Swiss Cheese Vine

Monstera adansonii

Also known as Monstera adansonii, Swiss Cheese Plant, Monkey Mask

Plantae›Araceae

A trailing monstera whose leaves are riddled with oval holes. Grown emersed with its roots in the tank water, it works as a living biofilter — pulling up nitrate while the foliage stays in the air.

Terrestrial / emersed plant

Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air: a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.

Toxic if eaten

Leaves and sap contain calcium oxalate — toxic if eaten, irritating the mouth and gut; keep foliage away from plant-grazing fish, while the submerged roots are safe.

Where it's from

Native to Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central and 14 more

Recorded as introduced in Puerto Rico

At a glance

Light: Bright indirect
Growth: Fast
Placement: Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
Temp: 64–82°F; 18–28°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
GH: 36–357 ppm; 2–20 dGH

Member photos

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Legality

No state or federal restrictions on record.

Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping or shipping it.

The care information here is written with AI help, so it can contain mistakes. Spot one? Tell us and we'll fix it. Native range: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) (CC BY 4.0).