# Rivers Edge Plants



## xxohmycaptainxx (Dec 10, 2010)

Hi, can any of ya'll recommend some good plants for a dried river's edge type setup? I'm planning a pretty uniquely designed setup for a group of D. tinctorius 'Patricia' but I'm having a hard time finding plants that will work for the type of look i'm going for.

Essentially the tank is going to be a DIY background that'll look like a dried, eroded river's edge. The background will start off slightly angled at the bottom, then go vertical towards the middle, and finally flare out towards the front a bit to give the look of an eroded river's edge. At the top of the wall I'll have it flare out enough to have a planter built into the wall. This is where the plant selection help is needed. Since the top of my background is meant to be the eroded edge of a river I need plants that would naturally occur on rivers or ones that look like they would.

I'm mostly looking for grasses, reeds, or leafy plants. I've been going crazy trying to find a good grass that would work in a dart frog setup but have failed. I don't need plants that MUST live partially submerged in water or be super wet, as they won't actually be placed on the edge of water.

Please let me know if ya'll have any ideas, I'd really appreciate it. I have a short list of plants so far but not enough yet. Especially not a grassy plant which is what I'm really looking for.


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## JSeymour (Aug 6, 2016)

The first plants that came to mind were, Ophiopogon japonicus and it relatives in the genus Lirope. These are all evergreen grass-like plants in the lily family, ranging from the 2" tall petite dwarf mondo to the 30" giant lilyturf. Many of these produce a weeping-like effect that would look great on a river bank. Another plant that may work is Pleioblastus pygmaeus, the pygmy bamboo. It can reach up to 24", but responds well to trimming. Many Japanese garden plantings are routinely kept at only a couple inches tall, producing a lawn effect.

Other non-grass plants that I feel always look good with darts, are the shingle plants. There are many species in many genera, but a few of my favorite genera are Rhaphidophora and Marcgravia. These plants are meandering vines until they find something sturdy to climb; a branch, rock, or your riverbank. At that point, they literally plaster themselves onto the surface and begin climbing. They can help bring that tropical feel back into what may start to look and feel more temperate with a grass theme.


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## wimvanvelzen (Nov 1, 2008)

Some types of Echinodorus and Cryptocoryne could be useful. These are plants available in the aquarium trade, which grow in shallow or seasonal waters.

Echinodorus generally needs more light than Cryptocoryne or Lagenadra (a closely related genus).


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## xxohmycaptainxx (Dec 10, 2010)

wimvanvelzen said:


> Some types of Echinodorus and Cryptocoryne could be useful. These are plants available in the aquarium trade, which grow in shallow or seasonal waters.
> 
> Echinodorus generally needs more light than Cryptocoryne or Lagenadra (a closely related genus).


I was looking at these but from what I've read those plants need to be either submerged, partially submerged or kept very wet. I need plants that look as if they would grow along a river, not ones that truly would. As the really won't have the constantly available water that they need. 

@JSeymour I have looked at Ophiopogon before and its sold at many nurseries around me so it was one of my first thoughts but I was worried it wouldn't make it in a viv as from what I understand its needs a dormancy period? That dwarf bamboo is PERFECT though! That's entirely the kind of look I'm going for. Its not totally natural as the real plants native to the area I'm trying to recreate are grasses and reeds, but its exactly the look I want.

Let me check the care for them and see if the bamboo will work, really hope it does because its gorgeous!


EDIT: So this is my list of plants so far for the river's edge planter, Chlorophytum 'Fire Flash', Peperomia puteolata, Begonia foliosa, Juncus tenuis, Pleioblastus pygmaeus. Any of ya'll have any other suggestions? It looks like all the plants I listed above should work. Not sure about the Juncus tenuis but I really like the look of it and want to try it out.


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## Hercrabit (Oct 6, 2016)

If you like the look of bamboo, maybe look at horsetail reed (Equisetum hyemale). It looks to me very similar to bamboo, but I'm not sure if many people use it in their vivariums.


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## xxohmycaptainxx (Dec 10, 2010)

Hercrabit said:


> If you like the look of bamboo, maybe look at horsetail reed (Equisetum hyemale). It looks to me very similar to bamboo, but I'm not sure if many people use it in their vivariums.


I actually came across that plant in my searches and tbh I actually really hate it. It looks like elongated crab eyestalks, chained together. Idk something about it just REALLY turns me off.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

Im not trying to shoot down your idea, but im confused as to why you are looking for a grass to grow as opposed to other south american plants. The area along an embankment would be an edge. Edges are often very bio-diverse because they encourage the growth of plants that wouldn't strictly be found in either of the adjacent habitats. The amount of water available, the soil composition, amount and PAR value of light, and disturbances such as flooding or mudslides would cause a mixed succession of plants as opposed to a lawn of grass.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodland_edge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_effects

Have you considered a few ferns for the larger foliage and letting something with tiny leaves like Pilea glauca or a small leaved Peperomia species mound up and spill over the edge of your embankment?

Pilea and peperomias grow like this in pots:









Here is an image that is somewhat like what im envisioning, just imagine a few ferns mixed in so it is not all the same height.:









I searched for rainforest creeks and found quite a few with ferns and small leaved plants:


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

have you seen this thread?
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/53449-clay-bank-slope-terrarium-ideas.html


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## xxohmycaptainxx (Dec 10, 2010)

I'm looking for more grasses and leafy shrubs because this is a DRIED riverbank type setup. You're correct in that a riverbank would have more biodiversity in south america and wouldn't be just a mix of grasses and shrubs but a dried one would.

I've been looking at various pictures of long dried riverbanks in south and central america and a common theme I'm seeing is that the main plant growing along the edges are grasses with mixed in shrubs, ferns, and other small plants.


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## wimvanvelzen (Nov 1, 2008)

The kind of plants I recommanded do dry out during the dry season, but service through high humidity and strong roots.

Are you keeping your tank the entire year that dry or are you introducing wet and dry seasons? If that is the case you could do some nice experiments. Not sure about the esthetics though.

Anyway, I hope you succeed and can show how it works out. Fresh thinking is always welcome!


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## Josh B.A. (Aug 13, 2012)

Willow hygrophila does well semi aquatically, forming tall/sturdy reeds above the water. It does get pretty tall though, but it doesnt spread out laterally which makes trimming easy. 

Another option is Ludwigia repens (second pic). These do very well above and below the water line. 

I think your best bet is to go with plants people use in aquariums. Most species are adapted to live above water, and only grow aquatically in the wild for part of the growing season.



















Edit: forgot to mention that these plants will grow excellently in completely terrestrial conditions, given the soil around the roots is somewhat saturated.


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## xxohmycaptainxx (Dec 10, 2010)

wimvanvelzen said:


> The kind of plants I recommanded do dry out during the dry season, but service through high humidity and strong roots.
> 
> Are you keeping your tank the entire year that dry or are you introducing wet and dry seasons? If that is the case you could do some nice experiments. Not sure about the esthetics though.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you succeed and can show how it works out. Fresh thinking is always welcome!


Not keeping it dry at all. Its hard to describe the type of setup I'm doing. Its a dried, eroded river bank setup that's modeled after a small river surrounded by trees. 

I want this to have grasses and other mixed plants at the top, in the little planter emulating the edge of a river, but there will be exposed roots out of the background as well as the lower part of a tree and a large part of its root system exposed. 

These roots will serve as mounting spots for bromeliads and a few other epiphytes I currently have. This will be a humid dart frog setup for a group of D. tinctorius 'Patricia' but I want it to have the look of a dried, eroded river bank that's slowly being taken back by the forest.


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## Josh B.A. (Aug 13, 2012)

Whoops I guess I misunderstood your idea..

That's an interesting concept to pursue; I like the idea of change that consists of old growth spreading into an area cleared by a force that is both destructive and nourishing. 

...but clever wording aside, I'm afraid i don't have any suggestions. 

Sent from my KYOCERA-E6820 using Tapatalk


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## xxohmycaptainxx (Dec 10, 2010)

Josh B.A. said:


> Whoops I guess I misunderstood your idea..
> 
> That's an interesting concept to pursue; I like the idea of change that consists of old growth spreading into an area cleared by a force that is both destructive and nourishing.
> 
> ...


I have a few ideas but there's a couple kinds of plants I'm trying to locate that'll wrap this together but not finding any species that'll work. A plant similar to this would be perfect. This is labeled as Hygrophila stricta on the website the picture is from but I don't know if that's correct.


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## wimvanvelzen (Nov 1, 2008)

That looks like H. stricta indeed. Very nice, flowering plant in a viv. Should be able to grow in relative dry circumstances.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

I read above your viv is for Tinctorius, so you need some sturdy plants. One of them, I think, is Helxine soleirolia as ground cover. Here and there, between the small field of Helxine, I will put some Fittonia or Hemigraphis as focal point - if you have enough moisture also some Echinodorus spp., Cyperus, Anubias nana or Bucephalandra tied on stone or wood, or a nice bush of Microsorum 'narrow'. However in a fish store, you can find a wide selection of suitable plants.
Keep us updating


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## xxohmycaptainxx (Dec 10, 2010)

Okay so if that is H. stricta I'll definitely be wanting that because that's the kind of leafy plant I've been looking for to for to satisfy my aesthetic for this tank. 

Rigel10, the plants for the lower section of the vivarium, where the frogs will spend all their time as none of mine are big on climbing at all, have already been mostly chosen. I already have a lot of the plants already tbh. Several of the plants in my current tank for my trio of D. tinctorius 'Patricia' are actually going into this new setup. One of which being a pretty large Syngonium and its pup. I plan on adding fittonia, spathiphyllum sp, and various other plants. 

Planted on the exposed roots on the background will be bromeliads, a couple Myrmecodia sp, a Hydnophytum moseleyanum, a Lecanopteris sp, an Elaphoglossum nigrescens, and a few other plants. Also have a HUGE Philodendron 'wend-imbe' going into this tank. My only real concern was the planter box at the top of the background that's going to emulate the river's edge. The frogs may have some ability to get up there via the exposed roots but like I said the frogs I have don't climb at all so there's no real issue of them getting up there and crushing plants.


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