# What kind of leaves are these and are they safe?



## Shinosuke (Aug 10, 2011)

I could use some leaf litter for a viv and to crush up in an isopod culture. I have some trees in my yard that dropped some leaves but I don't know what they are. See attached picture (that's a thing of chapstick for reference). What are these and are they safe?
Also, I've got a ficus lyrata (Ficus lyrata - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) that's starting to drop some ginormous leaves. Are these leaf-litter and bug-food safe?


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## pnwpdf (Nov 9, 2010)

The ficus leaves are fine. I have a bunch in mine, and the springs grow well on it. The other leaves I can't identify, but probably more importantly you should determine whether the leaves have pesticide or fertilizer on them. Are you worried that a particular tree might have harmful sap or something? Those types of trees don't generally grow in your backyard...


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

The second leaf looks like maple. Both are fine for vivs but break down pretty fast. I use a bottom layer of maple to fill it out and then add oak and/or magnolia on top. 

I know you got oak and magnolia in Charlotte!


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## Shinosuke (Aug 10, 2011)

I know what Magnolia look like but haven't seen any nearby, and sad as it is I don't know what oak looks like!


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