For scale

[Maybo]

What does “for scale” mean?

 

[teechar]

Maybo, you should have attached the photo she is referring to!

I would imagine that the photo has her husband (who is evidently quite tall) standing beside some unusually tall plant/tree. "for scale" means "to compare (to)".

 

[Maybo]

Maybo, you should have attached the photo she is referring to!

I would imagine that the photo has her husband (who is evidently quite tall) standing beside some unusually tall plant/tree. "for scale" means "to compare (to)".

You are right.

 

[Maybo]

Does she mean “compared to the plant, her husband is 6’6”?

 

[SoothingDave]

No, the other way around. Her husband is 6 foot 6, so that gives you an idea of how tall the plant is.

 

[Skrej]

Ironically, the name of that plant is monstera (Latin for 'monster' or 'abnormal'), specifically monstera deliciosa, aka the Swiss cheese plant (or any other of a dozen different common names). They can grow into true monsters, but the name refers to the holes in the leaves rather than the size of the plant.

Here's one which dwarfs the image above. For a sense of scale, the standard height for most ceilings is eight feet (2.4 meters). However, in the wild they can grow up to 66 ft (20 meters). At larger sizes, they bear edible fruit which supposedly tastes like a combination of pineapple and banana, hence the species name deliciosa, Latin for 'delicious.' I've never actually eaten any myself, so I can't verify the flavor.

I have one in my office, but sadly it's still just a baby at only about nine inches tall and easily fits on my windowsill.

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