Fruit Salad Plant

Fruit Salad Plant (Monstera deliciosa) earns its place on leaf size alone. Mature leaves are broad, deeply cut and full of holes, and one well grown plant fills a corner the way nothing else in the same pot size can. Given a stake or moss pole it climbs to around 3m and spreads about 2m, and outdoors in a frost free garden it keeps going higher wherever it finds something to hold.

Why you'll love it

• Leaves that do the work of furniture. A single mature leaf can span half a metre, so three or four of them change the feel of a room.
• Genuinely low maintenance. It forgives a missed watering and accepts a range of light levels without sulking.
• Fast growing. In a warm season with good light it puts out a new leaf every few weeks, each larger than the last.
• Fruit that explains the name. In tropical and subtropical gardens the fully ripe fruit tastes of pineapple and banana, though indoor plants rarely fruit.

Where it works best

Indoors. Bright indirect light near a window it never gets baked by. Direct midday sun through glass scorches the leaves; deep shade gives small leaves with no splits.

Pots on balconies and courtyards. Under a roof line or pergola it gets the filtered light and shelter it wants, and a container keeps the size in check.

Outdoor feature planting. In frost free gardens it grows in the ground under a tree or against a shaded wall, where leaves get far larger than they do inside.

Growing Monstera deliciosa in Australia

Light. Bright and indirect is the rule. Young plants carry entire heart shaped leaves, and the famous splits appear only as the plant matures and climbs. Give it a pole and enough light and the splitting follows.

Climate. It is frost tender and happy with heat and humidity. In Darwin, Brisbane, Perth and coastal Sydney it grows outdoors all year. In Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart it is an indoor plant brought under cover before the first frost.

Water and feed. Let the top three to five centimetres of mix dry, then water thoroughly and empty the saucer. Less water in winter, and a liquid feed every four weeks in spring and summer.

Potting and support. Use a free draining premium mix and step up a pot size every two years. Tie the climbing stem to a moss pole as it grows, and wipe the leaves clean every few weeks: dust on a leaf that size cuts the light.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in six sizes, from tube stock to 400mm. Tubes, the 140mm pack of ten and the 200mm pack of six arrive as young plants with solid, unsplit leaves, which is normal and not a fault. The 250mm pack of three and the 300mm plants usually show the first fenestrations, and 400mm plants arrive with several large split leaves.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Give it a fortnight to settle, then expect a new leaf within four to six weeks in warm weather. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse indoor plants for Australian homes
• Weeping Fig, another large indoor feature plant
• Preparing a bed for outdoor planting

Common questions

Why does my plant have no holes in the leaves?

It is either young or short of light. Splits develop as the plant matures and climbs, so give it a moss pole and more light and the next leaves should come through cut.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Every part except the fully ripe fruit contains calcium oxalate, which is toxic to pets and irritating to the mouth if chewed. Keep it away from pets and small children.

Can I grow it outside in Melbourne or Adelaide?

Not through winter. It is frost tender, so keep it indoors or on a protected verandah once the cold sets in.