Stats

Lifespan: Perennial
Size: Large
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Tropical rainforest
Range: Central and South America
Movement: Climbing
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Toxins
Status: Uncommon

About

A tropical climbing vine native to Central and South America, famous for the oval holes (fenestrations) punched through each leaf — believed to let light reach lower foliage and reduce wind resistance in its rainforest canopy home. Indoors it trails enthusiastically from any surface it can grip.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Genus: Monstera
Species: Monstera adansonii