Swiss cheese plants

This is the quintessential tropical houseplant – big and bold with lots of large glossy leaves that are irregularly holed. Plants can easily grow to several metres tall, and almost as wide, over time. Younger plants are more compact but the leaves don’t usually contain the characteristic holes.

Being tropical forest plants, they like warmth (18–24°C/64–75°F), humid air and bright but indirect light. They prefer slightly acid to neutral compost, which should be left to almost dry out before being watered thoroughly, ideally with rainwater rather than tap water whenever possible.

Take care not to overwater or to leave the pot standing in water for long periods, as the roots can rot. Tap water in hard water areas can make the compost too alkaline. The leaves can get scorched if exposed to direct summer sun, and very dry air or being too close to a radiator can turn the leaf edges brown.

Swiss cheese plants are famed for their holey leaves – a characteristic known as fenistration – which evolved to allow light to reach the lower leaves of these potentially tall plants. Younger plants and those growing in poor light often don’t have many holes, so ensure they get bright but filtered light, and be patient.