What is this, what's it doing, and what do I do with it???

Hi all,

I'm new here and would really like your help with something.....well three things really.....I bought this plant a couple of months ago and its growing really well, getting lovely and bushy etc. However, I'm struggling with a few things:

Firstly, what is it? It was simply labelled Monstera when I bought it, which is fine and I think that's right...but its not a deliciosa and I'd like to know what it is as that will greatly help with my next two issues....

Secondly, are its fruits (flowers?) supposed to do that? The second two pictures show the plants two fruits (or flowers) - they've barely grown at all and now you can see that the one of them looks like its died and gone brown, before its even grown out of its leaf-casing. Is that right or has the fruit/flower died?

And lastly, I'd love to know what to do with the thing....once I know the two answers above I'll be some way there, but I'd like to know the ideal care I should be giving the plant. Currently I have it sat on a windowsill, where it doesn't really get any direct sunlight; I water it when the top half of the soil is dry and give it a little food at the same time. It isn't getting any taller whatsoever, but it is getting bushier and growing new leaves at a rate of knots, so I think its pretty happy.....but then I wonder if I'm killing it because of the way its fruit/flowers are behaving....

Basically I'm very confused and would love someone to put me straight on all this and give any general advice at all really...

Thank you so much

Matt

Looks like Dieffenbachia to me.
Jim

I think you have a very, very happy Dieffenbachia, and I think the flowers are "doin' what they oughtta."

Extremely happy, plant!

Wow! You are doing JUST RIGHT. My Dieffenbachias never flower...

Wow, thank you guys!

I'll keep on doing what I'm doing (which isn't much really.....I think the plant's just doing its thing! - maybe it likes it in Wales.....)

So I wonder if the flower case-thingy will open fully or will it stay wrapped tightly around the flower? I shall watch with interest.

At least now I know what it is and I can find out all about it. Thanks again guys!

You might google pictures of Dieffenbachia flowers, but I think that what you are seeing is all they do.
There is a papery or leafy protective wrap called a spathe, partially open, and a thick, fleshy part called a spadix that holds the flowers. The actual flowers are pretty small, not showy as individuals, and grow on the spadix.

Related flowers, other plants in the same plant family include Philodendron, Arum, Anthurium, Cryptocoryne (an aquatic, but has really neat flowers!).