Swiss Cheese Plant Flowering/Fruiting

This is my second topic and im not quite sure what to write but here goes: I have a Swiss Cheese Plant which is about 4", I know thats its knowhere near flowering or fruiting size but i was wondering if possible how to jumpstart this process. I know that you can force flowering on plants such as the pineapple plant by putting it in a dark bag with a rotten apple for a week or so. I am not sure but i think this stops growth in the leaves by realesing an elethane gas (dont ask me how or why im only 13 :p)
and focuses on producing the flower and eventually the fruit. Will this method work with my cheese plant, under the same principles? Does the monstera flower resemble an arum? I have also heard that you need the Swiss Cheese Plant in a hothouse in near perfect conditions to have even a chance of flowering, is this true?
As im intrested in plants and i live near the eden project i regularly go there, i asked if they knew anything but they didnt XD.
All information is greatly appreciated
Regards -Josh.

You are referring to ethylene gas promoting flowering; it also promotes ripening in fruits like banana. As far as I know, it will not induce flowering in Monstera.

Yes, the Monstera inflorescence resembles an arum: the link below shows it:

http://www.cropsoil.uga.edu/courses/tropag/2006/crops/3ab-jj-monstera.html

The Monstera needs to grow quite large before flowering; if yours is 4", you have a ways to go!

LariAnn
http://aroidiaresearch.org

Cheers for Answer :D

Hi Carrot, these plants will be very difficult to flower here in UK due to the climate, light. temp etc, but if given all the right conditions, they can grow very tall with those fantastic cut leaves that are the reason we like to grow them, I am like the other people on your thread, I dont think you will have any flowers before your plant reaches a good lot of years maturity, they like dappled light as strong sunlight through a glass window will cause the leaves to dry up and fall, too much light also causes the plants to grow tall with little leaf, so you need to get all these things right too, but after you have your plant for a couple of seasons, you will soon learn what is good/bad just by looking at the leaves and colour etc, also they dont like too hot a room especially central heating, so dont sit it too close to any heater, gas boiler fumes are another no no . you need to make sure there is enough water for the roots, but dont let the pot sit in a saucer filled with water, re pot it when it looks top heavy for the pot it is in and make sure you keep the leaves dust free, you can do this when you mist your plant AND make sure you mist the aerial roots that will grow down from the trunk, these are ones that seek out humidity in the wild, I fed mine from spring till end of summer every second week with a half strength liquid plant food, the new baby leaves are heart shaped till they mature, but the true leaves are the larger ones that grow like large green staws and as they open, they unfurl there nice cut shaped design, good luck. hope this helps you out. WeeNel.

Thanks

Hello,

I was wondering if my cheese plant will blossom in a pot in Varna, Bulgaria. I bought it as a baby. It has really enjoyed itself outside in the summer. The temperatures are always above 90F and the humidity is always near 100.Do you think I have any bigger chance for blossom?

LariAnn mentioned in her post above that they have to be quite large before they'll flower. When you're growing these in pots, often it can take them many, many years to get large enough that they'll feel like blooming. So you may need to be patient with it.

i have one growing in my garden and it was hit hard by the frost and it is coing back it is get ne leves on it. but is has not flowerd yet.

I have had two swiss cheese plants and both have not done very well. They have really thinned out, have smaller leaves and some don't grow with holes. I would love any suggestions. Thanks

Hello,

My one had a problem like that when it needed repotting. My one really enjoys being outside in the summer. Do you feed it?