What Is The Difference Between Monstera Adansonii And Monstera Esqueleto?

What Is Monstera Esqueleto?

Monstera Esqueleto, commonly known as Monstera Epipremnoides, is an unusual tropical plant that will challenge your indoor gardening abilities.

It demands warmer temperatures and a more humid environment than other typical houseplants, and its development will suffer if its needs are not met. Monstera Esqueleto also requires occasional pruning, a necessary step in its development.

Monstera Esqueleto is an epiphytic houseplant, which means it does not have roots or soil beneath the surface of its leaves. Instead, it relies on the aerial parts of the plant – stem, tendrils and leaves – to absorb water and nutrients from its environment.

The Monstera Esqueleto is a vining climber that draws its water and nutrients from the air in the form of mist or rainfall. The advent of the Monstera Esqueleto into homes, nurseries, and in an environment that does not support it is a challenge for those who wish to grow this rare plant.

Monstera Esqueleto has large, heart-shaped leaves with lobes on the edges. It is native to Central America and grows in moist forests in plantations, often near streams and rivers.

What Is The Difference Between Monstera Adansonii And Monstera Esqueleto?

These two Monstera species are frequently mistaken with one another, which is very reasonable given their superficial similarity. Given that plants are frequently mislabeled at nurseries and by internet vendors, it can be difficult to determine which plant you are actually purchasing.

The primary distinctions between Monstera Esqueleto and Monstera Adansonii are the leaf size, color, and texture, as well as the window pattern.

Monstera Adansonii often has smaller, smoother, and darker green leaves than Monstera Esqueleto. Esqueleto leaves are often bigger, a lighter shade of green, and more leathery in texture.

Although mature Adansonii leaves may reach up to 20-30 inches in length when grown on a trellis with plenty of space, Monstera Esqueleto leaves can reach up to 2 feet in length when cultivated inside. However, it might be difficult to distinguish the two while they are young.

Lastly, the fenestration design can distinguish between the two. Holes on Adansonii leaves tend to be smaller and more oval-shaped, and they may not occur in a regular pattern, but instead are scattered throughout the leaf.

Esqueleto leaves often include significantly bigger holes, with the occasional smaller one. These holes occupy a substantially larger portion of the leaf and are often more uniform and symmetrical than those of the Adansonii.

Still, it can be tough to distinguish between the two, but if you know what to look for, you may feel better equipped to make an informed purchase!

How Do You Identify Monstera Esqueleto?

Monstera Esqueleto has larger, lighter green leaves than Monstera Adansonii. Monstera Adansonii has leaves that are a deep and dark shade of green. The leaves of Monstera Esqueleto are a lighter shade of green with a yellowish tinge. To identify Monstera Esqueleto the following are the features;

Monstera Esqueleto foliage:

The leaves are often a light green and the older leaves have a waxy texture. They can reach up to 24 inches in length and 12 inches in width, which makes them the biggest species of Monstera. The leaves grow in clusters of two or three around the stem and are folded outwards with irregular teeth.

Monstera Esqueleto flowers:

The flowers can reach up to 12 inches across and are bright green with a white and yellow center. They are small with a fragrance of apple in the petals. These flowers do not open unless the plant is watered. But they have a pleasant odor

Monstera Esqueleto Growth:

Monstera Esqueleto plants grow to 2 feet in height depending upon its environment. Unlike other species of Monstera, Esqueleto does not have a dense root system. The densely packed growth of Esqueleto is very slender and almost resembles twisted vine.

It also looks like a species of potato vine when grown indoors in pots. The foliage grows to around 30 inches long which forms a ram shape with the stem often reaching 60-70 inches long when growing outdoors on its own roots.

Monstera Esqueleto shape:

Reaching up to 2 feet high and 1 feet wide when growing upright. But, because of its ability to grow over walls the plant can be shaped into a picturesque dome.

Monstera Esqueleto plants have a tendril at the base of each leaf that wraps around nearby objects or plants. This is how the plant climbs and supports itself.

Monstera Esqueleto habitat:

Monstera Esqueleto plants are native to the rain forest in Central America. It only occurs naturally in one region. It grows in areas of extremely high humidity and warm temperatures that tend to be close to streams and rivers.

The environment of a Monstera Esqueleto plant is very delicate since it relies on mist and rainfall as its primary means of obtaining water and nutrients.

Monstera Esqueleto fruits:

The fruits of Esqueleto are large and green with a white center. The fruit is completely inedible and tastes very sour. When the fruit is ripe it turns a deep purple color and falls from the plant. The fruit is eaten by sloths and birds. The plants produce many fruits, it may have 2 or 3 in a season.

Monstera Esqueleto Zone:

The Monstera Esqueleto can be grown outdoors in zones 10 and 11. This plant reaches a mature size of 12 feet, and can spread to near 15 feet in its height. If you are growing this plant indoors, you will need a greenhouse with a larger minimum size of 25 by 30 feet.

Monstera Esqueleto toxicity:

Some Esqueleto plants may have a high level of toxicity, especially if you are eating the fruit. Ingesting these fruits can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort. The seeds are also poisonous and can be fatal if eaten by humans. Monstera Esqueleto is a poisonous plant.

Where Does Monstera Esqueleto Come From?

Like other Monstera variants, Monstera Esqueleto is a tropical plant. It is native to the cloud forests of Costa Rica, which receive abundant rainfall, high humidity, and warm temperatures.

It is a member of the Araceae family, together with peace lilies and philodendron, and under the right conditions it may even bloom.

Monstera Esqueleto is also found in a few other South and Central American regions, such as Panama, Ecuador and Colombia. The unusual leaf morphology of Monstera Esqueleto is a sign of maturity in the plant. Typically, the leaves of tropical plants are flattened and irregularly shaped when they are young.

The structure of the leaves may be similar to those of its relative Monstera Adansonii, but they can be distinguished when they are mature simply because they are larger and darker green in color.

It is certainly feasible to cultivate a lovely Monstera Esqueleto indoors if the appropriate light, humidity, temperature, and soil conditions are provided.

Monstera Esqueleto can also be grown outdoors in the home garden, although it may be challenging to specify exact individual requirements for the conditions that it needs. Nevertheless, it is possible to grow Monstera Esqueleto indoors with a little advance planning.

Like its cousin, Monstera Adansonii, Monstera Esqueleto species is very self-sufficient, requiring minimal care and attention in thriving. It requires daily watering and well-draining soil. You may use a soil based compost as it is easy to work and light weight.

Where Do I Find Monstera Esqueleto?

Monstera esqueleto is not as expensive or rare as Monstera obliqua, but it can be difficult to locate. You generally won’t find this plant at huge home improvement stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot, or even in a local nursery (unless you happen to live near a truly excellent nursery that carries uncommon and exotic houseplants!).

The best option for acquiring Monstera esqueleto is to purchase it online. Nonetheless, discovering a legitimate vendor may require effort and study. Monstera Esqueleto plants are quite rare and most individuals who sell the plant do so under the table.

The main company that sells the Monstera Esqueleto plant is called “Monstera Farms”. This company does not originate from Central America (i.e., Costa Rica) but rather is a transcontinental corporation that sells a variety of tropical houseplants (such as Aechmea fasciata, Areca palm, and others) from China, India and other countries.

Etsy, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and even your local Craigslist may be fantastic sites to check on a regular basis, but be sure to read seller ratings and ask a lot of questions to ensure that the seller is reputable and will actually sell you the advertised item.

Some of these platforms, such as eBay, allow you to set up keyword alerts so that you are notified when a Monstera esqueleto becomes available for sale.

Is Monstera Esqueleto Rare?

The Monstera Esqueleto is considered a rare houseplant with its distinctive fenestrated (meaning it has “windows” or portions missing from the leaf) leaves. Monstera Esqueleto is a type of Monstera, but is not the same as the popular and widely available Monstera Adansonii.

Although the plants may look similar, Monstera Esqueleto does not grow nearly as large as its cousin. Additionally, it does not produce a fruit like Monstera Adansonii.

Monstera esqueleto grows well indoors in partial sunlight and low humidity — making it a better option for those who live in dry climates such as Colorado or Arizona. Monstera Esqueleto can grow outdoors in zones 10 and 11.

Monstera Esqueleto is a shade-loving plant that is slow growing, but will rapidly reach 32 ft tall and can spread to 20-30 inches in its mature state.

Monstera Adansonii is the most common variation of Monstera, while the Monstera obliqua is considered an endangered species. Monstera Esqueleto is not an endangered plant, but it is considered rare.