Named for the town of Siltepec in Chiapas, Mexico, Monstera siltepecana is one of the few tropical plants whose appearance changes dramatically depending on how it is grown. Left to trail from a hanging basket, the leaves remain small, lanceolate, and overlaid with the distinctive silver-green sheen that gives the plant its common name. Stake it to a moss pole and let it climb, and the leaves enlarge, lose their silver, and develop the fenestrations that mark the adult form. Both stages are genuinely attractive, which gives the grower an actual choice rather than a compromise.

At 5 to 8 feet, it is manageable in most indoor spaces. It needs bright indirect light, warmth between 60 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and consistent humidity — a kitchen or bathroom placement works well. Water when the top inch or two of soil is dry, and repot every year or two as it grows. Like others in the genus, it is toxic if ingested, and the sap can irritate skin, so gloves during pruning are a reasonable precaution. It propagates readily from stem cuttings.