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Growing something rare
Meet the people behind our new Monstera
Tucked away in Australia’s lush growing climate, Lisa and Neil from Odd Spot Plants are creating some of the most unique and rare plants around. With their shared passion for growing the unexpected, they’ve developed a brand-new Monstera variety that’s finally making its way to Europe, and we’re beyond thrilled to share it with our PLNTS community!
We had a chat with Lisa to learn more about their plant-filled life and their new Monstera.
Meet Lisa and Neil
Neil and I are a plant-crazy couple who have been together forever. I always joke that Neil has green DNA — he’s been a plant nerd since he was little. He grew up in a family full of plant lovers and started breeding plants around age 9. Later, he studied Horticulture at university and has been working with plants ever since. I studied Agriculture, and Neil and I met during overlapping classes. The rest, as they say, is history. We always dreamed of creating our own nursery, and eventually, that dream came true. To survive as a small business, we knew we needed to stand out, so we chose to focus on rare and unusual indoor plants. The only rule I set was simple: no prickles!
We both love the rare, weird and unusual so it works well and thus the name “Odd Spot”
How a new plant is born
For Lisa and Neil, creating a new plant variety is equal parts science, art, love, and above all, patience. Plants must first mature and flower, a process that takes years. Pollination often happens late at night, sometimes within just a 20-minute window. While Lisa is in bed, Neil is often outside between 10pm and 2am, pollinating flowers. If the timing doesn’t align, pollen is frozen and stored — often next to the ice cream — until the right moment arrives.
Even with perfect timing, seeds don’t always set. When they do, there is more waiting: months, sometimes over a year. Each seedling grows differently, like children, and most don’t stand out. But every once in a while, something extraordinary emerges, just like this new Monstera. Once the special plant is identified, they build up numbers with cuttings to ensure strong, healthy growth. Then comes the final hurdle: marketing, exporting, licensing, and navigating biosecurity. This is where their partnership with PLNTS comes in, helping them share their discovery with the world.
The journey so far
The journey to this point has taken around five years from the moment Neil first pollinated the flower that gave life to this Monstera. But really, the story began much earlier. As a young boy, Neil was already in the greenhouse with his mum, learning how to pollinate flowers and discovering the patience and curiosity that plant breeding requires. At university, he studied horticulture in depth, gaining the scientific knowledge to match his passion. All of those experiences — from childhood experiments to long nights in the nursery — have led to this moment.
Breeding a new plant variety is never quick or simple. Most seeds never develop into something remarkable, and many years of waiting end in disappointment. But every once in a while, something extraordinary appears. That’s what makes this Monstera so special: it is the result of years of dedication, care, and persistence. For Lisa and Neil, finally seeing it ready to travel across the world and into people’s homes is not only exciting, but also deeply humbling — a dream that began in a small Australian nursery and is now about to reach the global PLNTS community.
Our new Monstera
From the very start, this Monstera was different. Its leaves were rounder, more symmetrical, and full of elegant fenestrations. The texture was robust, combining the best traits of both its parents: Monstera Adansonii and Monstera Deliciosa. It grows quickly like an Albo, but stays compact and tidy thanks to its short internodes. Whether climbing a moss pole or trailing freely, this versatile plant adds character to any collection and is sure to catch the eye.
Want to be the first to know when it launches?
We can’t wait to introduce this special Monstera to your homes in early 2026. Every leaf carries years of creativity, patience, and care, and with so much heart behind it, it already feels like part of the PLNTS family. Want to be the first to welcome her into your home? Simply leave your email address and we’ll keep you updated with all the latest news and let you know the moment she’s ready to join your plant collection.
