I gave my daughter a monstera plant which she put in her garden.

See the burned-looking leaves? This thing sat out in the sun during our move and did not like all the sun. Monstera is a climber that seems to like the shade. Eventually, it should make us some fruit. As Julia Morton writes:

“Fully ripe pulp is like a blend of pineapple and banana. It may be served as dessert with a little light cream, or may be added to fruit cups, salads or ice cream.”

Sounds good, however:

“The oxalic acid, and possibly other unidentified principles, in the unripe fruit, the floral remnants of the ripe fruit, and all parts of the plant, cause oral and skin irritation. Some sensitive individuals claim that even the ripe fruit irritates the throat. It would be well to avoid eating the ceriman in quantity until it is determined that there are no undesirable reactions. Some individuals have experienced urticaria and anaphylaxis after eating ceriman. Some children and adults have reported diarrhea and intestinal gas after consuming the flesh or products made from it.”

Well. There you go. Eat it at your own risk. There’s nothing like tiny needles in your mouth to make you appreciate that pineapple/banana flavor.

At least the plant is beautiful, right? This one is making a new leaf and I think it’s going to take off thanks to my daughter’s loving care.