Monstera deliciosa plant in the tropics and subtropics. Its ease of cultivation also makes it a very widespread plant in apartment in temperate regions. "Monstera deliciosa" and the cultivar 'Variegata' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The fruit of "Monstera deliciosa" is up to 25 cm long and 3–4 cm diameter, looking like a green ear of maize covered with hexagonal scales. As the fruit ripens, these scales or platelets fall off the fruit, releasing a strong and sweet scent. The smell has been compared to a combination of pineapples and bananas. The fruit is edible and safe
Monstera deliciosa of ripening by its bottommost scales becoming yellowed. As it ripens, the starch that was stored in the green fruit is converted to sugar, giving it its sweet flavor. This mechanism is comparable to how banana fruits ripen. The strong odor the fruit produces becomes noticeable when it is half-ripe. As time passes and the fruit continues to ripen, the odor becomes stronger. After it becomes fully ripe, however, the scent deteriorates quickly. The fruit may be ripened by cutting it when the first scales begin to lift up and it begins to exude a pungent odor. It is wrapped