Where monstera grows in nature - the birthplace of the plant

Monstera is one of the amazing exotic plants. Despite the fact that home-based breeding of this flower is very popular, still wildlife is a more acceptable environment for it. The article talks about how the monstera looks and the features of its flowering, as well as the types and types of this culture.

What is monstera

At the beginning of the 18th century, rumors circulated in Europe about large plants that are located in tropical forests and can kill people. Eyewitnesses said that after the attack of these flowers from the living creature there were only bones hanging from the plant. Partly these stories are true. Tourists mistook the airy roots of the plant for scary tentacles. Weaving down, they could sprout through the human body. Because of such stories, the monster was called the Beast. But where the monstera lives, no one could say. People were afraid to go to the jungle.

Bush in the wild

Initially, scientists brought out a new genus Philodendron from the plant, but in 1765 the monstera was isolated in a special kind of culture. The first attractive monsters were brought to England in 1754. Where the monstera grows in South America, this species was accurately described only a century later by the botanist from Sweden Frederick Liebman, who in 1849 published a monograph on the cultures of South America.

The plant has huge carved burdock leaves and sturdy stems.

There were legends about the plant's involvement in the deaths of travelers. Everything turned out to be much simpler. People who were lost in the jungle died under the huge bushes of Monstera, and over the years vines pierced their bodies, and it looked terrible, as if a plant had killed a person. Therefore, now tourists do not arrange for themselves an overnight stay or shelter in the bushes of this plant.

Edible fruit

A Brief Description of the Monstera Plant: Botanical Features

This flower belongs to the species Aroid. The name in translation into Russian sounds like a "monster." This plant belongs to the variety of ever-flowering vines, which contains about 25 species. The monstera flower in nature resembles a very large and luxurious epiphytic plant, which has a well-developed root system.

Aerial roots form in leaf nodes opposite the stems. Leaves are marsh green, shiny, oval or round, with a diameter of up to 50 cm, located on long petioles - up to 35 cm, fresh leaves are whole, and only with age do slits appear on them. When the leaves only grow, they are folded into a tube and have a pale green color.

The size of the stem in the wild can reach up to 25 m, and the leaves themselves - up to 85 cm. Young leaves are smooth, formed on long petioles. On a large stalk there are many aerial roots, with the help of which the plant clings to everything that stands nearby. On the inflorescence is an edible fruit, in a white blanket.

On what continent does a monstera grow

The homeland of the plant is usually considered Central, South America and western India. But on what continent the monstera is growing now, it’s hard to say. Almost everywhere, these plants were exported to different countries.

Just grown leaf

Varieties of monstera

The most common three species of this plant:

• Monstera is delicious. At a young age, her leaves are smooth, in the form of a heart or an oval, and in an adult flower grow up to 80 cm in diameter. At home, the delicate monstera does not grow more than 2 m, and in greenhouses - 10 m. If you properly care for it, then large fruits are formed, whose length is 20 cm and width is 15 cm. When the berry ripens, you can taste it, to taste it resembles a mixture of banana and pineapple. But it is necessary to clean the fruit before use.
• Borziga. It grows mainly in Mexico, the leaves are small pinnate, up to 25 cm in diameter, suitable for housing. Compared to Delicacy, it has very thin stems and grows quickly.
• Slanting. It is also called expilate or sickle-shaped. It grows mainly in the moist forests of Brazil and Guatemala. The leaves are round, long and narrow. If the room is very dry air, then the leaves become small. The recommended breeding area is a raw greenhouse. It is in it that the internodes become short, and the leaves reach up to 30 cm in size.

Habitat monsters in nature

The habitat of Monstera is the southern part of America, or rather, the tropics. At home, it is quite difficult to create such an atmosphere for the plant. But if you adhere to the rules of care, give the flower everything you need, then it is quite possible to grow it with your own hands, but it will not bloom anyway.

How does a monstera behave in nature

Aerial roots constantly creep from the plant, and the cut leaves are very large. Inflorescences are similar to thick oval fruits, the flower itself is bisexual.

Root system

The adventitious roots are necessary for monstera to obtain additional minerals. Since this plant has high humidity in the wild, this will be a method of acclimatization to the environment. Under natural conditions, the plant grows to 250 m.

Monstera leaves are very poisonous. They have needle-like formations, if they get on the eyes or mucous membranes of a person, they will cause severe irritation. This is one of the reasons why the plant is considered a monster and a killer.

There are many myths associated with this flower. The most common:

• Energetic vampire. According to this myth, a flower forms carbon dioxide at night, due to which it is possible to suffocate. It is believed that a plant, like a vampire, feeds on human energy, which makes it lose strength. But as ancient scholars in Feng Shui science say, these cultures love only negative energy. Monstera absorbs electromagnetic radiation, so it is often placed near household appliances.
• Virulence. According to some legends, the palm of a monstera is large - a poisonous flower. In reality, a plant that blooms in gardens forms inflorescences on itself. They need to be cut off, it is in them that there is a part of a toxic substance. Many people try them, but you do not need to do this, since you can feel a burning sensation in your mouth, due to the large amount of potassium. But since the big monstera does not bloom at home, then there is no need to be afraid.

Growth in the tropics

When the monstera blooms

Flowering occurs mainly from mid-summer. In the usual habitat on the plant, an inflorescence is formed in early spring. The process of flowering and ripening of the fetus lasts approximately 10 months.

Why is Monster crying

The reasons why the monster cries are many. Sometimes a plant cries when it does not have enough water, thereby indicating that it is time to water it.

Also, when the rain approaches, the monstera cries, drops of water appear on the edges of the leaves. If watering is plentiful, with the help of tears the flower gets rid of excess fluid.

If you decide to breed this plant yourself, first you need to find out on what continent Monstera grows. In indoor conditions it is necessary to create the maximum climate to which it is accustomed. A large amount of moisture and sun is the main thing you need for proper cultivation.

In the home environment, the flower is more susceptible to various pests and diseases than in the wild. The most dangerous for him is chlorosis or a spider mite.

And this is true, at home Monstera lives about 5 years, this is with perfect care. In the wild, life reaches 30 years, this is a very big difference. Therefore, flower growers do not recommend keeping such plants at home, because they will not live long.

A lot of legends and stories are connected with the Monstera flower, many of which have even been confirmed. But no one will know the whole truth, because the events took place more than three centuries ago. However, one way or another, one cannot but emphasize the beauty and luxury of this wild flower. But in order to truly understand what a monstera is, you need to see her at least once. This beauty cannot be forgotten.

Watch the video: How to tell Monstera deliciosa from Philodendron bipinnatifidum (April 2024).