This article will tell you all you need to know about the different Monstera varieties or different types of Monstera.
This article will also discuss each variety’s native zone, maximum height when grown indoors, and hardiness zone.
Let’s begin.
Different Types of Monstera Plants
Monstera Deliciosa
With its spiffy heart-shaped foliage and dark green leaves, this wildly popular and readily available cultivar of the Monstera species is characterized by natural perforations that resemble a Swiss cheese plant.
In the wild, mature Monstera deliciosa plants grow up to 70 feet tall (due to their aerial root structure) and even may sprout creamy flowers, but this rarely happens when grown as houseplants.
Growers must replicate the native habitat of the plant for it to bloom—but even then, the chances of it producing flowers are very slim.
- Native Area: South and Central America
- Hardiness Zone: 10-12 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 10-15 Feet Tall
Monstera Albo Deliciosa
This is a fast-growing plant with heart-shaped leaves that emerge green, then quickly show splashes of white. The Monstera Deliciosa Albo is prized for its rare variegation and adaptability to various light conditions.
It is also incredibly forgiving if you don’t get the care instructions right. Direct sunlight is dangerous for the plant as it could lead to the leaves burning. However, it will revert to its natural green color when you take it out of direct sunlight.
- Native Area: Central and South America
- Hardiness Zone: 9-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 10-15 Feet Tall
Monstera Adansonii
Monstera adansonii is an incredibly rare houseplant that has gained popularity because its unique structure resembles a Swiss cheese plant (more than the Monstera deliciosa). However, a critical difference between the Adansonii and Deliciosa is the size.
The former has smaller, more compact leaves with lacy holes and notches, while the Adansonii is a trailing plant that makes it perfect for use in hanging baskets.
- Native Area: Central and South America
- Hardiness Zone: 10-12 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 3-8 Feet Tall
Monstera Borsigiana
Famous for its dramatic sculptural leaves, the Monstera Borsigiana is a dream for many growers. It may not be the easiest plant to grow, but learning how to care for this plant isn’t complex.
Most growers confuse Monstera deliciosa with Monstera borsigiana; however, deliciosa houseplants tend to sprawl horizontally while borsigiana plants prefer climbing and vining.
The leaves can grow to a height of up to 8 feet and are relatively compact. When matured, it is easier to tell the difference between both plants.
- Native Area: Tropical Forests of Central America
- Hardiness Zone: 10-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 7-10 Feet Tall
Mini Monstera
This is the right plant for you if you are looking for a small vining plant to add to your houseplant collection. Mini Monstera is a part of a different genus entirely, known as Rhaphidophora.
This genus has nearly 100 species that grow in the tropical regions of Asia and Africa and are closely related to the Monstera genus—named after Monstera deliciosa plants due to their close resemblance.
It grows to heights of up to 8 feet with leaves nearly 8 inches wide, is relatively low-maintenance, and is easy to grow indoors.
- Native Area: Asia and Africa
- Hardiness Zone: 10-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 6-8 Feet Tall
Monstera Siltepecana
The beautiful Monstera siltepecana is a rare variety of the Monstera genus with silver-gray leaves. The plant has two distinct phases: juvenile and mature. The young leaves are small, long, and thin without any fenestrations.
As the plant matures, it develops fenestrations and holes consistent with deliciosa leaves. The leaves take on a deep green hue as they grow older.
Note that the vines are partially epiphytic and will thrive in a nutrient-rich substrate mix with good drainage.
- Native Area: Southern Mexico to Central America.
- Hardiness Zone: 9b-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 7-8 Feet Tall
Monstera Obliqua
The incredibly rare and demanding obliqua is meant for highly experienced Monstera growers with a green thumb since growing them is not easy. What’s more, these plants also tend to be on the more expensive side.
Because obliqua leaves are paper thin and fragile, and the majority of them have 90% holes, the plant is tough to grow.
It is easy to confuse obliqua varieties with the Adansonii. However, obliqua leaves are excessively fenestrated to the point where the perforations occupy a larger surface area than the leaves.
- Native Area: Central and Southern Tropical America
- Hardiness Zone: 9b-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 6-10 Feet Tall
Monstera Deliciosa Thai Constellation
This Monstera variety is not found in the wild but was developed in a laboratory in Thailand, hence the name. This also makes the plant incredibly rare and hard for collectors and enthusiasts to get their hands on.
Monstera Thai Constellations have extremely variegated leaves that feature a green marbled pattern because of a lack of chlorophyll. The leaves also have creamy-colored spots that do not absorb sunlight.
If you do decide to grow Monstera Deliciosa Thai Constellation, you should know that some care instructions for Thai Constellations are similar to Monstera deliciosa.
- Native Area: Southern Mexico and Panama
- Hardiness Zone: 9b-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 7-8 Feet Tall
Monstera Pinnatipartita
The rare evergreen climbing plant, Monstera Pinnatipartita, originated from South America but is native to the tropical rainforests of Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.
It blossoms with distinct white waxy flowers along the aerial roots, making it look extremely wild. These plants are hemiepiphytes with a root structure that is both aerial and terrestrial.
The Pinnatipartita can be grown as an outdoor plant, and when it blossoms, its flowers consist of a spathe and spadix.
- Native Area: Columbia, Peru, and Ecuador
- Hardiness Zone: 10b-12 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 4-6 Feet Tall
Monstera Dubia
This type of monstera is a cultivar from Central and South America with a creeping vine known for scaling trees and larger plants. The juvenile dubias have small heart-shaped leaves with a mixture of light green and dark green colors. A mature Monstera dubia develops larger fenestrations with no variegation and tend to hang from vines.
- Native Area: Tropical Central and South America
- Hardiness Zone: 9-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 3-6 Feet Tall
Monstera Peru
The Monstera Peru tends to grow thick, stiff leaves and does not develop fenestrated leaves, as opposed to Monstera adansonii and Monstera dubia. Due to their similar leaf structures, juvenile Monstera Peru is often confused with Pinnatipartita.
However, the leaves of mature Monstera Peru plants are wider and rounder than the elongated leaves of the Pinnatipartita.
Simply put, Monstera Peru is better suited to beginners because they are easy to grow. However, you should know that these plants are surprisingly difficult to acquire.
- Native Area: Columbia, Peru, and Ecuador
- Hardiness Zone: 10b-12 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 4-6 Feet Tall
Monstera Subpinnata
The Monstera subpinnata is a vining houseplant with lush leaves that can grow up to 12 inches long and 8 inches wide when fully mature. Unlike most monstera species, the subpinnata is known for its pinnate foliage with fewer fenestrations. Instead, the leaves have fewer holes and more splits.
- Native Area: Colombia to Bolivia
- Hardiness Zone: 9b-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 5-6 Feet Tall
Albino Monstera
Albino monstera is among the most sought-after and rare variegated Monstera plants. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the Albino monstera is extremely difficult (and expensive) to acquire due to the rare faded, bright white texture on the leaves that gives it a heavily bleached appearance.
Simply put, Albino Monstera is known for its white color that is distributed in varying degrees throughout the leaf, including variegations such as marbling, large patches, and a combination of the two.
- Native Area: Central America
- Hardiness Zone: 9b-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 5-10 Feet Tall
Monstera Standleyana
Another stunning variety of the Monstera plant is the Monstera Standleyana. It is a rare exotic Aroid climber known for its imperial green color and features sturdy stems.
In addition, it has an upright growing habit but features asymmetrical leaves, which tend to be ovate with a lustrous shine.
The striations can take various forms that differ from leaf to leaf; therefore, no two leaves are alike.
They are not only common but also easy to cultivate, making them a good option for people who aren’t experienced with growing this particular plant species but still want to add a touch of greenery to their homes.
- Native Area: Colombia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panamá.
- Hardiness Zone: 9a-11b (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 2-5 Feet Tall
Monstera Standleyana ‘Albo Variegata’
Monstera standleyana albo features adorable white variegations that grow at least 6 feet to 20 feet tall from the ground. The juveniles start as creepers but use their aerial roots to climb – if they find vertical support such as rocks, walls, and tree trunks. These Monsteras grow at a medium pace but will develop much faster if you closely replicate the conditions of their natural habitat.
- Native Area: Colombia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panamá.
- Hardiness Zone: 9a-11b (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 6-20 Feet Tall
Monstera Aurea
Monstera Aurea is an evergreen plant that often goes by various names such as Yellow Variegated Monstera and Monstera Marmorata. This plant is rare and expensive, but this is to be expected as it is highly sought after because of its unique variations.
The plant develops fenestrations as it ages and features yellow sections because of defective chloroplast biogenesis and high levels of reactive oxygen.
Now, upon seeing these yellow parts of the plant, one can be forgiven for thinking that the plant is diseased. However, it is important not to confuse yellow pigmentation with viral infections caused by pathogens.
- Native Area: Panama, Mexico, and Central America
- Hardiness Zone: 9b-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 10-15 Feet Tall
Monstera Spruceana
Monster spruceana is named after Richard Spruce, an English botanist. The unusual textured surfaces of this climbing plant are shiny green. It has two distinct appearances in the juvenile and adult phase.
Young Monstera spruceana leaves tend to cling to the nearby plants and have a flatter appearance. As the plant matures, the number of fenestrations on all the leaves increases. The leaves demonstrate variation in shape and color.
- Native Area: Brazil, French Guiana, Bolivia, Columbia, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Guiana, Peru, Panama, and Suriname.
- Hardiness Zone: 10b-12 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 4-8 Feet Tall
Monstera Laniata
Monstera Laniata is a climber that can add a pop of color to any houseplant collection. They are a variation of the Monstera adansonii and feature similarly large fenestrations that run in strips down the central vein.
Monstera laniata plants are known to trail beautifully from baskets with thick, showy vines. They can grow up to 12 feet tall and are quite easy to grow. A common strategy for propagating the plant is to place the stem into a prepared soil container.
- Native Area: South and Central America
- Hardiness Zone: 9b-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 10-12 Feet Tall
Monstera Lechleriana
The Monstera Lechleriana has a fabulous presence. The monstrous leaves take an oval, asymmetrical shape that boasts gorgeous perforations. More importantly, the tropical plant is easygoing with minimal maintenance requirements. If you provide it with the right conditions, it will grow into a monster plant with showy foliage and long veins that resemble the Monstera Adansonii.
- Native Area: Panama to Venezuela and Bolivia
- Hardiness Zone: 11b-12 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 10-15 Feet Tall
Monstera Acuminata
The evergreen Monstera Acuminate is a smaller plant with more compact, pointed leaves and distinctly patterned fenestrations. However, the plant has two different phases: juvenile and adult.
Young seedlings grow slowly, tend to creep along the ground, and have a flatter structure. As the plant grows, however, it develops the tell-tale holes that are typical of Monstera plants.
The Acuminata doesn’t grow very long and is a popular choice for indoor gardens.
- Native Area: Mexico to Central America
- Hardiness Zone: 10b-12 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 6-7 Feet Tall
Monstera Epipremnoides
Monstera Epipremnoides feature massive, light green leaves with deep, showy fenestrations. The leaves are more prominent than their obliqua and adansonii counterparts. Each leaf can grow up to 2 feet long indoors.
The plant blooms an inflorescence flower but does not produce edible fruit. If you want the flower to blossom, make sure to replicate its natural environment. Unlike most monster species, these plants are relatively easy to grow.
- Native Area: Costa Rica
- Hardiness Zone: 9b-11 (USDA)
- Plant Height (Indoors): 10-13 Feet Tall
Trendiest Monstera Varieties
Considering that the Monstera genus has up to 48 different species, only a handful of those are actually sold at local plant nurseries. Although many species, cultivars, and variegated variations are becoming more popular, several are also quite rare and costly. Here are some of the trendiest Monstera varieties.
- Monstera Deliciosa
- Monstera Albo Deliciosa
- Monstera Adansonii
- Monstera Borsigiana
- Mini Monstera
- Monstera Siltepecana
- Monstera Obliqua
- Monstera Deliciosa Thai Constellation
- Monstera Pinnatipartita
- Monstera Dubia
- Monstera Peru
- Monstera Subpinnata
- Albino Monstera
- Monstera Standleyana
- Monstera Standleyana ‘Albo Variegata’
- Monstera Aurea
- Monstera Spruceana
- Monstera Laniata
- Monstera Lechleriana
- Monstera Acuminata
- Monstera Epipremnoides
Frequently Asked Questions
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How can I tell which Monstera I have?
While all Monstera plants share a few similar features, it is possible to tell the different variations apart by way of their leaves, height, color, etc. For example, if you have a plant with white sections on the leaves, you have an Albino Monstera. On the other end of the spectrum, if you have a Monstera with asymmetrical leaves, which tend to be ovate with a lustrous shine, you have a Monstera Standleyana.
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How many different Monstera plants are there?
In total, there are about 48 different kinds of Monstera plants. However, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever see all of them in person. Nurseries only store the most common varieties, and you can get your hands on some of the rarer types via collectors and enthusiasts. If you’re looking to get one of these varieties, be prepared to spend a good amount of money.
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Is Philodendron and Monstera the same?
Philodendron and Monstera plants might belong to the same family (Araceae), but they vary based on leaf size, leaf shape and texture, growth patterns, and adaptation to different growing conditions.
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Which is the rarest Monstera?
Monstera obliqua is the rarest Monstera variety. The leaves of this plant are incredibly fragile, and they grow slowly. Monstera obliqua plants have paper-thin leaves. These leaves have huge holes on their surface, giving the term “Swiss Cheese Plant” a whole new meaning.
Wrapping Up
This was an exhaustive list of the trendiest types of Monstera species. It is evident that these variegated plants make a wonderful addition to both indoor and outdoor gardens. However, most of the species mentioned here, with the exception of the Monstera obliqua, share similar growth habits. Make sure to learn about the individual growth characteristics of each plant for the best results.
Read Next: Monstera vs Split Leaf Philodendron
My name is Daniel Elrod, and I have been houseplant love ever since I was 17. I love how much joy they bring to any room in the home. I’ve always been amazed at how a few pots of flowing leaves can turn a drab and sterile office into an inviting place where people love to work at.
