Whats in a name?
One plant has become especially famousor at leastInstagram-famous.
Or is it a split-leafphilodendron?
Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.Credit: Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
Those leaves, in the right environment, develop holes.
Swiss cheese plant is one monstera nickname that references to those holes.
Another is split-leaf philodendron.
Credit: Jacob Fox
But the monstera is not, technically speaking, a philodendron at all.
The monstera certainly looks and acts like a philodendron, even though it isnt classified as one.
This is where it gets complicated.
There are two true species of philodendron thatalsogo by the name split-leaf philodendron:Philodendron bipinnatifidumandPhilodendron selloum.
These plants are both completely different plants than monstera, but go by the same nickname in some cases.
No wonder were confused!
Common plant names can even differ by region and generation.
You might want to start brushing up on your Latin names!
