Sunday, May 15, 2016

MONSTERA deliciosa - an unusual plant


My Monstera deliciosa, when it was but a baby
now, both the wall and water tank are invisible
and I have to lift  leaves aside to sidle past it

it is taking up two thirds of my shade house!


Ever since I first saw my first Monstera as a teenager, 
I fell in love with it.
No idea why . . .
it was not long that I realised that it was Monstera deliciosa,
with the round holes it it's leaves that drew me, not the non 
fruiting cut leaf plant that was so in vogue 
as an indoor ornamental

it is doing well in my protected shade house 
and brings a touch of the Tropics into my difficult, dry garden
in the driest State in the driest Continent
and has been fruiting now for a number of years

here is a cluster of four emerging flower buds


 and the pristine, virginal flower,
already protecting the fruit in it's heart

 the fruit takes 2 years to ripen and only flowers
after fruiting

in common parlance, it is called the fruit salad plant
as the fruit has flavours composed of pineapple, banana
and a variety of other tropical fruits


on the ripe fruit, the outer, green layer drops off,
revealing the luscious, edible bits inside.

a bit like eating corn on the cob except for the intense
sweetness and tropical flavour . . . yum


it took at least a decade of waiting for it to fruit,
this year I had 14 pieces of fruit and in 2 years time,
if I am still around, there are 17  buds and flowers
promising a glut of deliciousness.

If I stick around until I am 90, I'll be able to open a market stall!

Linking with 

16 comments:

  1. A fascinating plant, I think I have seen these leaves in Hawaii and I was also taken with the holes in the leaves a its interesting shape. I didn't know about the edible fruit though. Thank you for sharing with Today's Flowers and wishing you a very happy Sunday Arija.

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  2. A market stall! It wil. be there if i also live to 90! that did make me laughe! I have NEVer seen one in flower nor did I know of their delisous fruit. Gelad you waited patiently for this one to bloom.

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  3. Hello, what a gorgeous plant. It is huge! Happy Sunday, enjoy your new week!

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  4. What an intriguing plant! Sounds wonderful. Glad you're hanging in there. I so enjoy your posts.

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  5. I am still enjoying the leaves and waiting for the fruit.
    Love that your patience has been rewarded.

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  6. That is most interesting.I did not know that this plant produced any fruit,but then I likely only ever saw the ornamental variety.

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  7. that is quite a beautiful plant. you have had good patience waiting for it's fruit. such a wonderful story. it looks a bit like cherimoya to me, which is also delicious. lovely week to you. PS, i love how you are planning for your future, selling fruit at age 90 ;-)

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  8. I want you to be able to open that market stall one day (but I think at 90 you should just eat all that lucious fruit yourself instead). You really have a remarkable green thumb!! That fruit sounds absolutely wonderful and how I'd love to try it. Lots of tropical fruit grows here in Florida (even when its not native), but I've never heard of this one.

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  9. Great shots, Arija. We also have one of these plants in our garden, but although it blooms, it never sets fruit.
    Many thanks for linking up with the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

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  10. Oh wow, I've never seen this plant before. I'm intrigued! I wish I could have a taste of the fruit. Sounds delicious! Hope you have a very lovely weekend! xoxo

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  11. Sehr schöne Bilder dieser mir absolut unbekannten Pflanze.
    Habe wieder etwas dazugelernt ;)

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  12. So amazing. Monstera deliciosa is also called Split-leaf philidendron. Mine is just a year old. It is in a container but it has grown 5 times its iriginal size. I hope i'll be atound to see it bud and fruit. Yours is huge!

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  13. Wow! A very special plant...

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