Monstera

Monstera deliciosa earned its nickname — the Swiss cheese plant — from the dramatic holes and splits that develop in mature leaves. Those fenestrations only come with good light and age, so a young plant in a dim corner gives you plain heart-shaped leaves and a lot of impatience.

It's a climber, not a trailer: in the wild it scrambles up trees, and indoors a moss pole gives the aerial roots something to grab, which in turn pushes bigger, more split leaves. Easy to grow, fast in summer, and forgiving of the odd missed watering — just don't let it sit in a wet saucer.

Bright indirect light produces the big fenestrated leaves; low light gives small, hole-less foliage.