Want to know how to take Swiss cheese plant cuttings? Perhaps you want to know how to propagate a Swiss cheese plant. Our guide to Swiss cheese plants gives you the facts & information you want to know.
The Swiss cheese plant (scientific name monstera delicious) is a creeping vine with large, glossy, heart shaped leaves. The mature leaves develop natural holes in them giving the plant a Swiss cheese appearance. This plant grows like a creeping vine with a thick stem which can measure 2 cm high. The Swiss cheese plant is known by many other names including the fruit salad plant, monster fruit plant, window leaf, and Mexican bread plant.
This plant is famous for the large fruit it bears. Measuring up to 25 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, the fruit is similar in appearance to an ear of corn complete with kernels. The fruit of the Swiss Tree plant can be eaten after it has matured for at least a year. Immature fruit contains an acid substance which is poisonous. People who eat the plant before it ripens will experience symptoms of toxicity including blistering of the throat, irritation and swelling of the throat and in severe cases; even death.
Swiss Cheese Plant Cuttings
The fruit of the Swiss cheese plant is actually a green flower spike. It is cultivated by cutting the fruit from the vine when the fruit first begins to lift off its’ scales (similar to a pineapple) and exudes a strong odor. The scales lift off as they dry out to reveal a white flower bulb underneath. The fruit is then wrapped in a paper bag until the kernels begin popping off. The kernels are then brushed off to reveal edible fruit underneath. This edible fruit has a custard like texture and tastes similar to pineapple.
Swiss Cheese Plant Propagation
The Swiss cheese plant is native to sub tropical areas and is grown in the gardens of Mexico. In the wild the young plant grows in the shade until it finds a tree to climb on. It then climbs towards sunlight. The Swiss cheese plant is a popular plant grown indoors in many offices and hotel lobbies. To grow in doors, the Swiss cheese plant requires shade, high humidity, and moderate temperatures. The plant stops growing in cold temperatures and frost will kill it. The plant usually blooms around the age of 3. Very rarely will the plant bloom fruit in doors. If the plant does happen to bloom; it is advised that the grower not attempt to eat the fruit due to its’ poisonous properties.
