Hope you all had a great weekend. It is great to hear everyone from differences growing zone talking about this plant. I have researched about this plant and have growing it for over 20+ years for fruit production as well for ornamental purposes here at Northern California Zone 9. We have a small yard that design to be a little food forest. This plant came from South America well known for its exotic delicious taste by the local. Deliciosa is mean delicious. "It was introduced to England in 1752, Singapore in 1877, and India in 1878. The fruit was introduced to the US in 1874."
There are more than one variety of this plant. The 2 varieties that people talking/debating about are Monstera deliciosa (large form) and Monstera borsigiana (small form) the same or not. Check the video in the link for more information differences about these two plants. Although sometime Monstera borsigiana has large leaf, but most of its characters still remain different from Monstera deliciosa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBprGjzCSGgFrom a seedling to a mature plant for fruit production, it would take about 3 to 4 years under the right conditions. From flower to mature fruit for harvest would take about 1+year. Right conditions mean that, it needs right amount of sunlight (filter sun, no shade) with good air circulation. This is why most of plant were grown indoor do not produce fruit. Other reason is that if the plant gets big and you cut the top off, then the remain stem will set sometime back to younger growth stage. The mature top growth is the one that would continue growing to produce flower and fruit. A mid cut, bottom of main mature plant will produce younger growth.
Although 2 varieties produce similar flowers and fruits, but Monstera deliciosa (large form) is the one best for fruit production / taste. The art is to ID this variety correctly, know when and how to harvest it for the best taste. Unripe fruit can be very toxic. Fruit only ripens each section at a time 1 to 3 inches up from the bottom fruit where its stem meet. Fruit green scales need to be fall off naturally. These are some ways you can let fruit ripe correctly in video bellow. The best one is the one with paper or paper bag. It covered the fruit, but still allow some oxygen to enter, that let the fruit ripen section by section (no more than 3 inches at a time). With plastic, it will ripen faster with large area to eat, but it will not taste good where its flesh ripens above 3 inches or so. Basically, you want it to ripen section by section. If you buy fruit or harvest your own fruit from your plant, fruit need to be pick at mature stage as possible. A young fruit will ripen just like mature fruit after picked, but it won't taste good. Remember it will take about a year + from flower to mature fruit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9cstES-38QSo why I am growing this plant. It has beautiful leaf+ hard to find exotic tasting fruit. It gives a look and meaning of a food forest and not just an orchard. If harvest and process correctly, then fruit taste like a combination of Annona, banana, pineapple +jackfruit.... the smell is strongly with tropical fruit. There are so many videos on YouTube for taste reviews. Not to mention the price of a fruit very high ( 25 $ - 80$ each ) at this time. It may not for everybody to grow, but the one that has experienced with the right condition would understand.
Jaboticaba45 , Yes in colder growing zone bellow Zone 9, then this plant remains mostly as houseplant. Wonder if you got the right fruit that were pick at the right time.... It should not be ripened completely. It should be ripened section at a time. Even with harvest and process correctly Monstera borsigiana does not taste good. Got to be Monstera deliciosa (large form) Yea the variegated plant very high price for its ornamental purpose. Do you have photo, information of the plant you got your fruit from? please
Vegan Potato Man, I have talked to people in Hawaii. Some love the taste, and some does not. People that don't like it most were collected fruit from roadside which they cannot tell if they got their fruit from the right plant. I have asked for photo to ID the plant, but they did not have it. There are people there did not know the difference between Monstera deliciosa vs split leaf Philodendron. What they showed to me was split leaf Philodendron. Would you share photo of the plant you saw with us for ID please.
brian, it may not fruit well in a green house without the growing condition. If the plant is too big, usually I would air layer the mature top and keep the mature top growth for better growth of its age. Wow It died back but still survived in that cold weather. Amazing .. Do you have photo of its mature leaf /whole plant? The people you see that has smaller plant with fruit in a pot, then most likely their plants were propagated from a mature top. Any photo of the plant you saw with fruit in pot as well please.
tru, The right variety, harvest and process the fruit correctly is an art form.
kittycatus, Yes you can make fruit completely ripen in a closed plastic bag or in a sealed cup. Cover with paper and let it ripen section by section at a time and eat only that ripen section to see if its taste better than a full ripe fruit. For us a whole fruit fully ripen at one time is not a good fruit.
Daintree, great information to grow it in a greenhouse for those whom in a cold climate. Yes, it can be supper size and could take over green house space. Wish you could have air layer the top and grow it to keep the plant manageable size for fruit production and propagate the rest sold as houseplant. Fruit can be cover and mealy bug can be treated. Do you have photo of the old plant in your green house. Love to see its size...please
Tropheus76, yea best places to grow them is under a large tree or structure somewhat protect them from hot full sun to cold weather. Have you ever tried to cover the fruit? Photos of your plant please.
Epiphyte, yes, I have seen its seed. Grow it in our zone very difficult for fruit to have seed. In its native land, it has insect/bug pollinate its flower. I have seen people in that tropical location had fruit full of seeds. Good luck with your propagation. ... would you please share photos of your plants.
