From Harrison Ford To Vanessa Hudgens: The Houseplant Celebrities Can't Get Enough Of

If you start to pay attention, there is one houseplant that seems to pop up in the homes of the rich and famous just as much as it does in our own spaces. Monstera, often called the Swiss Cheese plant, or more scientifically known as Monstera deliciosa, are large tropical plants that you probably recognize for their dramatic split and holed leaves called "fenestrations". And while Monstera deliciosa is the larger and more commonly recognized species, the one that can quickly adopt a towering stature, there is another variety — Monstera adansonii. This plant is also very loved as a houseplant, the only difference is it has smaller leaves with more distinctive holes. And either variety can immediately bring the same tropical feel to your indoor space without too much fuss.

By all means, this is not a newly trending plant, it's been in homes for decades. Home & Gardens shared some archival photographs from 1981 that show a very large monstera deliciosa in Harrison Ford's Los Angeles living room, acting as a striking focal point. And other celebrities are in on the trend too –- Vanessa Hudgens has a huge monstera in her feminine and vintage-inspired home as featured in a home tour, and Reese Witherspoon recently shared a clip on Instagram from her front porch, where a large potted monstera can be seen next to her. It's a nice reminder that this plant can work outdoors too in USDA hardiness zones 10 to 12, as it needs warm temperatures and humid conditions to mimic it's tropical origins.

There's many reasons that the monstera has become so popular in homes, celebrity or not, and part of the appeal is the stunning foliage of this plant, which actually has very reasonable care requirements. Like other tropical plants, it will need bright and indirect light, plus knowing the right soil to use for a thriving Monstera can also make all the difference in how well the plant produces the large and glossy leaves that it's famous for. But with these simple conditions in mind, these tropical plants actually adapt very well to indoor environments. Once they're well established and getting enough light, that's when they'll start to produce the distinctive splits and holes in their leaves that give them their Swiss cheese nickname.

Seasonal care is also important. Being natively tropical, growers should keep an eye on how to keep their Monstera plants healthy over winter by increasing humidity and maximizing their exposure to as much natural light as possible. But it only takes this intentional placement and basic care to be rewarded with one of the most visually striking houseplants there is. It's really no surprise they're such a celebrity favorite.