Thai Constellation

Few years ago Fiddle Leaf Figs were the tropical plant that everyone wanted but no one could find.  Split-leaf Philodendron (Monstera Deliciosa), an equally bold statement-maker stole the top of the charts soon after.  A year or two ago, Snake plant, (Sanseveria) gained prominence, not because it was new and exciting, but people grew to realize that it was the easiest and most dependable plant that anyone could grow. 

Move over Monstera Deliciosa and make way for your cousin, Monstera ‘Thai constellation’.  Impossible to find a year ago, Florida growers are just now beginning to list Thai Constellations on their availability lists.  And selling for a pretty penny.

Thai Constellation’s claim to fame is its unique colour pattern, with blotches of creamy white spots on the foliage, almost as if someone spilled paint on the leaves.  Colouring patterns are unevenly sporadic throughout the plant with no two plants growing alike.

Like the rest of the Monstera family, Thai Constellations are surprisingly low maintenance and easy to grow.   The plant likes a location with bright indirect light, perhaps placed a few feet away from the direct sunny rays of a west, south, or east window.  For soil, use a peat-based growing medium.  Water sparingly and only when soil is consistently dry.  Like most tropical plants, do not allow the soil to remain saturated.

When young, Thai Constellation has heart shaped leaves about 3 or 4 inches long.  As the plant grows, leaves become larger, and variegation becomes more pronounced.  Eventually the leaves become the size of dinner plates, splitting in patterns like the original Monstera.  Ultimate size of Thai Constellation is predicted to be more than 6 feet with almost equal width.

The hefty sticker price of Thai Constellation is more than a matter of supply and demand.  As Florida growers catch up to demand, Thai Constellation will likely never reach low pricing like most tropical plants.   Propagation is tricky, because new plants are not guaranteed to have the same level of colouration as their parents. 

At the recent Tropical Plant International Expo in Fort Lauderdale growers showcased more plants with variegated leaves than ever before.  It seems the quest for Thai Constellation is spilling over into all plant varieties with growers scrambling to introduce new plants with unique leaf colours.  Snake Plants, Chinese Evergreen, Dracaena, Pepperomia and Calathea all have green leaves with white accents.

House plant growers with a flair for the unusual or rare should also look at Ring of Fire Philodendron, a slow growing plant with splashes of red, pink, orange and white in its leaves.  Easy to grow, Ring of Fire wants a location with bright indirect light.  Avoid placing in direct sunlight, as the sun could cause edges of the leaves to turn brown.  Water regularly, allowing the plant to dry out between watering.