Although Monstera plants are usually grown for their beautiful tropical foliage, these evergreen vines can also produce edible fruits. These fruits are said to have a deliciously unique taste. In this article, we’ll find out what Monstera fruit tastes like.
Can All Monsteras Produce Fruit?
The Monstera genus contains approximately 60 recognized species that are native to Central and South America. Almost all types of Monstera plants produce fruit in the wild. However, only one species, Monstera deliciosa, produces fruit that humans can eat.
This Monstera species even gets its scientific name from the delicious taste of its fruit. Monstera deliciosa is also commonly known as the fruit salad plant or Mexican breadfruit. Monstera deliciosa is native to tropical rainforests across Central and South America.
What Do Monstera Fruits Look Like?
Monstera fruits look like a combination of a corn cob and a pineapple. Each fruit can grow up to 12 inches long and is shaped like an ear of corn. The fruits have green, woody outer scales similar to those of a pineapple. However, these outer scales aren’t actually edible.
Monstera fruits can take an entire year to fully ripen. Once the fruit begins to ripen, it’ll produce a strong fruity scent that smells like a mix of banana and pineapple. This odor gets stronger as the fruit ripens, but will disappear quickly once the fruit is completely ripe.
Once a Monstera fruit is fully ripe, its hard outer scales will start to peel away. Underneath, you’ll find the creamy white flesh that forms the edible part of the fruit.
What Does Monstera Fruit Taste Like?
The edible flesh of a Monstera fruit has a strong fruity taste. The taste is often described as a mix of flavors, including banana, pineapple, strawberry, coconut, and even passion fruit. Monstera fruits have a sweet, tropical taste with a little bit of acidity as well.
Monstera fruits must only be eaten when ripe because unripe fruits contain calcium oxalate crystals. These crystals can cause severe throat irritation, stomach discomfort, diarrhea, and vomiting. Always make sure that a Monstera fruit is fully ripe before you eat it.
Can You Cultivate Monstera Fruits At Home?
As delicious as Monstera fruits sound, it’s incredibly difficult to cultivate them at home. To produce fruits, Monstera plants need to be at least three years old. Even then, Monstera plants cannot produce fruits without flowering first. Sadly, most indoor Monsteras never produce flowers.
To produce flowers and fruits, your Monstera needs conditions that replicate its natural habitat. That means providing a warm, humid environment with temperatures between 65 and 85ºF and approximately 60 to 80% humidity. You’ll also need to provide lots of bright, indirect light.
If you’re lucky enough to get some flowers, they’ll need to be pollinated before your Monstera can produce any fruits.
Wrapping Up
Monstera fruits taste like a combination of banana, pineapple, strawberry, and coconut flavors. Monstera fruits take a year to ripen. Unfortunately, it’s challenging to cultivate fruits on indoor Monstera plants.
Andrew is the Editorial Director at Petal Republic. He holds a BSc degree in Plant Sciences and has trained professionally at leading floristry schools in London and Paris. In amongst overseeing a global editorial team, Andrew's a passionate content creator around all things flowers, floral design, gardening, and houseplants.
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