Mexican Breadfruit

Monstera deliciosa is one of the most recognizable perennials in the plant world, known above all for its dramatic, deeply split leaves. Those distinctive holes and cuts, botanists call them fenestrations, are the plant's signature, and they make every mature leaf look like something a sculptor labored over. It belongs to the Araceae family, a large and ancient group of plants, and sits within the genus Monstera, which takes its name from the Latin word for "monstrous", a nod to the outsized scale the plant can reach.

What surprises most beginners is how little fuss Monstera deliciosa actually demands. Rated beginner difficulty, it asks for only about ten minutes of attention per week. It is a true perennial, meaning it does not die back at the end of a season and start over, it simply keeps growing, year after year, adding new leaves and presence to wherever it is planted. With a hardiness range that spans Zones 1a through 13b, it covers an extraordinary breadth of climates across the United States, making it relevant to gardeners in a wide range of regions.