Monstera Varieties — Visual Identification Guide for Every Species

Identify every popular Monstera species and cultivar with this visual comparison guide. Learn the key leaf shape, fenestration, and growth differences between deliciosa, adansonii, peru, siltepecana, and more. This guide covers everything you need to know about this topic, including common causes, step-by-step solutions, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Here are the key things to understand: The Monstera genus contains approximately 50 species but only about 10 are commonly grown as houseplants. Monstera deliciosa is the most common with large split leaves that develop oval fenestrations with maturity. Monstera adansonii has smaller leaves with enclosed oval holes that appear even on juvenile plants. Monstera peru has unique puckered textured leaves with no fenestrations resembling reptile skin. Size at maturity varies enormously from compact Monstera siltepecana to massive Monstera deliciosa specimens. Understanding these fundamentals will help you diagnose and resolve this issue more effectively.

The most common reasons this occurs include: Misidentification is extremely common with adansonii frequently sold as obliqua and juvenile deliciosa sold as borsigiana. Juvenile leaves look very different from mature leaves making young plant ID challenging. Online sellers often use incorrect names contributing to widespread confusion among buyers. Variegated cultivars add another layer of complexity with Thai Constellation, Albo, and Aurea all being deliciosa variants. Identifying the root cause is the first step toward finding the right solution.

To resolve this, follow these recommended steps: Compare leaf shape to reference photos — deliciosa has wide round leaves while adansonii has narrower elongated ones. Check fenestration pattern — deliciosa develops splits from the edge while adansonii has enclosed holes. Feel the leaf texture — peru has distinctly puckered bumpy leaves unlike any other monstera. Examine leaf size — mature deliciosa leaves exceed 18 inches while most other species stay under 12 inches. Look at growth habit — some species trail naturally while others are strictly climbing. If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider consulting additional resources or a qualified professional.

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