitat, the Monstera adansonii grows under tall, bushy jungle trees. So, you will want to mimic that by giving your plant a bright home, with filtered light.

Water:

This plant does not want to have wet soil, but it does prefer to stay fairly moist. To determine if your soil is wet, dry, or moist, you can stick the first two knuckles of your finger into the top of your plant’s soil.

If your finger is dry, you definitely need to water this houseplant. You want to be able to feel moisture, but without your Adansonii being completely wet.

If you are unsure of when your Swiss cheese plant needs to be watered, I recommend using a moisture meter like this.

Temperature:

Since the Monstera adansonii is a jungle plant, it likes to keep it pretty hot. Theoretically, you want to aim for a temperature of over 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you have a greenhouse, your plant would do great in it. But, my Monstera adansonii is actually sitting on top of my greenhouse because she’s too big to fit inside. By sitting on top, she is still able to stay warmer and at a higher humidity than anywhere else in my home.

Humidity:

Remember- we’re trying to recreate a jungle for our plant babies. So, you’ll want the area your Adansonii is being homed in to be at a higher humidity level than some of your other houseplants may require.

Again, if you have a greenhouse, throw this plant in there! But, if not, you can increase the humidity by getting a small humidifier like this. Another way to increase the humidity is by using a mister to mist the leaves of your houseplant.

Feeding:

After you bring your new plant home, wait a few months before fertilizing it. This way, it can acclimate to its new area gently.

If you repot a plant, you generally want to wait about 6 months before beginning to fertilize it.

But, after you have let your Monstera adansonii settle into its new home or pot, you can then begin fertilizing it 1-2x each month in the spring and summer. For winter and fall, cut fertilizing back to every other month or every few months.

Soil:

Since this plant likes to stay pretty moist, you’ll want to have peat-based potting soil like this. This mixture will allow the soil to stay moist without being wet.

I also recommend getting a pot with multiple, or big, drainage holes to avoid root rot. You want this plant to be able to drain well, so that it only retains as much moisture as it needs.

Pruning:

I know we naturally never want to cut plants, but giving your Monstera Adansonii a healthy pruning every now and then can do wonders for its health. And who doesn’t want a healthy and happy plant, right?

To prune your plant, cut your plant’s vine below a node. That way, you can propagate the cutting and have an entirely new plant. (You can also cut off dead leaves while you’re at it.)

Once you have your cuttings, you have a few options. You can root your Monstera adansonii cuttings in soil, water, perlite, moss, or even leca.

If you don’t want to propagate it separately, you can pop the node back into the soil of your original plant (also known as the mother plant). By doing this, you will achieve a fuller pot in no time.

Where can I buy a Monstera adansonii?

A few years ago (back before houseplants were cool), this plant was hardly common and rarely in local nurseries. (Unless you were maybe in Florida, they always have the best plants.)

Although it used to be slightly more difficult to find this plant, you can now find it at almost all nurseries country-wide in the spring and summer.

But, if you don’t want to wait, you can actually order a full Monstera adansonii, like this narrow form, on Amazon. Here is the wide form option as well!

Monstera Adansonii Pests and Diseases

I wish you all the plant happiness and health in the world. But, the truth of the matter is that these plants are prone to certain pests.

When caring for a Monstera adansonii, regulalry check for pests like mealybugs (ew), spider mites, whitefly, and scale.

If you notice any of these, you will want to quarantine and treat your plant immediately. Also, make sure to check all of the surrounding plants for any pests as well. If others are infested, treat and quarantine them, too.

To treat these pests, shower your plant in a non-toxic insecticide like neem oil. I recommend keeping your infested plants away from your other plants for a minimum span of two weeks.

Monstera Adansonii Care Guide Wrap Up

Caring for this plant is relatively easy. Also, they’re pretty friggin’ wicked looking, so its definitely a must have.

As long as you check the soil’s moisture, humidity around the plant, and keep it out of direct light, your new plant baby is sure to thrive.

Snag your own Monstera adansonii here, and send me all the pictures of it when it arrives. (But, seriously. I’ll never get tired of plant pics. So, for real. Send them ALL.)

FAQ:

Q: Is the Monstera adansonii hard to care for?

I don’t think so! It is a jungle plant, though, so you’ll want to try to recreate its natural habitat as best as you can. Try to keep a temperature above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, high humidity, and prune its vines back regulalry.

Q: Is the Monstera adansonii pet safe?

No, Monstera plants are not pet safe. If you have pet babies, make sure you keep this plant out of reach. Pro tip- the Monstera adansonii is a gorgeous hanging plant!

Signing off,

xoxo.