Giant 1970s cheese plant rehomed at indoor zoo

A giant cheese plant which has been growing at a Leeds medical school since the 1970s has been rehomed at a nearby indoor zoo.

The monster Monstera - named Audrey after the blood-sucking antagonist of the 1986 film Little Shop of Horrors - had lived in the stairwell of Old Medical School at Leeds General Infirmary.

Due to building work at the site, the 3m (10ft) tall plant has now been rehoused at nearby Tropical World in Roundhay, which boasts the largest collection of tropical plants outside Kew Gardens.

Visitor attraction manager Jo Langton said moving Audrey had been a "massive challenge" but they were "determined to do everything we could to rescue her".

Audrey needed to be trimmed back before she was able to be moved, but has now been replanted in the Rainforest Canopy area.

Once established, the NHS plans to install a plaque to explain her history.

Ms Langton said: "She's going to need a lot of TLC and it's still early days, but fortunately we do have an established cheese plant here already which grows extremely well, so we all have our fingers crossed that she'll adapt to her new surroundings.

"We also know that Audrey has quite a following on social media, so we're happy to share that she's still around in Leeds and would love visitors to come along and see her settling in."

Native to central and south America, monstera can grow up to a height of 20m (66ft) in the wild, climbing trees by using a network of aerial roots which hooks over branches.

Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council's executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: "It's wonderful that we've been able to give Audrey a new home so her story can continue, and we can preserve a little bit of Leeds history for visitors so enjoy too."

• The Monstera plant's scientific name is Monstera deliciosa, from the Latin which means "delicious monster".

• The delicious element comes from its fruit, said to taste like a cross between a banana and a pineapple.

• It is also known as a Swiss cheese plant, as its leaves are heart-shaped when young, but become perforated (or Swiss cheese-like) as they mature.

• Swiss cheese plants are easy house plants to care for and are generally pest- and disease-free. They can live for years in the right conditions.

• Monstera are very forgiving when it comes to watering. They tolerate even the most neglectful of plant owners, so it's a great plant for those who are new to growing house plants or are away from the home frequently.

(Source: BBC Gardener's World)

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