Monstera siltepecana - Silver Vine

This Monstera's fast-growing vines sport narrow, silver-green leaves with contrasting deep forest green veins. While these leaves start small and delicate in their juvenile form, they mature to get stronger and develop fenestrations like its well-known Swiss Cheese Plant cousins. In your home, it will look fabulous trailing from a shelf or hanging basket, or trained up a moss pole for some added height. Keep it happy in a bright spot out of direct sun, and somewhere it gets above-average humidity, and it will reward you with more stunning foliage and perfect rainforest vibe.

Scientific Name
Monstera siltepecana (monster from Siltepec, Mexico)

This plant was first named in a 1950 paper, and has retained the same classification ever since.

Common Name
Silver Monstera, Silver Vine, Swiss Cheese Plant

Origin
Native to Central America, ranging from the Gulf and Southern parts of Mexico through Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Light
Thrives in bright, indirect light. Too much direct sunlight can scorch its leaves, while low light conditions may slow growth and reduce its silver markings.

Water
Let the top inch or so of soil dry between waters. Make sure the soil is not sat soggy, and that any excess water drains through when you water.

Humidity
Your Silver Monstera will prefer high humidity, between 60-80%. It will do best in damper places like kitchens or bathrooms, or grouped with other plants, or if you use a humidifier or pebble tray to increase local humidity around the plant.

Soil
Use a well-draining, chunky mix - one with added bark, or a mix designed for Monstera, Philodendrons or other epiphytes will work well here.

Food
Feed every four waters in spring and summer; reduce to every six in autumn and winter when the plant will be growing more slowly.

Temperature
Prefers temperatures between 18-26°C. Keep it away from cold drafts and avoid  long periods at temperatures below 12°C.

Pet-safe
No, this plant is toxic if ingested.

Sprouts Top Tips
Train Monstera siltepecana on a moss pole or trellis to encourage larger leaves and faster growth. Mist the moss pole regularly to keep the aerial roots hydrated and promote climbing behaviour. This will encourage the newer leaves to grow larger and develop fenestration.