Rant: People keep calling my Monstera a 'split-leaf philodendron' and it drives me nuts

I was at a plant swap in Greensboro last weekend and for the third time this month, someone pointed at my Monstera deliciosa and called it a split-leaf philodendron. They are not the same plant. At all. Monstera is its own genus, and the 'splits' are called fenestrations. Philodendron selloum, which is what they're thinking of, has a totally different growth habit and leaf shape. This mix-up matters because they need different care. Monsteras want more light and their aerial roots are a big part of how they climb. I've had my big one for over five years and I learned this the hard way after nearly killing it with the wrong soil. Why does this wrong name keep getting passed around? Has anyone else had to correct this same mistake a bunch of times?

2 comments

2 Comments

perez.christopher1mo ago

Oh man, I feel this so hard. My own mom still calls mine that and I've given up trying to correct her. It's a super common mix-up that just won't die.

umamoore1mo ago

My friend's boss still calls it that in meetings.