Monstera Mint: The Low-Down

There's a lot of [mis]information floating around out there about Monstera Mints, the differences between the various types, TC vs Non-TC, it's a bit all over the place. Of all the plants I sell I probably get asked about these guys the most. So I figured I'd do a quick post where we can go over all the differences, fact vs fiction, about these absolutely beautiful plants that I am totally obsessed with. 

Alright, let's try and break it down by starting with:

#1: Monstera Mint NoID - What does NoID mean? 
Monstera Mints are a mutation (or sport) of Monstera Albo that was cultivated because of it's unique characteristics compared to other Albo. Specifically, that it's variegation was more "minty" than white. (Hence the name.)

As with any plant, "NoID" just denotes an (as of yet) unnamed or unregistered cultivar. There are many other types of NoID Monstera, Mints are only one of them, and several Mint variations are no longer considered NoID (they've been accepted as registered cultivars.) (More on that in a minute.) When you see "Monstera Mint NoID" it could mean a Mint with unknown lineage or a randomly occurring mutation or one grown from tissue culture. it's really just a general (and now occasionally inaccurate) term for Monstera Mints on the whole. 

#2: Monstera "Jungle Mint"
(Sometimes also referred to as "Monstera Green Mint.")
As mentioned above, not all Monstera Mints are NoID Monstera. While there are several Mint variations floating around, the original NoID does now have a registered cultivar - Monstera Jungle Mint of Barry Schwartz's lineage. He was the grower of the first known Mint Monstera. (The trade name, "Jungle Mint," originally appears on an eBay listing of Michael D’Andrea's back in 2017.) 

Monstera "Jungle Mint" are characterized by their dark green leaves, deep pinnations * and minty variegation. There can be some variation in the "density" of their variegation, or the exact shade of dark green on their leaves (especially if they're getting too much light) but they're overall pretty consistent in their appearance. 

* Fun fact: Pinnations are the split along the leaf edge. They are very commonly, though incorrectly, referred to as "fenestrations." Fenestrations (from the Latin "fenestra" which means "window" or "opening") are the holes that develop near the mid-rib as plants mature.

#3: Monstera "Full Mint"
(Sometimes also referred to as "Monstera White Mint.") The Full Mint is essentially just a Mint which displays none of the sectorial green (non-variegated) segments you get on the standard Jungle variety.

Despite its unique characteristics, the "Full Mint" is not (as of this writing) considered a separate cultivar.

#4:  Monstera "Full Mint" vs. Monstera Mint TC (Tissue Culture) 
Now on TC Mints, these are technically still NoID Monstera Mints. They have a different appearance, different characteristics and even a different growth pattern than the Jungle Mints or the Full Mints.

Here on the left is a Monstera "Full Mint" and on the right is a Monstera Mint from tissue culture. The TCs carry a much lower price tag (as they should do) because they're mass produced. The Full Mints and the Jungle Mints * are not (again, as of this writing) produced in tissue culture. They're propagated from cuttings and can take a long time to grow out, so they tend to carry a much higher price tag.

* Jungle Mints that can trace their lineage directly back to Barry Schwartz's original plant will carry and even higher price tag still. 

In addition to cost, some other differences include the green density in the variegation - TC Mints tend to present with much more green, whereas the "Full Mints" are much lighter in appearance. For reasons that are not entirely clear to me, the TC Mints leaves are also a bit hardier (thicker) and tend to be more rounded (or wider) with shallower pinnations than the "Full Mints." 

Lastly, (and let me preface this next part by saying - I have no problems with tissue culture as a practice. I think anything that makes plants more available, affordable and reduces poaching is a force of good in this world... BUT) on the TC Mints, specifically, they are (in my experience) much more prone to reversion over time (they get greener as they get bigger) than their non-TC counterparts. 

#5: Monstera Mint TC vs. Monstera "White Monster"
Now, this last one still confuses me a bit if I'm being honest lol. Actually, let's split this into two parts.

#5A: What is a Monstera "White Monster?"
A Monstera "White Monster" is a Monstera sport cultivated by the famed, and much respected, Japanese grower, Kunzo Nishihata. It is commonly referred to as "Kunzo's White Monster."

The leaves of a White Monster come in very (sometimes fully) white and then slowly fade down to green over time, as compared to a Monstera Mint whose leaves display shades of green, and white, and mint, but remain the color they've come in as even as they age. 

In order for a Monstera White Monster to truly be such, it must be able to trace it's lineage to Kunzo's original Monster. To my knowledge, this plant is not (again, as of this writing) in tissue culture. That certainly is subject to change though. 

So that's the background. Now on to...

#5B: Monstera Mint TC vs. Monstera "White Monster"
I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm seeing a lot of Monstera Mint TC plantlets pop up labelled as "Monstera White Monster." They... aren't though. I'm not sure if this the result of general confusion on the part of the plant community, or if it's an attempt on the part of sellers to keep the price of Mints artificially inflated, or... maybe a mix of both?

It's possible the terms have just become mixed up to the point where it's widely accepted to refer to TC Mints as "White Monsters" and while I have no earthly idea why that would be, I also have absolutely no evidence that this has been done in malice. I just felt the distinction was important to note, at least for your wallet.

And, lastly! 

#6: Monstera Mint vs. Monstera Albo
>>>COMING SOON<<<

*PHEW* Ok. I think that about wraps it up for now. This was a lot. But hopefully it helped to clarify things a bit as opposed to just confusing you all further. As always, if you have any questions, or some advice of your own to offer, please feel free to comment below. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!