Monstera Varieties: 15 Different Types of Monstera

Monsteras have become an incredibly popular houseplant over the last several years. Their beautiful leaves and easy-going nature make them a great choice for houseplant owners. Both beginners and seasoned houseplant enthusiasts have been taking advantage of these low-maintenance indoor plants. But, which type of monstera is best? There are many different monstera varieties, so picking just one can be a challenge.

The monstera has more varieties than the pothos, but fewer varieties than the philodendron. Many of them have different colors, and different traits, depending on what you are looking for.

Ready to learn more about the different varieties of monstera? While there are actually over 40 different varieties, we’ve picked our 15 favorites to focus on. Let’s take a look at some of the top options for your next indoor plant!

Dubia

	botanical name Monstera dubia
	height 3-10 feet tall

In the wild, these crawl across the forest floor until they find another plant to climb up. The leaves have heart shapes and usually consist of dark green with light green spots forming a distinct pattern. The pattern gives it a unique look compared with more common varieties.

Five Holes Plant

	botanical name Monstera standleyana
	height 2-5 feet tall

This variety of monstera is interesting because it has pointier and thinner leaves than the other varieties. Many don’t have any holes in their leaves, but they do have specks of lighter green or white that can look like holes from a certain angle.

In some cases, the underside of a leaf may be completely white or light green while the top layer is completely green. This variety of monstera is incredibly rare and hard to get your hands on.

Hurricane Plant

	botanical name Monstera pinnatipartita
	height 4-6 feet tall

This variety of monstera is known for its rough and bumpy leaves. Sometimes called the hurricane plant, this monstera has long stems and leaves heavier than other varieties. They are more oval-shaped and they also tend to be thicker. But just like most monsteras, the leaves fenestrate and create slits as the plant matures.

Silver Monstera

	botanical name Monstera siltepecana
	height 6-8 feet tall

These are one of the most unique and elegant monsteras. They are bushy, with lots of leaves of different sizes creating a lovely cascading effect. These monsteras do have some holes in their leaves, but not always.

Like many monsteras, they thrive even with little care and attention. They grow fast and can get out of control unless you trim them well. As the leaves mature, they take on a silvery sheen, making them a highly sought-after plant.

Monstera acacoyaguensis

	botanical name Monstera acacoyaguensis
	height 4-20 feet tall

This variety of monstera can grow to be quite tall. Indoors, they can reach up to ten feet with proper care. When outside, they can grow as much as 20 feet. The leaves are glossy and thinner than some other monstera varieties. The texture is similar to leather, but they have a bright green color that brings light into any room. This plant is rare and can be expensive.

Monstera borsigiana

	botanical name Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo Borsigiana’
	height 2-30 feet tall

A variety of the popular Monstera deliciosa, borsigiana is a rare type of monstera. They have an impressive growth rate. The plant has holes that develop into large slits on each leaf. This characteristic gives them a beautiful appearance of perforations that sunlight can shine through.

Monstera epipremnoides

	botanical name Monstera epipremnoides
	height 7-13 feet tall

Monstera epipremnoides is one of the larger varieties of monstera that will grow tall when kept indoors. In the wild, it can grow much higher. The leaves of this variety are often much larger than standard monsters. It has the typical perforations on each leaf, and they tend to drape over each other, creating a softer look.

Monstera esqueleto

	botanical name Monstera esqueleto
	height 7-14 feet tall

Esqueleto is similar to epipremnoides in that they have massive holes in their huge leaves. These leaves are large ovals and are very delicate. Many people compare these leaves to a skeleton as if all the meat of the leaf is gone. This variety of monstera is relatively easy to take care of as long as it doesn’t receive too much direct sunlight that could burn the leaves.

Monstera Peru

	botanical name Monstera karstenianum
	height 6-8 feet tall

Monstera karstenianum is a departure from other varieties of monstera. The leaves have no holes or perforations, but they are a dark shade of green with a shiny, leathery surface. The leaves have a pointed end and a large oval shape. The only notable issue to watch out for is common indoor pests like spider mites.

Monstera obliqua

	botanical name Monstera obliqua
	height 4-5 feet tall

Monstera obliqua is one of the rarest varieties of monstera. These plants grow very slowly and have large holes in the leaves. They are so rare because they can be tricky to care for and propagate. The most important part of taking care of this rare plant is to make sure the relative humidity in its environment stays around 85%.

Schott Plant

	botanical name Monstera punctulata
	height 7-10 feet tall

This variety can grow to a whopping 50 feet tall in the wild, but usually only 7-10 feet when grown indoors. It has wide leaves and commonly grows on limestone rocks when found in the wild. The leaves can range from a deep green to a golden color. They are usually rough on one side, with a smoother texture on the top surface. Like most monsteras, this plant is relatively easy to care for and prefers filtered or indirect sunlight.

Shingle Plant

	botanical name Monstera acuminata
	height 6-8 feet tall

Shingle plants are a more common variety. In their natural habitat, they can grow as high as 98 feet. However, when grown indoors in non-tropical locations, they usually only reach about 8 feet. They have narrow, long leaves with thin holes to match. The plant has round leaves when they first emerge. But as it grows, the leaves elongate.

Delicious Monster

	botanical name Monstera deliciosa
	height 6-8 feet tall

Monstera deliciosa is one of the more common monstera plants. These are also sometimes called Swiss cheese plants, but not as frequently. They also get called delicious monsters, fruit salad plants, or fruit salad trees.

You may see this plant labeled split-leaf philodendron, a common name shared with another species, Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum. Funnily enough, neither species is actually a Philodendron at all. Monsteras are commonly confused with being an actual philodendron, which they are not.

In the wild, it can grow up to 66 feet high. But it usually stays around 7 or 8 feet when it grows indoors. It even grows edible fruit!

Swiss Cheese Plant

	botanical name Monstera adansonii
	height 3-5 feet tall

Most people are familiar with the M. adansonii. It has large holes all over its leaves. These have a unique look and aptly go by the name Swiss cheese plant. The leaves often take on a heart shape, which is enticing for plant lovers that appreciate a unique leaf. Indoors, it usually only grows up to five feet, but outdoors it can act like a vine and grow as tall as 13 feet. Adansonii can also live in low light environments, and can even make a good houseplant for the top of your refrigerator, if they have some indirect sunlight.

Thai Constellation

	botanical name Monstera deliciosa ‘Thai constellation’
	height 6-8 feet tall

Thai constellation monstera is a unique plant that can be hard to find. The oval leaves typically have two different colors in them. This discoloring is called variegation, and it occurs because of a lack of chlorophyll production. This variety of monstera was lab-grown but has become a popular houseplant nonetheless.