# asarums and similar plants for the vivarium



## Hobbes1911 (Mar 22, 2013)

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with asarums for the vivarium. I found these pictures of asarum crassusepalum and thought they would look great in a viv, especially with the flowers they produce. Unfortunately, I know very little about this plant, so I was wondering if anyone here has any information on them.

https://www.google.com/search?q=asa...%2Fphotos%2Fmingiweng%2F4815126182%2F;640;426


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## greenman857 (Dec 13, 2010)

I suspect that most of the common Asarums have a natural dormancy period which would make them problematic to grow. I have Wild ginger Asarum canadense growing on my property. Wikipedia mentions some from Vietnam, maybe those would work?


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Asarum maximum looks interesting...and I think sources said evergreen. I've tried stuff with worse stats and had it work...so might give this a try.


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## Plantnerd (Dec 9, 2011)

Most asarums i know and grow are temperate plants. They are mostly evergreen.
I have had asarum maximum growing in a pot outside so I doubt it will do as a vivarium plant. 
Asarum canadense is they only one i can think off right now that have a vinter dormancy but that is more to do with growing in extreme cold.

That being said if you can get your hands on some tropical ones go for it and tell us about it


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Plantnerd said:


> Most asarums i know and grow are temperate plants. They are mostly evergreen.
> I have had asarum maximum growing in a pot outside so I doubt it will do as a vivarium plant.
> Asarum canadense is they only one i can think off right now that have a vinter dormancy but that is more to do with growing in extreme cold.
> 
> That being said if you can get your hands on some tropical ones go for it and tell us about it


Ah tell that to my comelina I pulled from my yard in OK, blue oxalis (ok this one is tropical/tender kinda) and several other garden/temperate plants I've tried...they don't know they aren't supposed to grow in a vivarium 

I've learned not to underestimate the adaptability of plants. Sometime deciduous/dormancy requiring plants are able to power through/adapt and do well in the viv. Also starting stuff from seeds, or placing pots in viv conditions before transplant or taking cuttings/divisions, or placing them in in certain places, or making them a spot with special soil mix seems to do wonders for increasing their chances of survival in the vivarium. 

Sure some stuff...a lot of stuff will never work, but I think people would be surprised what will if they experiment more. Thanks to doing that, I and the hobby at least have 2 choices for blue flowers in the viv now, and one turquoise(ish) one where none/or few existed before.


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## Plantnerd (Dec 9, 2011)

Im all for trying and experimenting but I dont think we should encourage people to buy and try expensive plants with the false pretense that there is a good chance it would work. 
Oxalis are a very adaptable lot. Alteast the ones i have encountered even with some growing quite nice as house plants. 
Asarums on the other hand can be abit tricky when not planted where it wants to be. And they are usally alot slowing growing than most oxalis. They also take longer to start growing when transplanted. When i plant one outside i usually wont see any growth at all for the first year as the plant is establishing itself and sending out creeping rhizomes.
If you where to take a standard temperate asarum and put it in a frog viv with several daily mistings it would most likely rot away.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Plantnerd said:


> Im all for trying and experimenting but I dont think we should encourage people to buy and try expensive plants with the false pretense that there is a good chance it would work.
> Oxalis are a very adaptable lot. Alteast the ones i have encountered even with some growing quite nice as house plants.
> Asarums on the other hand can be abit tricky when not planted where it wants to be. And they are usally alot slowing growing than most oxalis. They also take longer to start growing when transplanted. When i plant one outside i usually wont see any growth at all for the first year as the plant is establishing itself and sending out creeping rhizomes.
> If you where to take a standard temperate asarum and put it in a frog viv with several daily mistings it would most likely rot away.


Those are good points  ...I have definitely felt the sting of loosing expensive plants. RIP begonia pavonina  (1 of the newest tries is doing well finally, since I let it adapt to viv conditions in its pot)

Oh btw I should have been more clear, the Blue oxalis isn't actually an oxalis, it is a legume, just happens to look like some oxalis so it picked up the name, and the nickname shamrock pea.


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## Hobbes1911 (Mar 22, 2013)

Are there any plants with similar foliage and leaf shape as asarums? I understand that if they are temperate then there really is no point in trying and then just end up killing them.


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