The Monstera Deliciosa fruit is unlike anything you’ve ever seen or tried before! In fact, it’s frequently considered to be one of the most delicious and interesting fruits. As a master gardener, I’m going to share some interesting things about this fruit and the plant it grows from in this article.
Monstera Deliciosa, also referred to as the Swiss cheese plant, Mexican breadfruit, and fruit salad plant, is a popular houseplant native to warm climates in Central America such as Guatemala, Panama, and Southern Mexico.
Recognized for its unique leaf structure, it bears an edible fruit that marries the flavors of several tropical fruits in one. Its taste, often compared to pineapple, banana, passion fruit, mango, guava, and strawberry, is a bewildering burst of flavor that is absolutely delicious.
This versatile fruit is found in many culinary preparations. From fruit salads and jams to flavor enhancers in ice creams, the Monster delicious fruit has an astounding texture and taste that is savored by food lovers worldwide. Due to its high content of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and potassium, it is quite beneficial for health.
However, harvesting this fruit requires some experience as the unripe fruit contains calcium oxalate crystals, which can lead to a burning sensation if consumed.
The process of peeling the ripe fruit to remove the protective skin and reveal the soft flesh inside can be conveniently compared to peeling a banana or a mango. The trick is to place it in a paper bag till it ripens, after which it is ready for consumption.
Monstera plant is not just revered for its delightful fruit, but it significantly adds to the aesthetics of the house as well.
For years, it has been part of our homes and gardens, offering fresh air, high humidity and a touch of nature’s beauty. Read on to learn more about this fruit and plant!
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Botanical Name: Monstera deliciosa
Common Name: Swiss cheese plant, Fruit salad plant, Monstera fruit, Mexican breadfruit
Family: Araceae
Plant Type: Evergreen perennial
Hardiness Zones: 10 – 12 (USDA)
Sun Exposure: Partial shade
Soil Type: Well-drained
Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.0
Native Area: Central America, Southern Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala
What is Monstera Deliciosa Fruit?
The fruit of Monstera Deliciosa, colloquially referred to as the Monstera fruit or fruit salad plant, is a confounding cocktail of delicious flavors. The taste profile of a ripe Monstera fruit is said to be a delectable blend of pineapple, banana, mango, guava, passion fruit, and strawberry.
Some enjoy a hint of coconut in its flavor, while others taste the sweetness of an ear of corn. Just imagine a tropical fruit salad elegantly crafted by nature itself!
But growing and enjoying the Monstera Deliciosa fruit must be done with care. Its unripe fruit contains calcium oxalate crystals, a substance that can cause a burning sensation in the throat.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
The texture of a prematurely picked fruit, too, can be unnaturally fleshy. If ingested, this can result in unpleasant effects similar to those of a laxative.
However, a mature Monstera fruit, when harvested correctly, is not only edible but also a powerhouse of nutrients, supplying plenty of vitamin C and potassium. To be sure of its ripeness, the fruit’s skin starts peeling from the bottom up.
Once the first few scales pop off naturally, it’s ready. You can also expedite the ripening process by placing it in a paper bag at room temperature.
Monstera Deliciosa Plant Care
The Monstera Deliciosa plant prefers high humidity and warm climates, much like the conditions in its original habitats in Central America.
In the right environment, the Monstera plant produces its edible fruit about a year after flowering, although it’s worth noting that this usually happens in three years or more.
Including this plant in your garden or greenhouse can yield you some marvelous Monstera fruit. Its rich and exotic flavors make a great addition to fruit salads, ice creams, and jams.
Despite it being a tad tricky with its oxalic acid content in the unripe stage, the rewarding taste and the garden aesthetic it brings make the Monstera Deliciosa a fascinating plant to grow.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Monstera deliciosa is a popular houseplant that hails from the warm climates of Central America, particularly Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, and Costa Rica, where high humidity is the norm.
The plant requires a good dose of indirect sunlight and well-drained soil, but be aware of too much light as it can cause the leaf to burn. Its large, glossy leaves are famous for their unique Swiss Cheese-like holes, but beyond that, it also yields an edible fruit.
Maturing slowly, the monstera fruit has a unique texture, somewhat like an ear of corn, its unripe fruit covered with hexagonal scales. When the scales start peeling, it’s a telltale sign that the fruit is ripe and ready to be eaten.
Be warned, consumption of an unripe fruit of monstera deliciosa can cause a burning sensation in the throat due to calcium oxalate crystals.
Light
Monstera deliciosa fruit, also known as Mexican breadfruit or fruit salad plant due to its reminiscent flavor of fruit salads, requires considerable light for their growth.
Native to the warm climates of southern Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama, this exotic plant thrives in moderate to brightly indirect sunlight.
High humidity and optimal lighting conditions closely replicated their natural habitat in the rainforests of Central America.
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Direct sunlight, however, may cause damage to the plant’s lush leaves, making them look like a swiss cheese plant.
Perfect light exposure enables the unripe fruit to mature, which is essential as an unripe Monster Deliciosa poses a risk of causing a burning sensation in the throat due to calcium oxalate crystals.
Soil
Monstera deliciosa thrives in nutritious soil that can replicate its natural tropical habitat. This popular houseplant has a predilection for well-draining soils to avoid root rot, but it can tolerate a range of soil types as long as they are rich in organic matter.
A mixture of peat, perlite, and compost is excellent, offering both nutrients and the right texture for growth. Regular application of a balanced organic fertilizer can further enrich the soil and support the Monstera’s growth.
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High humidity, coupled with warm temperatures, can replicate the natural conditions of Guatemala, enhancing the growth and fruiting of this indoor plant.
Water
This popular houseplant requires keen care especially when it comes to watering. It is crucial to water your plant thoroughly and allow the top inch of the soil to dry out between waterings.
Sufficient watering is key in promoting the growth of Monstera’s edible fruit. However, keep in mind that overwatering can lead to root rot and under-watering can retard the growth of your plant and its fruit.
Consistent balance is crucial to achieve the best Monstera fruits.
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Temperature and Humidity
Monstera deliciosa prefers high humidity and temperatures between 20 to 30 degrees Celsius or 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. This popular houseplant can adapt to indoor temperatures but requires increased humidity levels to truly thrive.
A native to the rainforests of Central America, Monstera deliciosa prefers an environment with increased moisture for optimal growth and fruit production.
Indeed, the right balance of temperature and atmospheric moisture greatly influences the fruit’s texture and taste, which is often likened to a blend of pineapple, banana, and mango.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Fertilizer
To cultivate its signature edible fruit, which has a flavor likened to a mix of pineapple, guava and mango, the monstera requires fertile, nutrient-dense soil.
Fertilizers high in potassium and calcium are crucial to promote the healthy growth of both the plant and its fruit, making potassium particularly important for developing the ear of corn-like shape and complex taste of the fruit.
Moreover, it’s advised to avoid fertilizers with high amounts of oxalic acid, as the plant naturally produces Calcium Oxalate crystals, which can lead to a burning sensation in the throat if the unripe fruit is accidentally consumed.
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How to Plant Monstera Deliciosa Fruit From Seed
1. Harvesting the Seeds
After peeling, rinse the fresh seeds throbbing with potential new Monsteras. Extract them from the edible fruit gently, ensuring not to damage the precious cargo.
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2. Planting the Promising Seeds
Prepare a pot with well-drained soil. Place the seed just below the surface of the earth, leaving it with enough room to grow.
3. Nurturing your Monstera
Grow your Monstera under controlled conditions. Keep in a humid area with indirect sunlight and be sure to water liberally but not to the point of saturation. Remember, they thrive best in high humidity.
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How to Propagate Monstera Deliciosa Fruit
The Monstera deliciosa thrives in high humidity and produces an edible fruit also known as the monstera fruit.
The first step in propagating the monstera fruit is to wait until the fruit is ripe. An unripe monstera fruit contains calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause a burning sensation in the throat and mouth, acting as a kind of natural laxative. But when ripe, these crystals dissolve making the fruit safe and delicious to eat.
Once the fruit is ripe, the propagation is rather straightforward. Slice the ripe fruit and separate the seeds from the flesh. Each fruit contains a large number of seeds, which you can plant in pots with good quality soil.
Keep the pots in a warm, humid place and make sure to keep the soil moist at all times. The seeds will germinate and grow into a new monstera plant, which, when matured, will produce its own fruit.
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Remember, like every other plant, the Monstera deliciosa also requires regular care. Regular watering, exposure to bright but indirect sunlight, and regular pruning of dying leaves will ensure a healthy and thriving plant.
As a master gardener, it’s particularly satisfying to watch this popular houseplant grow and blossom into a fruitful yield.
Whether you plan to incorporate its fruit into your menu or appreciate its aesthetic appeal, a well-maintained Monstera certainly won’t disappoint.
How to Harvest Monstera Deliciosa Fruit
Harvesting the Monstera Deliciosa fruit requires knowledge and patience to savor its unusual and astonishing flavor.
The key to unlocking the unique taste of the Monstera fruit is understanding the stages of its ripeness. An unripe fruit of Monstera Deliciosa is not only hard but also filled with Calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause a burning sensation in the throat.
When harvested too early, the fruit is toxic due to its high levels of oxalic acid. This could be likened to biting into an unripe ear of corn or an undeveloped banana leaf.
However, when fully ripe, the Monstera Deliciosa’s fruit flesh offers a blend of taste, similar to a luscious mix of pineapple, strawberry, mango, passion fruit, guava, and ripe banana – a veritable fruit salad plant.
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Harvesting time comes when the Monstera fruit begins to shed its green scales, revealing an appealing honey-like texture.
From this point, the fruit can be removed from the Monstera plant and placed in a paper bag to accelerate ripeness. Over the next few days, continue peeling off the scales until the flesh is fully exposed.
Once the fruit is fully ripe, slice it lengthways to reveal a core that almost looks like an ear of corn. The white flesh, as bulbous and inviting as a ripe mango, can now be safely eaten. Consume with caution, however, as eating too much can act as a laxative.
Native to the high-humidity regions of Costa Rica and Panama, Monstera Deliciosa’s fruit is rich in numerous vitamins. It contains plenty of Vitamin C, and potassium, making it an excellent addition to fruit salads and a delicious ingredient in ice creams and jams as well.
Whether you’re a master gardener or simply love the taste and texture of exotic fruits, harvesting your own Monstera Deliciosa fruit can be a pleasant and rewarding experience. So why not add this delightful plant to your collection and dive into a world of extraordinary tropical flavors?
How to Store Monstera Deliciosa Fruit
Storing monstera deliciosa fruit, often nicknamed the ‘fruit salad plant’ due to its place in exotic fruit salads, requires certain steps. First of all, you must wait for the fruit to ripen before you store it.
The maturity of the monstera fruit is determined by the scaling or peeling of the skin. A ripe monstera fruit will naturally shed its hexagonal green scales, revealing a moist flesh underneath, the sight reminiscent of an ear of corn.
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To store this flavorful delight, you could either refrigerate it or freeze it. Prior to refrigeration, consider wrapping the peeled fruit in a paper bag and leave it in a cool place.
This method enhances the ripeness and allows the fruit to develop its unique taste further. However, if you don’t plan on consuming the fruit immediately, freezing is a more suitable method.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases for Monstera Deliciosa
Spider Mites
Red Spider Mite Infestation – Photo Credit: Dreamstime.
Spider mites are tiny pests that can cause significant damage to the monstera deliciosa.
Detectable by the fine, silken webbing they leave on the leaves, these mites cause the foliage to discolour and curl. You might notice the leaf’s texture becoming rough, just like an unripe fruit.
Effective control involves consistent humidity and regular washing of the plant, with severe cases needing a miticide treatment.
Scale Insects
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Scale insects are another common pest problem. These small, dome-shaped bugs attach to the base of the leaves and stem, feeding on the plant’s sap.
The signs include wilting leaves similar to the effects of an ear of corn left in the sun too long.
A mixture of soap and water sprayed on affected areas can provide light control, with heavier infestations requiring a horticultural oil application.
Leaf Spot Disease
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Leaf-spot disease, caused by various types of fungus and bacteria, presents as irregular brown spots on leaves. Over time these areas can become larger, and the tissue may die and fall out, creating holes that resemble Swiss cheese.
Application of a fungicide or bactericide, based on the type of pathogen, can provide control.
Common Plant Problems and Solutions for Monstera Deliciosa
Brown Tips
The monstera deliciosa can develop brown tips on its leaves. This is often due to insufficient humidity, a problem this Central America native would rarely have in the wild due to its inherent love for warm climates and high humidity.
If you spot this issue, increase your watering frequency and consider a regular misting to reproduce the plant’s natural environment.
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Yellowing Leaves
If you notice the vibrant green leaves of your monstera plant turning a sickly yellow, it might indicate overwatering.
While this species thrives in moist environments, too much water can result in root rot, which can be fatal. Therefore, monitor your watering regime and ensure the plant has well-draining soil to prevent waterlogging.
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Frazzled Fruits
These popular houseplants, sometimes referred to as the fruit salad plant, can have frazzled or shriveled fruits due to lack of nutrients. Ensuring a rich supply of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C and Potassium is key.
Incorporating a balanced, slow-release fertilizer into your care routine can help the plant produce juicy fruits that offer delightful tastes like passion fruit, strawberry, and even hints of an ear of corn.
Remember, the monstera deliciousa’s fruit is only edible when ripened properly, thus patience is key. When ripe, they make excellent additions to fruit salads, ice creams, and jams and are also useful as a mild laxative.
Keep growing and relishing the bounty of your indoor garden!
Other Monstera Guides from Planet Natural:
How to Grow and Care for Thai Constellation Monstera
How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Monstera Albo
Melissa Pino is a biologist, master gardener, and regular contributor for Planet Natural. Melissa's work focuses on promoting environmentally-friendly practices, helping people create healthy gardens and finding ways to achieve overall health and wellness.
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