Are you looking for plants with holes in their leaves?
If so, you're in luck!
There are a few plants out there that have this distinct feature.
So, let's learn more about them in the following guide.
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6 Unique Plants With Holes In Leaves
Here's the list -
1. Lace Plant
Have you ever heard of a lace plant?
This is a type of plant that is known for its lacy leaves.
And, as you can probably guess, these leaves have holes in them!
This plant is native to Madagascar and is an aquatic plant.
Therefore, it's generally sold for aquariums and terrariums.
Lace plants also have rhizome roots, which are perfect for helping to stabilize them in their natural environment.
2. Swiss Cheese Plant
Swiss Cheese Plant, also known as Monstera, is a species of flowering plant that is a part of the Araceae family.
This plant is most likely to be found in tropical regions, such as Central America, South America, and parts of Mexico.
The Swiss Cheese plant gets its name from its leaves that have holes in them, which resemble Swiss cheese.
The holes in the leaves are actually there to help the plant survive in its natural environment.
They allow the wind to pass through the leaves, which prevents the plant from being uprooted.
And this unique feature is often found in specific types of Monstera -
- Monstera Deliciosa
- Monstera Obliqua
- Monstera Friedrichsthalii
- Monstera Adansonii
So, if you are specifically looking for plants with holes in their leaves, these varieties are the ones you should go for.
Note: The following plants do not have the typical holes in their leaves like the above two plants.
But their leaves do give off a hole-like appearance.
So, if you want an alternative for the Monstera or Lace plant, you should check out the following plants!
3. Philodendron bipinnatifidum
This is a species of flowering plant that is a part of the Araceae family - just like the Swiss Cheese plant.
It's a native plant to South America, specifically Brazil.
The leaves of this plant are deeply lobed and are often mistaken for holes.
But they are not holes!
The reason why the leaves look like they have holes is because of their lobed nature.
And these leaves can grow up to 1.5 meters in length!
Therefore, if you're looking for plants with big leaves, this is the plant for you.
4. Philodendron Xanadu
This is another species of Philodendron that has leaves that resemble holes.
But, similar to the Philodendron bipinnatifidum, these are not actual holes.
The leaves of this plant have a dark green color.
And they are deeply lobed, which gives them a hole-like appearance.
This plant is also native to South America and typically grows in Brazil.
So, if you're looking for plants with hole-like leaves, the Philodendron Xanadu can be a great option.
5. Epipremnum pinnatum
This one is a flowering plant too and belongs to the Araceae family.
It's a native plant to Southeast Asia, specifically Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The leaves of this plant are pretty similar to the Monstera plant, but they don't have actual holes.
Instead, the leaves are deeply lobed.
They look like they have holes because the lobes are so big and pronounced.
That said, the Epipremnum pinnatum is a nice alternative to the Monstera plant if you're looking for plants with hole-like leaves.
6. Rhaphidophora tetrasperma
This variety is, again, similar to the plants mentioned above.
The leaves of this plant look like they have holes.
But don't get fooled - they don't!
This plant is also known as the "Mini Monstera" because its leaves resemble the leaves of the Monstera plant.
So, if you want a smaller version of the Monstera plant, the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma can be a good choice.
And that's it for plants with hole-like leaves!
Of course, there are many more plants out there with this unique feature.
But these are some of the most popular ones that you can find.
And I have basically shared the ones that resemble the Monstera plant the most.
In the following section, let's learn more about this unique feature in certain houseplants.
What Is Fenestration?
Ever heard this word before?
Fenestration is a botanical term that refers to the presence of holes in leaves.
So, plants with fenestration have leaves with holes in them.
This is a pretty unique feature, and it's not found in all plants.
In fact, it's pretty rare.
That said, there are some plants that do have fenestration.
Sometimes, these types of leaves are also called "lacunose leaves" or "perforated leaves."
So, if you see this term being used, it basically means the same thing as "fenestrated leaves."
Now that we know what fenestration is, let's understand why some plants have this unique feature.
Why Does My Houseplant Have Leaves With Holes?
I know this is quite a popular question for plant parents.
And there are a few reasons why your houseplant might have leaves with holes.
The most common reason is due to pests.
Pests like aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs love to feast on houseplants.
And when they do, they leave behind a trail of holes in the leaves.
If you think your plant might have pests, check for them regularly.
And if you see any, treat them right away.
Another reason is external damage.
If your plant is near a window, it might get damaged by the sun.
Or, if you have pets, they might play with the leaves and cause holes.
Whatever the reason might be, it's important to inspect your plant properly.
And finally, the leaves might get holes due to biological reasons.
For example, the leaves of the Swiss cheese plant have holes because that's how they are supposed to look!
The fenestration is a natural feature of the plant, and it's nothing to worry about.
So, these are some of the reasons why your houseplant might have leaves with holes.
How Do You Fix Holes In Leaves?
You can try a few things to fix holes in leaves.
First of all, you can try to remove the pests from your plant.
This will help stop the problem from getting worse.
You can also try to increase the humidity around your plant.
Plants that are kept in dry conditions are more susceptible to pests.
Increasing the humidity can help deter them.
Finally, you can also try to give your plant more light.
Plants that are kept in too-shady conditions are more likely to get pests.
So, giving your plant more light can help it stay pest-free.
Pruning your plant can also help get rid of holes in leaves.
When you prune a plant, you remove the damaged leaves.
This helps the plant focus its energy on new growth.
And that's better for the plant in the long run.
So, these are a few things you can do to fix holes in leaves.
Try one or all of these methods to see what works best for your plant.
Now, let's check out the FAQs below.
FAQs
No, these plants don't require any extra care.
They're pretty easy to care for since they can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions.
As explained earlier, there are a few reasons why plants might have holes in their leaves.
For example, it could be due to pests, disease, or even how the plant is growing.
If you think pests are the cause of the holes in your plant's leaves, there are a few things you can do to get rid of them.
First, you can try spraying the plant with water to get rid of the bugs.
You can also try using a pesticide or insecticide.
These are quite effective at getting rid of leaf-eating bugs.
No, you shouldn't cut off leaves with holes.
The holes are usually not harmful to the plant.
The leaves may not look aesthetically pleasing, but the plant will be fine.
If you cut off the leaves, the plant may have a hard time growing back.
Yes, plants can repair damaged leaves.
The plant will produce new leaves to replace the ones that are damaged.
However, it's not an overnight process.
It may take a few weeks or even months for the plant to recover fully.
Over To You
Do you have a plant with holes in its leaves?
If so, don't worry!
It's probably not a big deal.
But if you're concerned, try one of the above methods to fix the problem.
And if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below.
Do share this guide with your plant-loving friends!
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