Monstera obliqua vs adansonii
#itsneverobliqua is often repeated, and in most cases it is correct. However, the reason this confusion persists is not simply mislabelling—it is a misunderstanding of how Monstera obliqua is identified in the first place.
The distinction between these two species is not reliably found in the leaf. It is found in how the plant grows.
Context
Monstera obliqua has been known to science for a long time, but it has never been widely cultivated. Historically, much of the available material came from herbarium specimens and limited field observations. While useful for classification, these do not reflect how the plant behaves in cultivation.
As interest in Monstera increased, particularly through online communities, the name obliqua began to be applied broadly to thin-leaved forms with heavy perforation. In most cases, these plants are Monstera adansonii. Once this misidentification became widespread, it was reinforced through repetition rather than corrected through observation.
The Problem with Leaf-Based Identification
Leaf shape is often used as the primary point of comparison—larger perforations, thinner tissue, and increased negative space. While this appears useful, it is not reliable in practice.
Leaf morphology in Monstera is highly variable. It changes with age, light levels, humidity, and general plant health. Well-grown adansonii can produce leaves that closely resemble what is often described as obliqua.
For this reason, identification based on the leaf alone is inconsistent. The defining difference lies in growth behaviour.
Even at a small size, the growth pattern begins to show.
The Stolon
Monstera obliqua produces long, leafless stolons. These are extended runners with widely spaced nodes and little to no leaf production along their length.
Rather than behaving as a typical climbing vine, the plant moves across a surface, effectively searching for a suitable point to establish. This is a defining characteristic of the species.
Leafless stolon with widely spaced nodes.
These runners can extend well beyond the pot and may produce little that resembles a conventional plant for extended periods. Once suitable conditions are found, normal foliage production resumes.
Runners extending beyond the pot in search of a new anchor point.
This behaviour is often mistaken for poor growth or decline. In reality, it is typical of the species.
Normal growth pattern for Monstera obliqua.
Comparison: Monstera adansonii
Monstera adansonii – continuous vine with leaves at each node.
Monstera adansonii produces a continuous vine with relatively short internodes and consistent leaf production at each node. It climbs or trails in a predictable manner and does not produce extended, leafless runners.
The difference is structural rather than visual.
If the plant produces a continuous leafy vine, it is not Monstera obliqua.
Growth Behaviour in Cultivation
Monstera obliqua does not behave like a conventional houseplant. It will often extend beyond its container, appear sparse, and spend periods producing little visible growth.
Once suitable conditions are located—typically higher humidity and stable support—it will resume leaf production. Without this understanding, the plant is often assumed to be underperforming when it is simply following its natural growth pattern.
Why the Confusion Persists
Two factors contribute to the ongoing confusion.
The first is widespread misidentification. Once incorrect names enter circulation, they tend to persist.
The second is the reliance on leaf characteristics rather than growth behaviour. Without observing how the plant develops over time, the distinction is easily missed.
Final Note
In most cases, the phrase #itsneverobliqua remains accurate. However, when the stolon is present, the identification becomes clear.
