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Monstera deliciosa Liebm.

Swiss cheese plant

Native records: 4 botanical areas

Guatemala, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Southwest, 1 more areas

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Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Monstera deliciosa

A signature aroid houseplant with large, perforated leaves, native to the humid tropical forests of southern Mexico and Guatemala.

Description

A hemiepiphytic vine that climbs trees using aerial roots. Young leaves are entire; fenestrations and deep splits develop as the plant matures. It flowers infrequently, producing a white spathe and cylindrical spadix. The ripe fruit is edible, but the rind contains irritating calcium oxalate crystals.

Habitat

Native to humid lowland and lower montane tropical forest understory from southern Mexico to Guatemala. Seedlings grow toward darkness to locate host trees, then develop aerial roots once they begin climbing.

Distribution areas

  • Bangladesh

    • BangladeshIntroduced

  • Comoros

    • ComorosIntroduced

  • Cook Islands

    • Cook Is.Introduced

  • Costa Rica

    • Costa RicaIntroduced

  • French Polynesia

    • Society Is.Introduced

  • Guatemala

    • GuatemalaNative

  • Honduras

    • HondurasIntroduced

  • Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

    • KoreaIntroduced

  • Korea, Republic of

    • KoreaIntroduced

  • Mayotte

    • ComorosIntroduced

  • Mexico

    • Mexico GulfNative
    • Mexico SoutheastNative
    • Mexico SouthwestNative

  • Nicaragua

    • NicaraguaIntroduced

  • Portugal

    • AzoresIntroduced

  • Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

    • AscensionIntroduced

  • Seychelles

    • SeychellesIntroduced

  • Spain

    • BalearesIntroduced

  • Trinidad and Tobago

    • Trinidad-TobagoIntroduced

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Aw Tropical, savannah
  • Am Tropical, monsoon
  • Cwb Temperate, dry winter, warm summer
  • Af Tropical, rainforest
  • Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer

The same climate occurs in 133 areas worldwide, 120 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Recorded medicinal uses

The cited source records medicinal use of this plant. It is not an assessment of efficacy or safety.

  • Monstera deliciosa is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.18, right column, line 44

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

Other names

Swiss cheese plant、Split-leaf philodendron、Ceriman

Family
Araceae
Genus
Monstera

Other species in Monstera

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bangladesh · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Cook Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Comoros · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Costa Rica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Spain · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Guatemala · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Honduras · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Korea, Republic of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mexico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mayotte · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Nicaragua · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Korea, Democratic People's Republic of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Portugal · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    French Polynesia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Seychelles · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Trinidad and Tobago · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

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