# Viv suitable palms?



## Hornet (Sep 29, 2010)

What palms can be used in the viv? I know most could probably be used as seedlings but what species are particularly good ie palour plams.


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

There are a number of small understory palms that are suited to growing in a vivarium. The first question, obviously, is what size vivarium?

If you are looking for neo-tropical species, start with the genus _Chamaedorea_. There are a large number of species that reach a maximum of 2 meters in height, and a couple of others that range from 1 meter to 1.5 meters. If you have a large vivarium (or at least a fairly tall vertical vivarium), these could do quite well. For example: _Chamadorea allenii, C. adscendens, C. metallica, C. stolonifera,_, and _C. teurckheimii_. Another species that is definitely viv. suitable is _Asterogyne martiana_, but it can reach a max. leaf diameter of 1.25 meters. _Chamaedorea elegans_ is a species that is commonly available (sometimes sold as Neanthe bella), and is sold by the "Exotic Angel" brand plants at Lowe's and Home Depot. This species is a small, loose-clumping palm, fairly slow growing, and can eventually reach 2m.

There are also some "old-world" species that are also viv-suitable. _Pinanga disticha_ and _Calyptrocalyx pachystachys_ are two of the best. There are also some others like _Licuala mattenensis 'Mapu'_ that are viv-suitable, but a little finicky. You may also want to take a look at what is believed to be a form of _Dypsis pinnatifrons_ from Madagascar (see: PACSOA - Dypsis sp. 'Pink Crownshaft' ).

If you need some help determining a palm for a certain size vivarium, send me a PM.


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## Hornet (Sep 29, 2010)

Cheers mate  Its a 45gal viv so not huge, i was only planning on using seedlings and removing them once to big so slow growers would suit that purpose. I will get dimensions for you and swing you a pm tomorrow.

John


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

John,

Didn't notice your location until today. You could easily grow a number of _Licuala spp._ from seedlings for a couple years (or more) in a 45gal. vivarium. _Licuala ramsayi_ (an Aussie native), is a lovely plant--the juvenile form has solid, perfectly round leaves; the mature leaves are also round, but the leaflets are divided to the hastula (like spokes on a wagon wheel)....


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I was researching this same question a while back and got some great suggestions over on palmtalk.org. There are some really interesting small species. I had no idea about some of those tiny understory palms.

A cool thing about palms is that a lot of the nurseries deal in seeds and seedlings, so you can affordably acquire a nice diversity of selections. There are generous hobbyists who will mail out seeds free or cheap too, although most of these tend to be the larger species for landscaping that have big seed crops.


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

hydrophyte said:


> A cool thing about palms is that a lot of the nurseries deal in seeds and seedlings, so you can affordably acquire a nice diversity of selections. There are generous hobbyists who will mail out seeds free or cheap too, although most of these tend to be the larger species for landscaping that have big seed crops.


You also have to watch what seedlings you place in a vivarium. Some _Syagrus spp._ produce a first "true leaf" (not the cotelydon) that's 18" long or more! There are also a number of other spp. that will grow quite rapidly (meaning you'd have to pull them out of your vivarium in a few months).

All that being said, if you don't mind having to remove the palms from your vivarium in a year or two...there are a number of small palms that would work. Most spp. of Chamaedorea (even that common ones), grow fairly slowly, and the first few sets of leaves are quite small. Almost every species of _Licuala_ or of _Calyptocalyx_ are EXTREMELY slow growing, and produce very small leaves for the first few years (and all are very tropical, understory palms)--and could easily spend anywhere from 2-5 years in a 2' vivarium until they needed to be removed. I guess I just worry about what to do with the palm after it outgrows the enclosure....

And, if you have a vivarium that's at least 4' tall, you could grow _Cyrtostachys renda_ from seedling stage for a decade or so--and have enough room for it to develop some really nice coloration!


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