# Woody Stemmed Plant (Suggestions needed!)



## FrogNub (Aug 5, 2009)

Hello all,

I'm looking for suggestions or names of plans that have a woody stem. I'm looking to start a new Viv and I want a plant that is almost like a hedge/bush.

I'm using general terms because I have an image in my head that I can't accurately describe. So any help with plant names would be great.

Something with branches/stems that become woody with age, having bush like qualities. Maybe some kind of fast growing tree that can be trimmed to fit in a viv.

If all else fails and I can't find something unique, I will probably go with an umbrella tree (Schefflera arboricola) that I can prune to achieve what I'm looking for.

Thanks for the help!


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## aspidites73 (Oct 2, 2012)

FrogNub said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I'm looking for suggestions or names of plans that have a woody stem. I'm looking to start a new Viv and I want a plant that is almost like a hedge/bush.
> 
> ...


One of my favorite 'shrubby type' plants is the Gold Dust Dracaena, Dracaena godseffiana. It does well in the terrarium, does not grow too fast, and my frogs seem to like "climbing" around in it.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Coffee plants can grow pretty well in a viv and they are sometimes easy to find as seedlings for sale as houseplants.

Also consider various _Ficus_.


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Might be cool to locate some of the Vireya species or cultivars. Some are epiphytic in nature. I have had a few but never tried one in a terrarium. This is the only place I know that sells them.

Bovee's Nursery


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## toaddrool (Feb 5, 2013)

I actually came to the board today to post my pictures of my vireya. I have had luck with Rhododendron 'Fire Plum', though its a big one at 13 inches tall. They sell minis too like R. 'Tinker Belle', R. 'Saint Valentine' and R. 'Ruby Grace' -- but that one seems sensitive to high temps (above 75). My R. 'Carillion Belles' and R. 'Lucie Sorenson' are doing well too. I have a R. 'Little Pinky' which is smaller than Fire Plum but bigger than the others which is also growing nicely.

Many of the really small leafed hybrids like R. 'Periwinkle', and R. 'little bo-peep' seem to be sensitive to temps above 75 and they are in decline in my tank. 

If you want to see pics of my R. 'Fire Plum' check out the Tis the season, whats in bloom thread.


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## LoganR (Oct 25, 2013)

Quite a few small fig species would work well, as would some species of Clusia.


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## InvertaHerp (Mar 4, 2013)

Sorry to hijack, but what is a tree sort of plant that can grow well in a 30 gallon terriblis viv? I wanted to plant it sort of diagonally across the tank.


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## Jeremy M (Oct 19, 2012)

What comes to my mind as the most obvious candidate would be the basic Ficus benjamina. It grows pretty quick in the warm, moist tropical viv (much faster than if you keep it as a house plant) and takes well to pruning and shaping. This is also a fine choice for bonsai and you can teach it to have nice big trunk and roots, though it will take some time. A good way to jump-start this would be to buy a larger specimen from sloats or some nursery then hacking it back, and start shaping/pruning it with an already thick trunk. Don't forget to root the top if you cut it off!


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

You might want to try this page. https://www.violetbarn.com/shop/index.php?_a=category&cat_id=52&page=all

These plants are being sold as terrarium plants and several have the woody stems that you are looking for.


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## DanConnor (Apr 12, 2009)

Yeah, I put a ficus Benjamina mid-way up a four foot tall tank and it sent down a ton of aerial roots; pretty cool. You have to cut the branches bac a lot as it grows fast.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

*Impatiens namchabarwensis*










I think if you have a larger viv with good air circulation, and perhaps a special pot of faster draining substrate for the plant It should work. In my past attem the extra moisture and less light killed it, cuz it was doing well and then after a few weeks of not looking at it, when I checked again it was dead.

Its a lil big for smaller vivs, probably looking at a 30cube or standard 30 as the minimum, maybe a 20h, if you keep up with pruning. 20verts and especially a 40vert may be good with its extra width and plenty of height. I'm convinced this wone will work if you just give it it's own pot of special substrate mix and have good ventilation in the viv. I really think it was just that viv was to wet especially when I moved it to the back corner. Some airflow and better draining soil in a good sized viv and this could be fantastic


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