So today let's talk about the differences between Monstera Adansonii and Monstera Obliqua. A Monstera Obliqua genuine one is extremely rare. So let's try and get to the bottom of these differences between these two plants.
Forms of Adansonii
You've probably heard of the name Monstera Friedrichsthalii. Let me stop here and just say that the Friedrichsthalii and Adansonii is the same plant.
. It is just a synonym for Adansonii and often people use Friedrichsthalii to identify a more juvenile form of Adansonii.
So have three different forms of Adansonii to show you guys because don't know if anybody knows this. But there is more than one form and I think this is what makes Monstera Adansonii and Oblique difficult for a lot of people to identify.
So gonna quickly show you the three forms:
- regular form
- narrow form
- round form
A regular form Adansonii this is the run of the mill Adansonii that a lot of people may it looks like a vining plant it has a lot of holes down it, not much to say.
Now, this is where people start to get slightly confused between regular and narrow form. The narrow form on this site does resemble something a little bit more exotic than the flatter form on the left with the larger holes. Now already a lot of people have Monstera Adansonii narrow form and they do actually think they have Obliqua.
The Adansonii round form is slightly different the leaf is much rounder and much larger an appearance. Next to these other forms, it does grow a little bit larger as say this is also not Monstera Obliqua at this is Monstera Adansonii round form.
What you must understand is around 70% of plants that are labeled Obliqua are actually Adansonii. The other 30% are honestly potentially hybrids. But they are not Obliqua. So there are classic examples of just shops getting it wrong generally.
Differences between Adansonii and Obliqua
- flowers
- leaves
- holes
- stolons
- frills
- growth rate
- price
So typically speaking it is much easier to identify you know which plant is which in the wild because in the wild these plants flower more often and really the differences the clear winning. Differences like straight off or in the flowers but unfortunately we don't typically see flowers like this on house plants. That is why you know it's harder to identify a house plant as opposed to a plant growing in the wild.
Leaves
The thickness is it. So on the Adansonii it's not overly thin it's not overly rough, but it feels like a leaf in your hand.
Real Obliqua leaves are thin. Thinner than the paper it's like super thin paper. When lifting it up can see through it and that's probably why because it's just so so thin it is unmistakable. The feeling difference-wise between literally any of these plants to be honest any of them and an Obliqua it is clear like there is no contest it feels barely there in your hand. So if you feel your plant and it just feels like a leaf well it's not an Obliqua.
Holes
The hole on an Adansonii are much more longitudinal or narrower generally speaking the holes aren't round they're very like slits almost like this shape whereas Monstera Obliqua holes are much rounder in appearance.
Now you need to know at a real Obliqua is 90% hole. That is only true for this particular form of Obliqua.
Stolons
And will now explain what they are, so that advised that you can see coming out the Obliqua there are known as stolons also known as runners.
And these stolons or runners are a kind of vine sprouted from steam that certain types of plants can produce like for example strawberry plants. That has nodes on them where roots can form there will never be any leaves on this kind of vine that is not what it is you will never see a leaf on this kind of weird vine coming out of the stem of the plant. This is something that a plant will do when it wishes to look for somewhere else to grow.
So it's actually trying to propagate itself away from its current location basically is what it's trying to do it's worth saying that each node on these stolons or runners is capable of producing a full individual plant.
And maybe a lot of you don't know about them and that is because they don't typically grow on Adansonii this is something that an Obliqua will do. This is the golden difference that allows you to tell a Monstera Obliqua from an Adansonii. This plant prefers to send runners out to make new plants. That's what that is those are stolen from the Obliqua not only that. So if you have a Monstera Obliqua in your house you will probably see runners there is not a lot f of chance that you want if you have a real Obliqua. Then it may start to grow other than that this is what you're going to get with an Obliqua in household conditions.
Frills
From what was seen here with the three different forms about Adansonii and the Obliqua upfront can honestly say that an Obliqua seems to have frills around the edge.
But if you look at first even the narrow form of Addansonii because would argue it's closer to an Obliqua than the actual regular Adansonii there are no frills around there not at Obliqua frills around the edge. Also was noticed at least for the narrow form when the edges of the leaves do seem to be rather thrilled and can opinion that is not an official difference just it is can tell you form looking at a lot of pictures and looking at these different specimens of plants.
Growth rate
And yes, Monstera Adansonii might grow a little bit slow but overall it's just it grows the same as any vining plant. Right, Obliqua will notice a monumental difference this plant here is likely to never really grow. I don't even know if it's ever gonna grow a new leaf..
It is probably never going to grow in height and that is because it will only really grow. In ridiculous conditions and mean textbook perfect conditions probably about 80% humidity a really good temperature, excellent amount of light and something really nice to climb onto other than that honestly it's just not gonna grow you are not gonna see new leaves popping up pretty much ever it's not gonna happen even in the wild.
An Obliqua growing in the wild in the perfect conditions it will take the plant several years to reach a couple of feet in height. So it is it's just not gonna grow like this is never gonna get really to be honest conditions it's never going to get any bigger this is kind of what you see is what you get all its going to do is just continue to send out runners of the plant.
Price
And the last difference, guys about Monstera Adansonii versus Monstera Obliqua is the price. Now let just say something there is no way on this earth that you are going to pay less than a three-figure at least some of money for one of these mainly because they're not even sold. This plant will never really even be leaked to a nursery because only collectors can grow it identify it and share it among themselves no smart collector is going to release this for no money it's too valuable it is way too valuable and too collectible and to pressures, because there isn't a lot of it kicking about in the world.
The 90% hole myth
On the Internet can watch comments like oh you know 90% of the leaf is a hole and all this kind of stuff and like need to kind of blow your minds a little bit on this subject.
The thing is the 90% whole thing is 100% a myth it's not true. The 90% myth even though it is a myth even if it was correct only applies to the Peruvian form of Obliqua. So Obliqua can actually take many different forms.
There are forms of Monstera Obliqua that don't have any holes. You can actually see the runner or the stall growing out from the plant.
So a few of you may be thinking, okay, that the 90% hole myth only applies to the Peruvian form. So you may be thinking okay well this right here is not 90% hole and you would be right. But basically said that when Obliqua is not mature and it's not climbing it will never reach the impressive levels of perforation or whatever you want to call it that the typical Obliqua that you have seen photographs up on the Internet will reach.
The Obliqua in the wild will very easily reach this level of you know holes but an Obliqua in this scenario and the one that maybe you have here will not even when it's growing in the wild. This has to be growing for an impressive amount of time before you will even see that level of the hole in the Obliqua.
So would never really expect ever to be honest to say 90% of holes in this plant. So just assure you that this is not simply a problem for Monstera Obliqua and Adansonii this actually happens with quite a few Monstera Epipremnoides.
Monstera Epipremnoides
A very large Adansonii is the Monstera Epipremnoides. It does look on the surface to be a large just huge mature version on Adansonii. It is not a very different plant it is also very quickly worth nothing that this plant also has a considerable price tag.
And to know that this plant retails for about 200 English pounds and that is of a plant of a small size.
But again with this kind of price tag you're not going to get this sold mass-market it's rare anyway it's not readily available and when these things get mature they look very very interesting.
Summary
If you have an Obliqua you are fully aware of the fact.
They are a lot of nurseries have said to label this plant incorrectly. But it is incredibly frustrating because people around the world do not understand what an absolute botanical unicorn this plant is.
Also can understand that a few of you may be a little bit annoyed perhaps, that you don't have what you think you have all you've been missold some of you might still think that you have an Obliqua.
So we can all understand this plant for what it is.
So they are rare and amazing and unique plants. The word that there are other forms of Obliqua that they will only grow in a certain way environment. Let's all start calling around Adansonii what it is which is Monstera Adansonii and be proud to have Monstera Adansonii because it's a beautiful plant. So if you have one of these consider yourself very lucky.