Minnesota's houseplant of the moment? The Swiss cheese plant

When All About Gardening released a map declaring each state's favorite plant, it had us wondering if we should call foul.

You can't fault us for doubting the validity of these state-by-state popularity maps. There's still residual resentment left from #grapegate, the 2014 fiasco when the New York Times decided that grape salad was Minnesota's most popular Thanksgiving side dish.

So when the online garden magazine announced on its website (AllABoutGardening.com) that Minnesota's favorite houseplant was the Swiss cheese plant, I wondered: Are Minnesota houseplant devotees truly that mad for the dramatic, holey-leafed specimen otherwise known as Monstera? Or does this conclusion have holes in it, as well?

Yep, that tracks

In making the favorite side-dish map, the New York Times didn't rely on science, entrusting the call to a Minnesota-born transplant living in New York City. (Furthermore, I might be closely related to someone who used to put together "best-of" lists for a major magazine, so I know how the sausage is made.)

But the pros at All About Gardening relied on analytics. Turns out Minnesotans, along with 15 other states from Alaska to West Virginia, googled the Swiss cheese plant the most. Meanwhile, Wisconsin, our neighbor to the east, searched most for the fiddle-leaf fig.

Does googling a particular plant mean indoor gardeners are actually growing it? After some digging, it turns out the answer is yes. Garden experts around the metro area say the Monstera deliciosa, or Swiss cheese plant, is the houseplant of the moment.

Soaring in popularity

With its exotic look and trademark holey leaves, it's a top seller at Tangletown Gardens in Minneapolis, said co-owner Scott Endres.

"[They] are on every indoor plant lover's list of must-haves," he said.

The popularity of Monstera is fueled in part by the pandemic. During the lockdowns, interest in houseplants boomed, led by millennials and other self-appointed plant parents.

"Folks were home, had more time to care for their plants, and more time to enjoy the aesthetic and therapeutic power of plants," said Endres.

Buying habits changed, too. Customers began looking at houseplants in a different light — eager to acquire one of every variation of plant type, rather than make a one-and-done purchase.

"Having just one hoya, Rhipsalis, begonia, aroid or Monstera is a rarity these days, with many of our customers adding new and unusual varieties to their own plant collections whenever they can," Endres said.

Second-generation owner Jessie Jacobson of Tonkadale Greenhouse in Minnetonka couldn't agree more. She is finding that customers who come in to purchase traditional Monsteras are also buying several varieties of the plant, including Mini, a smaller version with adorable wrinkly leaves, and the rarer Thai Constellation, a variegated version with white-splotched foliage.

Hang time

Another plus for Monsteras? They're easy to grow, according to Maya Harris and Lillie Rosen of PlantyQueens plant shop in northeast Minneapolis.

"They're good in a lot of different environments, and lights, and their watering is very simple," Harris said, adding, "You wait until the water is completely dried out and just soak it."

I appreciate that the easygoing Monstera doesn't require much cleaning up after, unlike some houseplants that drop leaves in a fit of pique when moved mere inches or subjected to the slightest draft.

Harris advised "investing in a good barky mix" for planting Monsteras. At the PlantyQueens store, many of the Monsteras grow on moss-covered poles, which helps save space as the plant grows upward.

"In nature, you'll find that Monsteras grow up trees," she said. "So when we buy moss poles it mimics the plant's natural habitat, the leaves get larger and more fenestrated — the name botanists use to describe the leaf holes."

Plant parents looking to shelter and showcase their collections also have come up with the modern-day answer to the Wardian cases Victorians used in the golden age of botany: a tall glass and metal cabinet sold at Ikea. Once waterproofed and fitted with lights, it's a perfect greenhouse for displaying their most precious plants, Harris said.

Macrame hangers also are having a moment. Seems that this 1970s throwback has found a new generation of fans.

On the horizon

While Monsteras are hogging the houseplant spotlight right now, other plants are waiting in the wings. The geo plant (Geogenanthus ciliatus), which has almost black, saucer-shaped leaves and an alien vibe, is a likely contender, Harris said.

According to Susan Bachman West, CEO of Bachman's, the National Garden Bureau announced that 2023 will be the year of the orchid. "Time will tell," she said.

Jacobson agrees that it's hard to forecast the next "it" plants because rarer plants are becoming easier to source. She just hopes that more people discover the benefits and beauty of houseplants and start growing plants — indoors and out.

Rhonda Hayes is a Twin Cities-based Extension Master Gardener, writer and author of "Pollinator Friendly Gardening."