Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida 
SubClass: Arecidae 
Order: Arales 
SubOrder: 
Family: Araceae 

Botanical Name: Monstera deliciosa
Common Name: Delicious Monster
Also known as: Swiss Cheese Plant, Ceriman, Mexican Breadfruit

The term 'Delicious Monster' encompasses a genus of 22 species of tropical, climber plants. Their origin is Mexico and Central America and in their region (the Neotropics) they are among the dominant epiphytes and hemi-epiphytes in the forests.

They are popular as a house plants because of their adaptability (being able to survive in anything from mild and temperate to sub-tropical climates) and large perforated leaves from which the common name is derived.
They are also easily propagated by rooting tip or leaf cuttings in moist, nutrient rich soil in Summer.

Delicious Monsters are known for their strange growing habits and even stranger fruit (from which the official name is borne).

They tend to start life rooted in the ground but soon search out tree trunks to which they attach pencil-thick roots. Once attached to trees they grow toward the light, becoming hemi-ephites. Seedlings, upon germination, will grow in the direction of the darkest surrounding area until they come to the base of a tree or similar supporting structure to grow on. They will then begin to climb toward the light and will continue like this on into adulthood. In many cases an adult Delicious Monster can live in an entirely airborne position.

Delicious Monsters begin bearing fruit after about three years. The cone-shaped, fleshy fruits (which can grow to 9" in length) is actually the flower spike that remains once the flower has been pollinated and has died.

The fruit is covered with hexagonal scales that dry out and separate to reveal a white pulp as it ripens. It can take more than a year for a fruit to ripen so as to be edible.

Unripe fruit may have toxic levels of oxalic acid which causes irritation to the mouth and throat and can cause swelling of the mucous membranes.

The ripe fruit has a pineapple-like flavor (though some characterize it as being closer to banana) and and tends to have a slightly squishy texture which makes eating one quite an endeavor.