Swiss Cheese Plant Is The Perfect Companion For These Jungle-Like Houseplants

Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) is a favorite choice among houseplant growers, and with its tropical origins, it gives an indoor space an instant jungle vibe. You can successfully grow and maintain a Swiss cheese plant as a houseplant by providing it with bright, indirect light (and up to six hours of direct sun per day), coupled with warm, humid growing conditions. When choosing companion plants to pair with your monstera, seek out tropical plants with similar growing needs such as golden pothos, heartleaf philodendron, and lady palm.

Also keep in mind the size and growth habit of both the monstera and any companion plants. Grown as a houseplant, Swiss cheese plants typically spread to 6 feet, and reach heights of 8 feet tall or more. So when choosing growing pals for a Swiss cheese plant, keep the monstera's spread in mind so that any neighboring plants get the light they need as well — or choose companions that need less light if the monstera is creating too much shade. And whether you're looking for contrasting leaf textures or ones that are similar, you'll find plenty of choices for Swiss cheese plant companions among the following selection.

Blushing bromeliads (Neoregelia carolinae f. tricolor) are tropical plants that have strap-shaped, green and cream-colored leaves, with red funnels at the center of the plant. These epiphytic bromeliads can grow to be up to 18 inches tall and wide as houseplants, and make great companion plants for a monstera in an indoor jungle. Grow blushing bromeliads in the same type of light as a Swiss cheese plant – bright, indirect light with up to 6 hours of direct, morning sun. To correctly grow a bromeliad, water it through its central vase, rather than the soil.

With wide, palm-shaped leaves that have several lobes, fatsias (Fatsia japonica) have a jungle feel to them that make them look perfect with monsteras. These houseplants have a bushy shape with their shiny green leaves, and usually reach up to 6 feet tall and wide. This excellent companion plant for Swiss cheese plant needs bright light with up to 6 hours of direct sun. If you're growing a monstera on a moss pole, fatsia can grow alongside without the monstera shading it too much.

Those looking for a small, colorful companion plant for a Swiss cheese plant should consider friendship plant (Pilea involucrata), an eye-catching species that is bright green and burgundy colored. With its waffle-like texture, the friendship plant's leaf texture will create interest in your indoor jungle next to a monstera's huge split leaves. Friendship plants reach 12 inches tall and wide as houseplants, and like Swiss cheese plants, they prefer indirect bright light.

Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a tropical species that fits perfectly into an indoor jungle with Swiss cheese plants. With vines that reach 40 feet long, golden pothos grows variegated, heart shaped leaves that are yellow and green or white and green. One of the easiest houseplants to grow, these monstera companion plants are so easy-going, you can even grow a pothos plant without soil. They grow happily in the same type of light as monsteras but can tolerate lower light as well, so they can be grown in the shade of your Swiss cheese plant's holey leaves.

A tropical vine that easily grows as a houseplant, grape ivy (Cissus alata) is one of the vining plants that will give your indoor space a fresh look. With compound leaves reminiscent of grape leaves, grape ivy can help create the lush indoor jungle you crave while serving as a great companion plant for Swiss cheese plant. With a spread of 3 feet and vines that reach up to 10 feet long, grape ivy will happily grow in the same type of light conditions as monsteras.

An easy-to-care-for houseplant, heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) makes a perfect companion plant for Swiss cheese plants. With heart-shaped, dark green leaves held on trailing vines that can reach 20 feet long, this vining houseplant can quickly help create an indoor jungle. Heart-leaf philodendron can perch above a monstera in a hanging basket and be allowed to trail down or trained to climb around the room — and it has the same light needs. Provide heartleaf philodendrons with bright light.

Hoyas, also known as wax plants, are excellent additions to the home for those aiming to create an indoor jungle — and with its leathery, oval-shaped leaves, Hoya carnosa is one of the easiest ones to grow. With trailing and climbing vines that reach four feet long or more, hoya carnosa makes a perfect companion plant for a monstera. Growing in the same type of light exposure as Swiss cheese plants, these houseplants thrive with bright, indirect light.

With its creeping and trailing stems covered with variegated purple, silver, and green leaves, inch plant (Tradescantia zebrina) may be a common houseplant, but it is uncommonly colorful. This plant — also known as zebra plant — features striped patterns like those of zebras and provides an eye-catching companion plant for a monstera. As a fast grower, inch plant will quickly add to your indoor jungle, and its growing requirements fit in perfectly with those of Swiss cheese plant.

If you'd like to grow a fern as a companion plant for your Swiss cheese plant, consider Kangaroo paw fern (Lecanopteris pustulata subp. pustulata), which has lower humidity needs than many other ferns, making it a great houseplant. With leathery fronds that spread to 3 feet wide and 1 foot tall, the rhizomes of this monstera pal often emerge from the plant's pot, adding to its visual interest. Give this member of your indoor jungle bright light.

With green, compound leaves spread in fan-like arrangements, lady palm (Rhapis excelsa) is a tropical houseplant that will add texture to your indoor jungle. Thriving in the same light conditions as Swiss cheese plants, lady palm makes a lovely companion plant for monsteras. Expect these small palm trees to reach up to 6 feet tall when grown as a houseplant.

Nerve plants (Fittonia albivenis) have oval shaped leaves that are green with white, pink, or red veins. Like your Swiss cheese plant, it grows best with plenty of humidity. This low-growing monstera companion plant reaches just 6 inches tall and 12 inches wide, making it perfect as an understory plant in your indoor jungle where it will receive bright, indirect light, and little or no direct sun. This indoor houseplant also thrives in your bathroom and is easy to grow.

If you're growing a Swiss cheese plant in bright, indirect light with no direct sun, consider choosing pancake plant (Pilea peperomioides) as a companion — or grow it under the monstera's leaves. For a touch of whimsy in your indoor jungle, pancake plant will surprise viewers with its circular green leaves, each on its own wobbly stem. Pancake plants grow to be 12 inches tall and wide, leaving plenty of room for your monstera houseplant to spread its giant leaves.

Tree philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum) is one of the philodendron types that make for beautiful houseplants. Often confused for a Swiss cheese plant, tree philodendron has a similar appearance, with extra-large, lobed leaves that are dark green and glossy. However, while monstera is a vining plant, this companion plant has a shrubby shape, and reaches up to 6 feet wide and tall as a houseplant. Combining these two look-alikes, which have similar light requirements, can have a pleasing visual effect in a jungle-like plant collection.