Hemiepiphyte

Hemiepiphytes begin life either as a seed germinating in a tree canopy (primary) or rooted in soil before climbing upward (secondary). Monstera deliciosa is a secondary hemiepiphyte: it germinates on the forest floor, grows toward the nearest tree, climbs using aerial roots, and may eventually lose its soil connection. Strangler figs are primary hemiepiphytes that start as seeds in the canopy.