# Bog Terrarium



## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

*Bog Terrarium*

This weekend I started work on a new setup that will feature native North American bog plants including _Sphagnum_ spp. mosses, one or two carnivorous plants and several evergreen woody shrubs.










The term _bog_ is not interchangeable with the words _swamp_ or _marsh_. Bogs are a specific kind of wetland habitat with specific assemblages of plants. In some ways bog environments are the complete opposite of swamps. Bogs are dominated by _Sphagnum_ spp. mosses and other plants adapted to grow in very acid water with low nutrients. Most bog plants do not grow in other habitats. 

Here is the enclosure, a 38-gallon fish tank (36" X 12" X 20").










I decided to use Matala filter mat as a rooting substrate. The Matala rests on an eggcrate false bottom with a 2" plenum. I could have just put the fitler mat right into the bottom of the tank, but I figured that a few extra gallons of water would provide some more stability. The false bottom with standpipe will also make it easier to siphon drain the water if desired. 

I got some great plants with a visit to Reeseville Ridge Nursery. This is a really cool nursery to visit if you are in the area. They have many fascinating native plants that nobody else seems to be cultivating. Reeseville Ridge Nursery doesn't really maintain a retail storefront, so if you want to go there to buy plants you should call ahead. 

Here it is right after planting. I added a layer of packaged, dried sphagnum moss from a Wisconsin source after getting this shot. I expect live _Sphagnum_ moss to sprout from spores and I might also see a few other native plants grow from seeds in the dried sphagnum. I avoided using dried New Zealand sphagnum--plants often sprout from this material as well--because I wish to make a representation of a native bog with authentic plant species. IF I don't see moss sprouting in a month or two I will go get some live _Sphagnum_. 










These bog plants are native to Northern North America and adapted to very cold winters, but I have seen several indoor setups where some of them seemed to have adapted to terrarium/paludarium conditions. With other plantings that I have built I have found several other native evergreen groundcovers that also grew well in terrariums. It seems that some small evergreen groundcover or short shrub plants do not have the same rigid seasonal dormancy requirements of deciduous northern species.

Small cranberry, _Vaccinium oxycoccos._










Bristly dewberry, _Rubus-hispidus._










American cranberry, _Vaccinium macrocarpon_. This is the same species as the commercially-grown canberry, .










Labrador tea, _Ledum groenlandicum_.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Here are the other two mini shrubs that I got

Leatherleaf, _Chamaedaphne calyculata_.










Bog laurel, _Kalmia polifolia_.










There aren't very many different species of plants in bogs. I think this is pretty much all of the shrubs possible as native for this area.


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## daisymaisy01 (May 19, 2015)

You are always making something new and interesting! I'll be interested in seeing how this grows in. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

daisymaisy01 said:


> You are always making something new and interesting! I'll be interested in seeing how this grows in.


Thanks. I'll try to remember to post updates. None of these things are going to grow very fast.


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## scapegoat (Apr 15, 2010)

This is very interesting. I love that you're using native plants.

I think so many folks get caught up in having what isn't around them that they forget to look at the beauty that is their native flora.

My great grandfather created a very successful, award winning, landscaping company and nursery, decades ago, around native plants.

I've been wanting to collect some locals and grow them out in pots, or something similar to a wabi kusa setting that is open air.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

scapegoat said:


> This is very interesting. I love that you're using native plants.
> 
> I think so many folks get caught up in having what isn't around them that they forget to look at the beauty that is their native flora.
> 
> ...


Hey thanks so much! To me, the graceful beauty of some of these little native forest plants is unmatched. They have quite a lot of scientific/botanical interest too. 

If you want to try to grow native plants in terrariums, select evergreen species. I have figured out several of these that adapt OK in terrariums. Let me know if you would like a list of plants to look for and I can also offer a few other tips. 

Have you heard of _kusamono_, bonsai companion plants? These are smaller herbaceous plants maintained like bonsai outdoors through the seasons in nice ceramic pots to stage with bonsai trees. Planting and developing the kusamono plants is an art form in itself. Here is a blog post with photos of especially beautiful kusamono...

http://crataegus.com/2015/07/27/young-choe-kusamono-workshop/


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## scapegoat (Apr 15, 2010)

hydrophyte said:


> Hey thanks so much! To me, the graceful beauty of some of these little native forest plants is unmatched. They have quite a lot of scientific/botanical interest too.
> 
> If you want to try to grow native plants in terrariums, select evergreen species. I have figured out several of these that adapt OK in terrariums. Let me know if you would like a list of plants to look for and I can also offer a few other tips.
> 
> ...



I have not heard of kusamono... but it looks to be exactly what I was thinking of doing. I get the idea every spring when the plants littered through out my grass yard start flowering.

I'm working on my very first vivarium... actually tonight since I just received my order of cork and plants. I'd love to do a native plant tank as well. I'd love to see your list.

My great grand father is long passed, and his business even longer gone, but I want to put together a native flower garden in his honor.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

scapegoat said:


> I have not heard of kusamono... but it looks to be exactly what I was thinking of doing. I get the idea every spring when the plants littered through out my grass yard start flowering.
> 
> I'm working on my very first vivarium... actually tonight since I just received my order of cork and plants. I'd love to do a native plant tank as well. I'd love to see your list.
> 
> My great grand father is long passed, and his business even longer gone, but I want to put together a native flower garden in his honor.


What area do you live in?

Here is a quick list with the plants that have been growing well in terrariums so far...


_Gaultheria procumbens_
_Huperzia lucidula_
_Asplenium platyneuron_
_Coptis trifolia_
_Goodyera pubecens_
_Mitchela repens_
_Polypodium virginianum_
It's a great idea to also include trees in a woodland terrarium. I would not expect any native northern trees to adapt to terrarium conditions, but I have found that coast redwood (_Sequoia sempervirens_) does very well and more or less resembles a Canada hemlock (_Tsuga canadensis_) or balsam fir (_Abies balsamea_)tree. Unlike some other conifers, redwood responds really well to pruning, so you can maintain it easily as a small sapling plant. You can find seedling redwoods easy and cheap right here...

Coast Redwood | Sequoia Sempervirens


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## scapegoat (Apr 15, 2010)

I live near Philadelphia


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

scapegoat said:


> I live near Philadelphia


I imagine you can find some good native plant sources around there. Let me know if you are going to shop on the Internet because I can suggest a few good online nurseries with interesting material.


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## JonRich (Oct 19, 2012)

Good stuff, always excited to see your work. Such clean work.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

JonRich said:


> Good stuff, always excited to see your work. Such clean work.


Thanks. I hope the plants will grow.

It's been just a few days, but I already see buds starting to swell on a couple of those little shrubs.


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## Mavpa (Jan 5, 2015)

scapegoat said:


> I live near Philadelphia


If you're looking for a good spot to pick up some local plants in the Philly area, Wissahickon Park off Lincoln Drive is probably your best bet to pick up some clippings or mosses.

Occasionally Longwood Gardens lets some stuff go from their meadows too.

Obviously, probably not gonna get any of this stuff frog safe, but for plant only set up they work out.


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## frogpecker (Mar 20, 2013)

This is wonderful. Nice and clean set up. Like others have said before me, it's so exciting to see somebody work with native plants. I live in New England and have spent many hours hiking/wading through bogs. Cant wait to see how this bog vivarium will develop and grow in over time.

I know this isn't going to grow fast but please post updates whenever possible. And thanks for the inspiration!


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

frogpecker said:


> This is wonderful. Nice and clean set up. Like others have said before me, it's so exciting to see somebody work with native plants. I live in New England and have spent many hours hiking/wading through bogs. Cant wait to see how this bog vivarium will develop and grow in over time.
> 
> I know this isn't going to grow fast but please post updates whenever possible. And thanks for the inspiration!


Thanks so much!

My wife is from the Boston area and we found several little evergreen groundcover plants that have grown well in terrariums there in woods with beeches and white pine trees. _Coptis trifolia_ is especially good. There is a moss we found there too, _Brachythecium rutabulum_, that has been growing really well in terrariums.


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## frogpecker (Mar 20, 2013)

I'm intrigued. Will set out to find these plants. Once the ground is clear of snow that is...

Thanks a lot!


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

frogpecker said:


> I'm intrigued. Will set out to find these plants. Once the ground is clear of snow that is...
> 
> Thanks a lot!


See that list that I pasted above for some plants that have grown well for me in terrariums. I saw most of those growing in pine & beech woods in Massachusetts.


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## Wy Renegade (Feb 15, 2012)

Any updates on this? Curious to see growth and how the shrubs are doing.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Wy Renegade said:


> Any updates on this? Curious to see growth and how the shrubs are doing.


Hey, thanks for your interest. Everything is growing very well. The sphagnum has spread to cover most of the bottom and the shrubs look happy too. I hope to find some _Drosera_ to add. I will try to get some uptake photos.


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