Monstera deliciosa, split leaf philo, Both, which is it? O.o

[BewilderedGreenyO.o]

I bought this plant (see photos) from a seller on ebay that the seller sold as a "Mostera Deliciosa" and was just wondering what to look for on this plant to make sure it is actually a Montera Deliciosa and not something that looks exactly or close to it like the split leaf philo. In the Sunset Western Garden Book it says that it is Related to philodendrons but then it goes on to say that Monstera Deliciosa "is" a split-leaf philodendron. I'm so confused!! Is it a monstera or not?

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/Plants/Monstera/P7260594.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/Plants/Monstera/P7260596.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/Plants/Monstera/P7260598.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/Plants/Monstera/P7260605.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt261/NySnap/Plants/Monstera/P7260607.jpg[/img]

[lorax]

Yes, it's a Monstera - and Sunset is dead wrong in saying that Monstera and Split-Leaf Philos are the same plants; I'll have to write them a note on behalf of the International Aroid Society.

Be patient with it, and give it a bit of support (a totem of some sort to climb is ideal - in the wild these are most definitely climbers) if you want to hasten along the fenestrations (holes) that the leaves are famous for - what you've got now is juvenile foliage.

Also, check the soil it's in. Ariods do best in very loose, fast-draining media - I use about 50% coir, 25% mixed bark chips, and 25% rich compost (which is roughly the composition of jungle soil) and a handful of activated charcoal thrown in. Water will just blaze through this mix, which is OK - that's what it does in nature, and the coir holds enough moisture for the plant to access.

[BewilderedGreenyO.o]

Thanks for the reply Lorax! Tis' great to know its a Monstera. How were you able to tell?

Also as far as a totem of some sort to climb... how would that work exactly with the pot I have it in right now... its a bit small for a post atm right? or should I still have a long thin stick in there?

The soil drains pretty well along with the packaging peanuts I put underneath the soil at the bottom of the pot. But its not jungle soil by any means. Just the typical miracle grow potting mix. I'm not much into making my own soil I'd rather just purchase it from the store and miracle grow seems to be the soil to buy over here in socal. wish that lowes or home depot would sell some kinda jungle mix and other sorts of soil other then just miracle grow.

I gave it a Vitamin B / water mixture when I first got it into its new pot. I guess Vitamin B is suppose to help the plant with transplant shock. And I've been keeping it in shade while it recovers from the trip. I haven't needed to water it much as the soil seems to be staying damp. Hopefully not to damp.

Thanks again for your reply Lorax!

[lorax]

The leaf shape, venation, and petiole attachment at the sinus are all clues; it probably also helps that I'm very familiar with the species as it's native in my neck of the woods.

You can ignore the totem until it gets a bit bigger; but when it starts to show signs of vining, a trellis will do wonders for it.

[BewilderedGreenyO.o]

Hey do you think you could perhapsibly give me some examples of the type of trellis I should use for a monstera so that I can start looking

Oh and outta curiosity I was wondering if you see any Jade vines in that paradise of yours that you live in. I ordered one from Logee's Greenhouse to give it a go here in socal. It is also a climber.. ( why are some of the most gorgeous plants climbers? ) I wont be able to put up a huge four beamed trellis for each of them... but I could probably put up two separate fairly large flat vertical trellis's up in separate areas for them.

hehe still trying to figure it out .. I figure I've got quite some time before they both start to vine out as they are both still just wee ones

[lorax]

Nope - Strongylodon macrobotrys is native to the Philippines - it's strictly old-world tropics. We have enough of our own beautifully wierd plants, and generally don't import much by way of exotics.

The trellis I normally use for large Aroid support is the large-holed lattice sold at places like Home Depot and Lowe's for use as fence-topping; it comes in 4x8' sheets but can easily be cut in the store's lumber department. This stuff is awesome for most types of climbers and vines, Jades included. It's about the only thing I've found that's strong enough to bear the weight of a mature Monstera or large vining Philodendron.

I've actually had great luck in adapting entire walls of a house to suit vining plants by bolting 1x2 onto the walls, and this open lattice onto the 1x2, then placing larger long windowbox-type planters at the base for the vines. You can paint the lattice any colour you like to make it pretty while the plants are filling it.

If you're into really unusual and nifty (and oddly enough, mostly also vining) plants that are from my neck of the woods, check out [url=https://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1393&bih=784&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=solanum+seaforthianum&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=]Solanum seaforthianum[/url], [url=https://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=cobaea+scandens&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1393&bih=784]Cobaea scandens[/url], [url=https://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1393&bih=784&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=barnadesia&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=]Barnadesia ciliata[/url], and the genera [url=https://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1393&bih=784&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=iochroma&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=]Iochroma[/url] and [url=https://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1393&bih=784&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=bomarea&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=]Bomarea[/url].

[BewilderedGreenyO.o]

Thanks for all the information Lorax! Next time I'm around Lowes or Home Depot I'll take a look to see if I can find the large holed Lattice. Is some kind of moss covering required on the Lattice? I've read places that thats how they make support poles is with a slab of wood covered with moss... not sure what the moss is for

As far as the other vines from your neck of the woods lol They are gorgeous but I think two large growing vines is plenty for me I'm truly not even that fond of vine growing plants really but couldn't resist these two beauties and "had" to have them.