Hey guys,could you help me?

[lipico]

Here in my building´s garden, there are some plants and i´d like to know if someone could tell me if those ones can be put in a paludarium...

By lipico, shot with DSC-W7 at 2007-07-25

By lipico, shot with DSC-W7 at 2007-07-25

By lipico, shot with DSC-W7 at 2007-07-25

By lipico, shot with DSC-W7 at 2007-07-25

 

[Ed]

If they fertilize or use any pesticide or herbicide in the area then the plants are not safe for use.

The first three plants (I forgot the name of the first one, the second and third are different color forms of spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) ) get too big for use in all but the largest terraria and I can't tell the type of the fourth plant.

Ed

 

[jewett]

I have heard the first plant commonly called an "arrow head" plant. I have been growing one for several years hydroponicaly in a small decorative glass jar. It has stayed very small, only about 7 inches tall. I have thought about trying to place it or a cutting in a newt tank because I really like the way the roots grow and thought they would make a good "caudate hangout", but it may be too tall for any of my tanks - most of my tanks are nearly full of water and the plant foliage may not have enough space/head room.
Heather

 

[peterj]

Hi Heather,

the first plant is Syngonium podophyllum 'White Butterfly', I use it in my Betta jars with no substrate so it should do fine in a paludarium. The next two are Chlorophytum comosum (commonly called spider plants as per Ed's post) which I used to keep with my frogs. The last is Plectranthus verticillatus which I'm guessing might rot in a palludarium.

As Ed mentioned size may be an issue, but since these plants are so easy to propagate I'd consider growing some cuttings of the Syngonium and some pups of the spider plant in a pot indoors and restocking the paludarium with new starters whenever the plants got too large.

 

[Ed]

Thanks Peter,

I have used the first two in larger enclosures at work and if the roots are not constricted (like in a small cutting jar) the Syngonium gets really big fairly quickly.

I have used the spider plants in smaller enclosures but if they like the conditions they can get big enough to push up lids on tanks if you are not closely monitoring the growth possibly allowing escapes. In a large enclosure they are a nice addition and allow for good hide areas particuarly for terrestrial anurans.

Ed