Natalie

Monstera Siltepecana

Silver Monstera ‘El Salvador’

• 
  Easy care
• 
  Most light conditions

• Natalie likes...
  • 
    Regular watering

    Not a particularly thirsty plant, Natalie only needs a drink when the first two inches of her soil feel dry. In summer a top up once a week should keep the soil lightly moist.

  • 
    Medium light

    Put her in a bright spot away from direct sunlight where she won’t get sunburnt but can soak up those rays. That said, Natalie shouldn’t sulk in a shadier corner.

  • 
    Humidity

    Preferring wet air over wet soil, a bright kitchen or bathroom would be ideal for this humidity-loving monstera. A regular mist will also do the trick.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Monstera siltepecana

  Nickname

  Silver Monstera ‘El Salvador’

  Plant type

  Indoor evergreen

  Plant height (including pot)

  30-40cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Toxic if eaten

  Nursery pot size

  12cm

• About Monstera siltepecana

  This rare and coveted monstera is a shapeshifter, with two very different identities as it grows. Half of the pleasure in owning and caring for it, is witnessing this transformation. As a youngster it has spear-shaped silver-green-grey leaves with contrasting dark green veins. But as it matures, its leaves become a dark glossy green and grow much larger, fanning out and developing deep fenestrations - those peepholes or ‘windows’ so typical of monsteras.

  Native to Mexico and central America where it grows in tropical forests, Monstera siltepecana starts off growing in the ground, but very quickly climbs up, twines around and dangles from the trunks and branches of trees in search of sunlight. This gives us good clues as to what it needs to not only survive, but thrive: warm temperatures, high humidity, filtered light, and low nutrients. Water it with lukewarm water, give it a half strength feed once a month throughout spring and summer, and keep your plant away from draughts, whether cold gusts from a window or hot air from a radiator.

  Did you know?

  Monstera siltepecana is classed as an epiphyte. Epiphytes produce aerial roots (those weird tendrils) that grip onto the surfaces of other plants and use them to climb towards the light.