# Please ID my hardware store plants *LOTS OF PICS*



## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

I found all of these in the tropical plants section of my local hardware store. If they'll work out, I'm planning to toss them into the 30x12x20 viv I'm working on.

Unknown Brom - I grabbed this because it is throwing pups and was only $4! 









Unknown Fern









Unknown Plant One - I've had one of these as a houseplant...I just can't think of the name.









Unknown Plant Two - Similar to plant One









Unknown Plant Three - This plant has very thick, waxy leaves.









Unknown Plant Four - Similar to One and Two









Unknown Plant Five - This is the only plant not in a 4" pot. It was sitting in a dish of water in the greenhouse, so I'm guessing it's at least semi-aquatic.









And now a group shot for size comparison:









Any help with ID's is much appreciated. I'm sure most of these are pretty standard houseplants, but I'm just getting into this and I need to know if they would be good in my viv. Thanks very much for your time.


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## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

Number five is a begonia. I believe it is a caning type, which means it may get to be 7 feet tall or so. It is not semi aquatic. :shock:


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## bluedart (Sep 5, 2005)

Number 5 looks like an Angle Wing begonia, not semi-aquatic.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

bluedart said:


> Number 5 looks like an Angle Wing begonia, not semi-aquatic.


Thanks Chris and Josh. Both of you are right, I found this on a google image search for Angel Wing Begonia. I guess it's out of contention for the viv, but will look nice in a hanging basket on my balcony!









That's one ID in the books, does anyone know about any of the other plants? Thanks very much in advance!

Cheers.


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## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

The first one is a Vriesea hybrid. The plant may have been forced to flower early so the pups may grow to be considerably larger than the one you purchased. These plants have a reputation for rotting in a viv. Corey says that if you take your time and acclimate them to the humidity slowly you have a better chance of success.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

two down.

*EDIT* I found this page on the Vriesea cultivar. _Vriesea duvaliana_ http://fcbs.org/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cg...ono=1821&ww=on&mh=5&view_records=View+Records

I'll do a search on how to remove the pups from the main plant and get those growing on their own and see what happens. 8) I've been around here long enough to know that the search is my friend. :lol: 

I'm scouring the net for info on the fern right now. At least it's marked 4" Fern.  I don't see any rhizomes and it seems to be sending up shoots from the base of the plant. As you can see in the picture, it's got five lobes to the leaf with the middle one being the longest. It has little serrated edges on the leaves that make look kind of silvery up close. I'm hoping it'll work out in my viv, because I really like the look of it. 

Thanks again Chris!

Cheers.


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## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

Ferns, in general, will expand to entirely fill any closed box that they are put in. Either be prepared to cut it back or have it take over.


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## Thinair (Aug 27, 2005)

Photo one looks Maranta-ish... Two could be a Calathea. Three has a high probability of being a Peperomia - don't know the name... And number four is an Aphelandra or Zebra plant. Hope that helps!

--Carlos


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

Thinair said:


> Photo one looks Maranta-ish... Two could be a Calathea
> . Three has a high probability of being a Peperomia - don't know the name... And number four is an Aphelandra or Zebra plant. Hope that helps!
> 
> --Carlos


Awesome Carlos, thanks very much!

You're right, Plant One is a Maranta or Prayer Plant. I knew I'd seen this thing around before! http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week123.shtml This one is definitely going in the viv. Score one!

While I was scanning the Calathea's for a plant that looks like Two, I came across this: http://www.houseofplants.co.uk/Maranta_tricolour.htm _Maranta tricolour_ is what they're calling it and it looks very similar to Plant Two to me. So both One and Two could be Maranta's and do well in the viv.

And after scanning through http://www.peperomia.net/, there are at LEAST 3 varieties on that page that are possibles for Number Three. _P.anomala_ looks to have the right leaf shape and size, but my plant is growing in a clump rather than a vine as in this pic ->http://biology.ugent.be/peperomia/photos/b_rotundata_anomala_4.jpg

And according to http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1797/index.html, Zebra plant is classifeid as a shrub. So that would put it out of vivarium consideration as well.

So far it looks like the brom and both Maranta's are for sures, the begonia and Zebra plant are out and I'm torn on the fern and the peperomia.

Thanks Carlos, that was a big help!

Cheers.


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

4 is shrimpflower and 1 and 2 are prayer plants, sorry no species names.


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

i think you have Peperomia orba


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## bluedart (Sep 5, 2005)

jbeetle said:


> i think you have Peperomia orba


For unknown plant three? I considered that, but my orba has never seen leaves that big... it could just be my husbandry though.


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

yes, for "unknown plant three." sorry i wasn't more specific. the leaves look exactly like my p. orba, but my plant is just a little on the leggy side these days.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

Cool, thanks guys! That's another one I'll reserve a place for in the viv.8)

So the only plant that I'm missing a positive ID on is the "fern". I'm starting to suspect that it might not really be a fern at all. Any ideas? It's the 2nd picture in the post.:?

Also, while I was out today, I picked up a Creeping Ficus and a really cool moss called Christmas moss. I'll post some pics later tonight.

Cheers and thanks again everyone for the help.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

Here's a close up of the base of the "fern":









Creeping Ficus:









Christmas Moss:









Cheers and thanks again everyone for the help.


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## Anoleo2 (Feb 1, 2006)

The second pic is definitely a fern....*Possibly* Kangaroo fern...... :? It just looks like it's a little too fuzzy to be one....and mine's a little more leggy.

IDK, there are so many species of fern out there...It may be impossible to ID that one...


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## raimeiken (Dec 24, 2006)

:shock: how much is that christmas moss? and how hard is it to grow in a terrarium environment?


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## Onagro (Jun 9, 2006)

afterdark said:


> Cool, thanks guys! That's another one I'll reserve a place for in the viv.8)
> 
> So the only plant that I'm missing a positive ID on is the "fern". I'm starting to suspect that it might not really be a fern at all. Any ideas? It's the 2nd picture in the post.:?
> 
> ...


I can help you with the fern. It is pteris cretica "parkerii". They like moist conditions and can expand quickly. I've got one too and it has only been here a week but it is constantly growing. Be prepared to cut it back everynow and then. It also has an interesting ability to absorb and neutralize toxic compounds like arsenic and pesticide.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

Thanks for the responses! 

Neutralizes toxic compounds you say? I think I may have to try it in the viv in that case! Do you find it's hard to cut back? How does it spread? If it's very agressive and will take over in there I'd prefer to avoid it.

The Xmas moss was reccommended to me by local nursery staff when I told them what I was looking for. I don't know exactly how well it will fare in the viv, but it is a moss, and that's a good start! I paid $6CDN for the 4"pot.

It looks like I'm still short on plants. Does anyone have any info on a good Canadian tropical plant retailer? 

Cheers and thanks again all!


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## Onagro (Jun 9, 2006)

Pteris ferns seem to grow more up than outward. It will probably just reach the vivarium lid and need cutting back every time you notice it folding against the lid.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

Onagro said:


> Pteris ferns seem to grow more up than outward. It will probably just reach the vivarium lid and need cutting back every time you notice it folding against the lid.


Awesome, thanks very much!


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## lukebalsavich (Feb 14, 2006)

Unknown Plants 1 and 2 are both prayer plants, I believe the names Calathea amabilis/ Stromanthe amabilis for the first and Maranta leuconeura erythroneuro for the second. They require similar care, and are pretty hardy, robust plants. I have put them in one of my vivariums, but the frogs (leaf frogs) were very hard on them.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

The "Christmas moss"(that is a bad common name, as their is an aquatic moss that goes by the same) is likely Selaginella martensi, a variegated form.


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## Synthtcd (Feb 15, 2007)

Even though its been a while since the original post, its possible that your unidentified plant #3 is a type of Hoya. We had several compact growing variations of Hoya at the greenhouse last spring.


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## MartinShaver (Dec 20, 2006)

Christmas moss for the aquarium (which I also have in my terrarium)


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