12 Monstera Varieties From $8 to $400: Deliciosa, Albo, and Rare Types Ranked by Difficulty and Value
That ‘obliqua’ at your nursery is probably adansonii. 12 monstera varieties from $8 deliciosa to $400 albo — ranked by care difficulty and rarity, with peer-reviewed fenestration science.
In 2020, a single Monstera albo variegata sold at auction in New Zealand for $4,930. That same week, the same genus sat on grocery store shelves for $20. The 64-species Monstera genus — recognized by Kew’s Plants of the World Online — spans that full range, and the gap between the cheapest and most expensive varieties has almost nothing to do with care difficulty.
The mislabeling problem runs deeper than price. The Monstera obliqua sold across online shops is almost universally adansonii — true obliqua, with paper-thin leaves where holes occupy 90% of the surface, costs around $3,000 per unrooted cutting and barely exists outside specialist aroid collections. Monstera borsigiana, widely marketed as a compact species separate from deliciosa, is taxonomically a synonym — Kew lists it as such, not as a recognized species of its own.
This guide covers the 12 Monstera varieties that actually matter for home growers: common $8 to $35 plants that thrive without fuss, variegated forms worth the extra investment if you understand what you’re buying, and collector specimens you should know before you spend $400. Care data comes from Penn State Extension and the University of Minnesota Extension. Fenestration science comes from two peer-reviewed studies that competitors haven’t touched.
12 Monstera Varieties at a Glance
Use this table to orient before diving into each variety. Prices reflect current US retail for small to mid-size plants (4–6-inch pots or equivalent).
| Variety | Price | Fenestration | Key Feature | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. deliciosa | $15–35 | Maturity (3+ ft) | Classic split leaves; edible fruit outdoors | Beginners |
| M. adansonii | $10–30 | From juvenile stage | Holes present before 1 ft tall; vigorous viner | Beginners, hanging baskets |
| M. standleyana | $15–30 | Never | Lance-shaped; no holes regardless of age or light | Lower-light rooms |
| M. siltepecana | $15–25 | Maturity only | Silver-toned juvenile leaves; dramatic shift to adult form | Terrariums, humidity lovers |
| M. karstenianum (Peru) | $15–30 | Never | Corrugated thick leaves; drought-tolerant; taxonomy uncertain | Beginners wanting texture |
| M. lechleriana | $20–45 | Irregular holes | Heart-shaped with scattered perforations; strong climber | Intermediate growers |
| M. Thai Constellation | $30–80 | Maturity (3+ ft) | Stable cream speckle; tissue-cultured; prices dropped post-pandemic | First variegated plant |
| M. Albo Variegata | $125–225 | Maturity (3+ ft) | Dramatic white sectors; chimeral — pattern is unpredictable | Experienced growers |
| M. adansonii Variegata | $100–500+ | From juvenile stage | Variegated holes; tighter supply than albo in most markets | Collectors |
| M. obliqua (true) | $3,000+ (cutting) | 70–90% of leaf area | Paper-thin leaves; most extreme fenestration in the genus | Specialist collectors only |
| M. dubia | $20–45 | Adult form only | Juvenile leaves shingle flat against climbing surface | Intermediate; tall support required |
| M. pinnatipartita | $25–50 | Deeply divided at maturity | Fern-like pinnate leaves; unusual adult form | Intermediate; high humidity |
Why Monstera Gets Holes — And Why Some Varieties Never Will
Monstera fenestrations form before the leaf even unfurls, through programmed cell death: specific cells are genetically instructed to die and create gaps in the developing leaf. This is not a response to damage, stress, or inadequate care — it is a developmental switch encoded in the plant’s DNA, and it only activates after the plant reaches a certain size and maturity threshold.
The best peer-reviewed explanation for why this benefits the plant comes from a 2013 study by Christopher Muir in the American Naturalist. His growth-variance hypothesis proposes that fenestrated leaves allow sunflecks — brief, intense bursts of direct light in the shaded tropical understory — to pass through upper leaves and reach lower ones. The benefit is not simply getting more light to the plant overall; it is reducing variance in the plant’s growth rate. In an environment where light availability is highly unpredictable, leveling out those energy pulses improves the plant’s geometric mean fitness over time.
A separate 2011 field study at Monteverde by Lubenow (USF Digital Commons) confirmed a complementary benefit: fenestrated leaves channeled significantly more water to the roots during rain events. That same study found that holes did not reduce wind damage and — counterintuitively — actually increased insect herbivory. Insects prefer fenestrated leaves. The holes are not a defense mechanism.
For home growers, the practical threshold is roughly 3 feet tall with 6–8 mature nodes, typically reached after 2–3 years indoors under standard conditions. With bright indirect light, humidity consistently above 50%, and temperatures between 65–85°F (Penn State Extension), fenestration can begin in as little as 12 months. Low light delays it significantly. Some species — standleyana, karstenianum/Peru, M. dubia in its juvenile stage — never fenestrate regardless of conditions. See the diagnostic table at the end of this guide if your plant isn’t producing holes.
The Five Common Monstera Varieties
1. Monstera deliciosa — The Swiss Cheese Plant
Price: $15–35 (4–6-inch pot)
The reference point for the entire genus. M. deliciosa is native to Mexico and Central America, and Kew’s Plants of the World Online confirms that M. borsigiana — sold as a compact separate species at many nurseries — is taxonomically a synonym. What’s sold as borsigiana is a smaller, faster-climbing growth form of the same plant; leaf morphology at full maturity is identical. Don’t pay a premium for the distinction.
Penn State Extension recommends bright indirect light near a window, watering when the top 1–2 inches of soil dry out, and temperatures between 60–85°F. Indoor plants reach 6–8 feet with support and need a moss pole, large stake, or trellis to produce their characteristic large, split adult leaves. In greenhouse conditions — sustained 80°F+, high humidity — the plant eventually produces edible fruit after about 14 months; indoors in a typical US home, expect no fruit.
One nuance most guides skip: the geniculum, the swollen joint where the leaf meets the petiole, develops prominent wing-like flanges on full-size mature leaves. If your large deliciosa still has wingless, smooth geniculum joints, the plant is still producing juvenile growth. The fix is more light and a taller support to encourage the climbing behavior that triggers the adult leaf form.
2. Monstera adansonii — The Swiss Cheese Vine
Price: $10–30
The key distinction from deliciosa: adansonii develops holes in juvenile leaves, often within the first few months of growth, before the plant reaches a foot tall. This makes it considerably more satisfying for new growers who want the fenestrated look without a two-year wait. The holes in adansonii remain as discrete, rounded perforations — they do not become the dramatic splits and lobes of mature deliciosa leaves.
Kew recognizes four adansonii subspecies (subsp. adansonii, blanchetii, klotzschiana, and laniata), and many plants sold as standard adansonii are actually one of these subspecies with slightly larger holes. None approaches the 90%-void leaf area of true obliqua — see the obliqua entry below for that distinction.
For a full comparison of growth rate, support needs, and humidity requirements, see our Monstera deliciosa vs. adansonii breakdown. The short version: adansonii suits hanging baskets and smaller spaces; deliciosa is the floor plant that grows into a room statement.
3. Monstera standleyana — The Five Holes Plant
Price: $15–30
Buy this knowing it will never develop holes. The name “five holes plant” is a marketing term that has nothing to do with the mature leaf form. Monstera standleyana produces lance-shaped, elongated leaves that remain solid at any age, under any light level. It does, however, tolerate lower light better than deliciosa or adansonii, which makes it genuinely useful in rooms with north-facing windows or indirect natural light.
A variegated form (standleyana ‘Albo-Variegata’) exists with white splashing on the lance-shaped leaves — a completely different plant from M. deliciosa Albo Variegata. The two have similar care needs with the same caveats for variegated tissue: more light, slower growth. If you want holes, standleyana is the wrong choice; if you want a low-maintenance statement leaf without the fenestration drama, it’s underrated.
4. Monstera siltepecana — The Silver Monstera
Price: $15–25
Siltepecana is the only common Monstera with distinctly silver-toned juvenile leaves — each leaf has a silver sheen with dark green venation that reads almost metallic. This juvenile phase is the plant’s most striking stage. After 2–3 years of climbing, the leaves transition to solid dark green with minor fenestration, losing the silver coloring entirely. Maintaining high humidity (above 60%) slows this transition and extends the silver phase, making siltepecana an ideal candidate for a closed terrarium while young.
On a moss pole, the adult form is interesting but not as dramatic as deliciosa. The silver juvenile phase is the reason to grow it — and that phase is best enjoyed in a compact hanging arrangement or small terrarium before providing climbing support.
5. Monstera karstenianum (sp. Peru)
Price: $15–30
The taxonomy is uncertain: this plant is sold as M. karstenianum, “Monstera sp. Peru,” and “Green Galaxy Monstera,” with some sources suggesting possible reclassification outside the Monstera genus entirely. What is not uncertain is the leaf texture — deeply corrugated, bullate (puckered) leaves with a surface unlike any standard aroid. It will not develop holes, ever. The thick leaf construction makes it more drought-tolerant than most Monstera, significantly more forgiving of missed waterings, and a practical choice for growers who want something visually unusual without committing to the humidity and light demands of a collector plant.
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→ Build Watering ScheduleThe Three Variegated Monstera Varieties
Variegated Monstera are mutant forms of existing species, not separate species. Understanding the two types of variegation — chimeral and stable — explains why one plant costs $40 and another costs $400 for the same pot size, and why buying one over the other is a meaningful decision.
6. Monstera Thai Constellation
Price: $30–80 (down from $200–400 at the 2021–2022 pandemic peak)
Thai Constellation is a stable, tissue-culture-propagated cultivar of M. deliciosa, developed in Thailand. Its cream and butter-yellow speckled pattern — the “constellation” — is consistent across every leaf and every cutting taken from the plant. This is stable variegation: the mutation is encoded in every cell, so any stem cutting you take produces an identically variegated offspring. Tissue culture reliably produces variegated plants.
Prices have fallen sharply as TC supply scaled globally after the pandemic demand spike. At Logee’s, a 4-inch pot currently retails for $40. The exception: specialist cultivars like ‘Creme Brulee’ (deeper cream saturation), ‘Platinum’ (near-white colouring), and ‘Legacy’ (intensified constellation patterning) still trade at $300–1,500 in the collector market.
Because cream cells cannot photosynthesize, the green cells carry the full metabolic load. This means Thai Constellation grows visibly slower than standard deliciosa and needs the upper range of bright indirect light — a weak north-facing window will not provide enough. For a direct comparison with albo variegata, see our Thai Constellation vs. Albo Variegata guide.
7. Monstera Albo Variegata
Price: $125–225 (standard); $800–1,800 (exceptional patterns)
Albo Variegata is a chimeral variant of M. deliciosa — a mosaic of two genetically distinct cell populations, some carrying normal chlorophyll production and some permanently unable to produce it. The result is the dramatic large white sectors, half-and-half leaf splits, and bleached patches that drove the 2020–2021 Monstera market to irrational prices. A single plant sold at Trade Me New Zealand for $4,930 in 2020.
What most images fail to convey: the pattern is structurally unpredictable. Because only some cell lineages carry the chimeric mutation, each new growing point shifts the ratio between variegated and green tissue. A single plant can produce a fully green leaf, a mostly white (non-viable) leaf, and a perfectly sectored half-and-half leaf on three consecutive growth cycles. Fully white leaves look extraordinary but cannot photosynthesize — they die and are removed.
Albo cannot be reliably propagated through tissue culture — the process separates the two cell populations, producing all-green or all-white plants, neither commercially viable. Propagation is by stem cuttings that include nodes containing both variegated and green tissue. This limits supply and keeps prices elevated relative to Thai Constellation. Do not buy albo seeds: chimeral variegation does not transfer through seed.
Care requirement: bright indirect light at the upper end of the range (the same as Thai Constellation, for the same photosynthetic reason). Avoid direct sun on the white sections, which scorches easily. Expect significantly slower growth than standard deliciosa and accept that each new leaf is a surprise.
8. Monstera adansonii Variegata
Price: $100–500+
The adansonii equivalent of the albo — a chimeral variegated form with white splashing on the characteristic hole-filled leaves. Because the base plant fenestrates as a juvenile, the combination of holes and variegated tissue is visible even on young plants, unlike the deliciosa-based albo where you wait years for both features to appear together. Supply is tighter than albo variegata in most US markets, which pushes the price premium above the deliciosa equivalent. Care is identical to standard adansonii, with the same caveat: brighter indirect light is required to compensate for the non-photosynthetic tissue.
The Four Rare Monstera Varieties
9. Monstera obliqua — The Truth About What’s Being Sold
Price: $3,000+ per unrooted cutting (true obliqua); $15–40 (what you’re almost certainly buying)
Almost every plant sold as Monstera obliqua is Monstera adansonii. The visual signature of true obliqua is unmistakable in photographs: holes occupy 70–90% of the leaf area, leaving so little solid tissue that the leaf resembles a net or skeleton. True obliqua also produces leafless stolons — elongated runners that extend toward potential host trees before rooting — which adansonii does not produce.
Genuine obliqua is considered one of the rarest Monstera in cultivation. Specialist aroid collectors occasionally offer verified cuttings at $3,000 or more per node; authenticated plants are confirmed through stolon production and leaf tissue proportion, not just hole size. If a seller is offering obliqua at $15–60 with photos showing normal-sized, evenly-spaced holes and solid leaf margins, it is adansonii — likely one of the four recognized subspecies with larger-than-standard holes, but nothing approaching the true obliqua form.
10. Monstera dubia — The Shingling Plant
Price: $20–45
Dubia undergoes one of the most dramatic juvenile-to-adult transformations in the plant world. Young plants produce small, heart-shaped leaves that lie flat against their climbing surface in a behavior called shingling: each successive leaf overlaps the one below it as the stem travels up a tree trunk or bark surface. The plant literally creeps along a rough surface, maximizing contact. Adult leaves — large and fenestrated — only emerge after extended vertical climbing.
To see adult dubia leaves indoors, you need a rough-textured mounting surface (cork bark, rough untreated wood) and significant vertical growing space. Standard smooth moss poles do not reliably trigger the shingling behavior. If you’re growing it on a flat vertical surface and the juvenile shingling phase is stalling without progressing to adult growth, increase humidity above 60% and ensure consistent warm temperatures.
11. Monstera lechleriana
Price: $20–45
Lechleriana sits in an intermediate difficulty band and is frequently mislabeled due to confusion with adansonii subspecies. The distinguishing characteristics are the more leathery leaf texture and irregular, randomly scattered holes — the perforations are less round and evenly distributed than adansonii, and the overall impression is denser. It is a vigorous climber that rewards a tall moss pole over hanging baskets. Given its mislabeling frequency, if you want genuine lechleriana, buy from specialist aroid vendors rather than general plant shops.
12. Monstera pinnatipartita
Price: $25–50
Pinnatipartita’s adult leaves are deeply pinnate — divided all the way to the midrib in a fern-like pattern rather than having discrete circular holes. Juvenile leaves are entire (no divisions), and the transition to the dramatic divided adult form requires significant vertical climbing on a tall support and sustained humidity above 60%. It is more sensitive to dry indoor air than any of the common varieties.
The payoff is a Monstera that reads as genuinely different: the pinnate adult leaves look nothing like the standard Swiss-cheese silhouette and are a strong visual statement in a mixed aroid collection. For most home growers, the humidity requirement is the limiting factor — a humidifier within a few feet of the plant is not optional if you want to see adult growth indoors.
Which Monstera Is Right for You?
| Your Situation | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First Monstera ever | M. adansonii | Holes visible from the start; compact; handles imperfect watering |
| Statement floor plant | M. deliciosa | Classic form; very forgiving; wide support from Penn State and UMN Extension |
| First variegated plant | M. Thai Constellation | Stable pattern; no chimeric surprise; prices now competitive |
| Collector’s centrepiece | M. Albo Variegata | Dramatic; accept that every leaf is unpredictable before buying |
| Low-light room | M. standleyana | More tolerant of weaker light; set the expectation that it never fenestrates |
| Small space or terrarium | M. siltepecana (juvenile) | Silver phase is striking; stays compact before climbing support triggers adult form |
| Unusual texture, easy care | M. karstenianum (Peru) | Corrugated leaves; more drought-tolerant than standard Monstera |
| Advanced collector | M. dubia or M. pinnatipartita | Dramatic adult transformations; need vertical space and sustained humidity |
For a full care guide covering light levels, watering schedules, soil mixes, and fertilizing cadence, see our complete Monstera growing guide. For soil-specific guidance, the best soil for Monstera covers the five mixes that prevent root rot.
Why My Monstera Has No Holes — Diagnosis Table
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves are heart-shaped, juvenile look; plant is small | Not yet mature — under 3 feet tall / fewer than 6–8 nodes | Give it time; add a moss pole or trellis to encourage climbing, which accelerates adult leaf development |
| Plant is large but leaves stay small and solid | Insufficient light | Move to bright indirect light; see our Monstera light guide for specifics |
| Leaves are lance-shaped, oblong — never holey at any size | This is M. standleyana or M. karstenianum — these species never fenestrate | No fix; set correct expectations. Both are attractive plants — just not holey ones |
| Leaves have discrete round holes but no large splits | Normal for M. adansonii; it produces perforations, not the lobed splits of mature deliciosa | No action needed; you have adansonii, not a struggling deliciosa |
| New growth is small and solid despite established plant | Low humidity, cold drafts, or rootbound conditions slowing maturation | Raise humidity above 50%, check for root crowding, repot if rootbound |
Monstera Toxicity: Pets and Children
All parts of Monstera — except fully ripe fruit, which is rarely produced indoors — contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. The ASPCA lists M. deliciosa as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, with clinical signs including oral irritation, pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue, and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting in dogs and cats, and difficulty swallowing. Penn State Extension notes contact dermatitis is possible when handling the plant — wear gloves when pruning or repotting.
Keep Monstera out of reach of pets and young children. If ingestion is suspected, contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monstera borsigiana a separate species from deliciosa?
No. Kew’s Plants of the World Online lists M. borsigiana as a synonym of M. deliciosa — not a recognized separate species. Plants sold as borsigiana are typically smaller, faster-climbing growth forms of the same species. Leaf morphology at full maturity is essentially identical. Do not pay a premium for borsigiana as if it were a distinct variety.
Why does my “Monstera obliqua” look nothing like the extreme-hole photos I see?
Because it is almost certainly Monstera adansonii. True obliqua has holes occupying 70–90% of the leaf surface, paper-thin leaf tissue, and produces leafless stolons that adansonii never makes. It costs $3,000 or more per unrooted cutting and exists primarily in specialist aroid collections. What you have is adansonii — possibly a subspecies with larger-than-standard holes, but not true obliqua.
How do I stop my Monstera albo variegata from producing all-green leaves?
You cannot guarantee it — chimeral variegation is inherently unpredictable. What helps: provide bright indirect light at the upper end of the range, and avoid pruning too aggressively. If a new shoot emerges from a fully green node, prune back to a node that showed variegated tissue — the next growth from that tissue pool may carry more chimeric cells. Do not purchase albo seeds; chimeral variegation does not transfer through seed, and those plants will be green.
Do all Monstera produce edible fruit?
M. deliciosa produces edible fruit outdoors in tropical climates or greenhouse conditions, typically after about 14 months of sustained warmth. The fruit contains calcium oxalates until fully ripe — do not eat it unripe. Indoors in a standard US home, M. deliciosa essentially never fruits. No other commonly cultivated Monstera species produces edible fruit.
Sources
- Kew Plants of the World Online — Monstera deliciosa. Accessed May 2026.
- Penn State Extension — Monstera as a Houseplant.
- University of Minnesota Extension — Propagating Monstera deliciosa.
- Muir CD (2013). How did the Swiss cheese plant get its holes? American Naturalist 181(2):273–281. PubMed 23348781.
- Lubenow C (2011). The adaptive function of leaf fenestrations in Monstera spp. Monteverde Institute / USF Digital Commons.
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Ceriman (Monstera deliciosa).
- The Plant Runner — Thai Constellation vs. Albo Variegata: variegation mechanisms compared.
- Thursd.com — Monstera deliciosa Albo Variegata price history (2020 auction record, current market range). URL: https://thursd.com/articles/monstera-deliciosa-albo-variegata-the-most-expensive-plants-in-the-world
- Logee’s — Thai Constellation Monstera current retail pricing. URL: https://www.logees.com/products/monstera-thai-constellation
