# And I thought the frogs were cool....



## JrayJ (Mar 11, 2010)

The one thing I notice about this forum is the immense knowledge of plants...You guys seem to be able to roll some scientific plant name off your tongue like it's nothing...it's very impressive and intimidating to me. LOL

I am new to this hobby and have been reading on here for about a year now. I have a simple 30 gallon eggcrated and GS'd and ready for coco fiber and what not....but have not finished it because of the intimidation I have with the actual plants. I'm not scared to grow them but all the scientific names etc... 

Are you all just true botanists with a side love for frogs?


JrayJ


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## AaronAcker (Aug 15, 2007)

Lol. I know how you feel. BUT dont let the plant lingo stop or intimidate you from jumping in. I have multiple vivs set up w/ basic plants that I got at home depot. Also, the majority of the sponsors here have a good selection of plants, many of which are the common/beginner plants. No need for scientific names  Jump in.


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## gturmindright (Mar 15, 2006)

I used to be really into the plants but now I stick with the easy stuff. I actually got a ficus from meijer the other day. Took what I needed from it and then returned it. I used to order all different plants and what not but then I realized that I was concentrating more on creating the conditions necessary to keep the plants healthy than I was on the conditions for the frogs. I use lots of ficus pothos philos and hoyas.


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## poison beauties (Mar 1, 2010)

I have been collecting plants as long as frogs, since 1999. The plant life makes the viv. Knowledge of plants and collecting them go's hand in hand in this hobby..
Great viv plants are ficus, hoya's, dischidia's, philodendrons, peperomia's, bromeliads, pothos, and orchids. Enough to create something unlike any others viv.

Michael


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

plants are great and IMO just as fun as the frogs. 

as far as getting some for your viv, you might try looking for good (small) plant packages. i was offering some here and there with 15-20 varieties of plants for about $80 which i think would be pretty standard (enough to make 3+ terrariums when plants grow in). ask around and someone may just have a nice package ready to go. mostly plants will be cuttings, which can be grown into full plants over time. 

beware of viv suitable plants that get big. 30 gal, isnt much to work with as far as space is concerned, and things always look smaller outside the tanks. stay away from fast growing plants too, because a viv isnt as much fun when you have to trim plants every time you want to look in the tank. 

james


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## MichelleSG (May 1, 2010)

I love my plants as much as my frogs. My vivs I have built months before the frogs are even acquired so the plants are well grown in and if they're going to die I've already figured that out and had time to replace them. I have never grown plants successfully so this vivarium thing is a glorious new experience for me. EVERYTHING I have put in them so far has been growing like gangbusters. Things my viv builder the plant biologist can't get to survive I've managed to get to thrive. I don't know the names of most everything and the few I do know the names of were marked wrong from the store when I bought them. That's ok though because there's always someone on the bird that can correctly identify them. Both poison beauties and James gave great suggestions. I bought a plant package on here for $85 and think I have enough bromeliads to stuff 10 vivs. Almost all different shapes, sizes, and colors. 
Start collecting. You can never have too many plants and future vivs won't get stuck at the planting point. You'll have your own smorgasbord to choose from!


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

except i get that "closet full of clothes and nothing to wear" mentality. i have plenty of plants AND unfinished tanks, but i just want something NEW and interesting for them  i look at most everything im growing (or was) and think nah i dont want to use that cause its too_________.

james


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## gturmindright (Mar 15, 2006)

The problem with cheap easy plants is they grow too much inside these tanks. It's ridiculous.


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## JrayJ (Mar 11, 2010)

Well it is my first terrarium so I'll go bigger as my experience go's. I'd be down for a simple starter plant kit, simple is the keyword here....3 terrariums is much for me atm. But I have to admit I really like looking up the "blue flower" post though. I know one of the saintpaulina ionatha cultivar will be in the future planted in my tank.

I think I might finish my tank real soon, somehow posting and getting responses might have lit a fire under my rear end.

Thanks.

JrayJ


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

I've been interested in plants for about 8 years now(just getting into PDF's), and for some reason, I find the scientific stuff easy. I have so many plants that's unsuitable for vivs (whether it's the wrong habitat, gets too big, or just grows to fast for my liking) it's unbelievable(of course not as much as Antone had).

I agree with the others, Start with a kit, it'll be a LOT easier.


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## JrayJ (Mar 11, 2010)

I will definetly start with a starter kit...and the true botanist shines. I think its awesome...to be honest. Just wish I was on that level with yall...


JrayJ


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Like anything, once you get into it, you'll soak it up. 

Make sure to check out the Good Plant Threads sticky. Lots of good info there for you.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

gturmindright said:


> I used to be really into the plants but now I stick with the easy stuff. *I actually got a ficus from meijer the other day. Took what I needed from it and then returned it.* I used to order all different plants and what not but then I realized that I was concentrating more on creating the conditions necessary to keep the plants healthy than I was on the conditions for the frogs. I use lots of ficus pothos philos and hoyas.


Hmmmm....


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

gturmindright said:


> I used to be really into the plants but now I stick with the easy stuff. I actually got a ficus from meijer the other day. Took what I needed from it and then returned it. I used to order all different plants and what not but then I realized that I was concentrating more on creating the conditions necessary to keep the plants healthy than I was on the conditions for the frogs. I use lots of ficus pothos philos and hoyas.


Man, I would have never admitted that. Luckily I don't have to deal with this kind of behavior anymore.


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## gturmindright (Mar 15, 2006)

I said I bought it for my mother and after she pulled off all of the dead foliage she said it was unacceptable. I bought a venus fly trap too just to check it out. I killed that already. So they still made 6.99 off me. I don't feel guilty. Yes, this is an indication of my character.


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

gturmindright said:


> I said I bought it for my mother and after she pulled off all of the dead foliage she said it was unacceptable.


Actually that is not what you said and the above statement would have sounded so much better.

This is what you said.



> I actually got a ficus from meijer the other day. Took what I needed from it and then returned it.


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## gturmindright (Mar 15, 2006)

haha. I mean that is what I said to the Meijer lady. I decided I should tell a lie to help me steal.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Ahhh you're from Detroit. That explains everything. I LOATHE Detroit and everyone in it. Sorry.  (I have family there that I dislike very much)


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## gturmindright (Mar 15, 2006)

The problem with these big 15 dollar hanging plants is that I only need like 10% of it and then I have no use for it because my cats will eat them.


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

I've found when I have asked the lady if she would make a cutting from one of the large plants for me, she'll give me 5 or 6.


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## gturmindright (Mar 15, 2006)

At Meijer? Or somewhere else?


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

As many have said, familiarity with the plants will come as you continue to immerse yourself in the hobby and the associated interests that tend to come with it. Sometimes I'm more interested in plants than I am the frogs...and the biggest tank I own is dedicated purely to plant specimens I have collected.


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## NathanB (Jan 21, 2008)

gturmindright said:


> I used to be really into the plants but now I stick with the easy stuff. I actually got a ficus from meijer the other day. Took what I needed from it and then returned it. I used to order all different plants and what not but then I realized that I was concentrating more on creating the conditions necessary to keep the plants healthy than I was on the conditions for the frogs. I use lots of ficus pothos philos and hoyas.


Yeah, your not going to make many friends in this section with that kind of behavior.


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

gturmindright said:


> At Meijer? Or somewhere else?


No, not Meijer.
I asked first if I could purchase the cuttings I wanted, and was given them free, at two different greenhouses and at my local Home Depot.


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## JrayJ (Mar 11, 2010)

I think I will just finish this tank and get to looking at plants. No hurry lol.

And BTW I dont even know how to start a cutting of a plant...


JrayJ


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/40543-clippings.html


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