Hole lot of nostalgia! Sales of 70s Swiss cheese plants soar
THE houseplant most associated with the 1970s is making a comeback, with suppliers selling out of the Swiss cheese plant.
Originally native to Mexico and Panama, the plant was as much part of a fashionable 1970s flat as lava lamps. Now it is being embraced by the Instagram generation, with pictures tagged #monstera.
The plant – Latin name Monstera deliciosa – has green, holey leaves that resemble Emmental cheese. Suppliers say nostalgia for the 1970s is making it popular.
The tallest plants, measuring 5ft or more, have sold out and prices have risen 20 per cent due to demand.
Ian Drummond, director of Indoor Garden Design, said: ‘The revival started with succulents and was followed by the Monstera which I think is because it’s nostalgic of the 1970s.’
Madeleine Evans, chairman of Plants@Work, told Horticulture Week: ‘There is definitely a return to retro plants, for instance Monstera. It’s in short supply and prices are up.’