There is no real difference. Swiss cheese plant is just a common name for one plant. So the whole monstera vs swiss cheese plant question comes down to one thing. Monstera is the genus, the scientific group name. Swiss cheese plant is the nickname people gave it because of the holes in its leaves. The plant they mean is Monstera deliciosa, the big leafy one you see everywhere.
Walk into any plant shop and you will hear both names used for the same pot. One tag says Monstera deliciosa and the next says swiss cheese plant. They point at the same plant. The nickname stuck because mature leaves look like a slice of swiss cheese, full of holes and open splits. You are not buying two different things.
Here is where it gets a little messy for you. The name does not belong to one single plant. A few Monstera species share that holey look, so the common name floats between them. Most of the time though, swiss cheese plant means the large deliciosa. A smaller cousin gets called the swiss cheese vine instead.
That smaller cousin is the adansonii. Plant sellers often call it the swiss cheese vine because it trails and climbs instead of standing tall. Its leaves are much smaller and the holes stay closed up inside the leaf. The big deliciosa, by contrast, has huge leaves with deep splits that cut all the way to the edge. Once you spot monstera adansonii next to a deliciosa, you will never mix them up again.
- Leaves grow huge, up to 18 inches (46 cm) wide on mature plants.
- Splits cut deep, often reaching the leaf edge and breaking it open.
- Grows upright and bushy, taking up real floor space.
- Sold as the swiss cheese plant in most shops.
- Leaves stay small, often under 6 inches (15 cm) across.
- Holes stay closed and enclosed inside the leaf, like cut-outs.
- Trails and vines, great for a hanging basket or a pole.
- Sold as the swiss cheese vine, not the plant.
So how do you tell which one you are holding? Look at the leaf size and the holes first. If the leaves are large and the splits run right out to the edge, you have a deliciosa. If the leaves are small and the holes sit closed inside the leaf like little windows, you have an adansonii.
Leaf shape gives you a second clue to check. Deliciosa leaves are wide and heart-shaped at the base with a glossy finish. Adansonii leaves are narrower and come to more of a point. Hold your two plants side by side and the size gap alone makes them easy to sort out. You do not need a label to know which is which.
Their care needs differ a bit too, so it helps to know what you have. The trailing adansonii dries out faster in its smaller pot and likes a moss pole to climb. Your bigger deliciosa drinks more water and needs a heavier pot so it does not tip over as the leaves get massive. Both want bright, indirect light and a chunky mix that drains fast.
One more thing trips people up. A young deliciosa starts life with plain, solid leaves and no holes at all. You might think you grabbed the wrong plant. Give it time and good light, and those famous splits show up as the leaves mature. So check the plant size and the pot, not just one baby leaf, before you decide what you own.
For the rest of this guide, swiss cheese plant means Monstera deliciosa, since that is the plant most people picture when they use the name. Buy with confidence either way. Check the leaf size and the hole pattern, match it to the care it needs, and you will know exactly which monstera came home with you.
Read the full article: Swiss Cheese Plant Care: A Full Guide
