Monstera 'Esqueleto'

Cultivated Name and Botanical Background

‘Esqueleto’ is a horticultural name for a cultivated Monstera whose exact identity and wild origin remain unresolved. Cultivated plants were long labelled Monstera epipremnoides, but that name was misapplied to ‘Esqueleto’. Monstera epipremnoides is a distinct botanical species.

Care for Monstera ‘Esqueleto’

• Support: Give the main stem a broad, stable pole or plank and keep the nodes close to it. Established vertical growth gives later leaves room to become much larger.
• Light and humidity: Use bright, diffuse light and protect the thin blades from strong midday sun. Moderate to high humidity can help in a dry room, provided there is also airflow around opening leaves.
• Water and substrate: Let the upper part of an airy aroid mix begin to dry before soaking the rootball evenly and draining it fully. The thin foliage can lose moisture quickly, but the roots should not stay permanently wet, so avoid both repeated severe dry-outs and a saturated root zone.
• New leaves and repotting: Keep unfurling foliage clear of walls, poles and nearby objects. Use a moderate dose of balanced feed while the vine is actively growing. Repot when roots are densely packed through the pot or the substrate has broken down. Large top growth alone is not a reason to move up in pot size.

Troubleshooting Monstera ‘Esqueleto’

• Leaves stay small with few large holes: Young growth can be less open. On an established vine, first make sure the stem is firmly attached to a broad support and that the growing point has bright diffuse light. If those conditions are already good, check whether the rootball is crowded or the mix has compacted. Repot only when roots are tightly packed or drainage has clearly deteriorated. Larger, more open leaves can appear only on new growth.
• Fresh leaves tear between the holes: The narrow bands of tissue can split if an opening leaf catches on support or nearby objects. Free the growing point, raise humidity if the room is very dry and let the leaf open on its own without pulling it loose.
• Crisp edges or patches: Check for a rootball that is drying too hard, hot direct sun or dry moving air. Re-establish even watering, move the plant out of hot sun or drying airflow and leave already crisp tissue in place if the rest of the leaf is firm.
• Fine pale stippling or webbing: Inspect leaf undersides and the newest growth for spider mites. If you confirm spider mites, isolate the plant, rinse the foliage thoroughly and apply a houseplant treatment labelled for spider mites to both leaf surfaces and the newest growth. Repeat it at the intervals stated on the label for the full course.

Monstera ‘Esqueleto’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

Monstera: where the name comes from

Monstera comes from Latin monstrum or monstrosus, words for something unusual or abnormally formed, referring to the striking holes and divisions in the leaves.

Michel Adanson established the genus Monstera in 1763 in Familles des plantes, volume 2, page 470.