Cheeses

Swiss cheese plants (Monstera deliciosa) are grown for their lush, glossy leaves. They add a contemporary, jungly feel to a room and are good air purifiers. The leaves are heart-shaped when young, then become perforated (or Swiss cheese-like) as they mature. This process is known as 'fenestration' and it's thought that plants do this in the wild to let as much light as possible through to the lower leaves. Cheese plants are actually vines they're native to South America, where they grow up trees, clinging on with their roots. The Latin name, Monstera deliciosa, means 'delicious monster'. Monster refers to its size - in the wild they can reach 20m high and wide. Even in the average home, cheese plants grow fast and need plenty of room – they can reach at least 2m high and 2.5m wide.