Another Factor in Choosing Plants

[Klyde O'Scope]

We all know that "Live plants help increase and maintain humidity." —Resources Section
but one factor I don't recall seeing is how much humidity they put into our enclosures.

I've posted before about researching individual plants' needs (e.g. light, soil, watering, feeding, etc.) to match them to our enclosures and their layouts, but IME, transpiration of individual plant species is seldom discussed.

Why does this matter?

Transpiration and Why It Matters​

For a more thorough in-depth discussion of transpiration, see

https://passel2.unl.edu/view/lesson/c242ac4fbaaf/1 (Note: There are 8 pages)​

Some plants—succulents, for example (e.g. Hoya sp.)—are recommended on some safe plant lists, yet Nature (capital N) designed them to conserve moisture rather than releasing it. Others, like dracaenas, are better at transpiring moisture into their environs, which could make a difference in some enclosures.

There are many articles that give examples of plants that can raise humidity:

https://www.hunker.com/13427555/how-to-care-for-indoor-ivy​

https://www.healthline.com/health/humidifying-plants#boston-fern​

https://balconygardenweb.com/houseplants-that-increase-humidity-indoors/​

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/houseplants-that-increase-humidity.htm​

https://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/best-plants-for-re-humidifying-your-dry-indoor-air​

But (so far) I've found only one that rates them comparatively.

Houseplants That Humidify the Air: 50 Plants Evaluated​

If anyone finds more sources that rate transpiration in this manner, please add them to this thread.

N.B. I have not cross-referenced any of these lists with lists of "chameleon safe" plants

 

[Sonny13]

VERY VERY interesting
Thanks for sharing this

 

[JacksJill]

Did you find any plants that transpire at night? Those would be so valuable.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Did you find any plants that transpire at night? Those would be so valuable.

That's a very good question, and I agree.

Do plants transpire at night?
Some sources disagree, e.g.:

Plants loose water at significant rates during the night through ‘night-time transpiration’.
https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/pdf/S1360-1385(19)30022-6.pdf

Transpiration does not take place at night, because the stomata present on the leaf surface are closed during the night hours.
https://byjus.com/neet-questions/why-transpiration-does-not-take-place-at-night/

I'm not finding any lists or comparative values, but under, Which plants transpire most at night?
I'm seeing:

We found that nocturnal transpiration varied across different plant groups, with grasses having the highest rates of nocturnal water loss. In grasses and shrubs, nocturnal transpiration was greater when water was more available to plants and decreased when the soil became dry.
https://fesummaries.wordpress.com/2...urnal-water-loss-in-tallgrass-prairie-plants/

Here are some studies and more scholarly articles from further down that list:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17241998/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1761996/
https://academic.oup.com/jxb/article/54/383/861/545837
http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=1896
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep10975

I have not had time to digest much of this material, nor have I spent any time scouring Goggle Scholar. From what I have gleaned, I gather that it used to be believed that NO transpiration took place at night, but that notion is being dispelled by research.

I think there may be clues to which plants (or types of plants) transpire more at night within the links above.

In addition to plant respiration and transpiration, there is also evaporation to consider, and this is why I don't need to fog at night (apart from nighttime temps not dropping enough to warrant fogging). By misting for 2 min. every 3 hrs. from lights-out to lights-on I'm able to maintain average nighttime humidity (or close enough).

I began this thread because I accidentally stumbled across Houseplants That Humidify the Air: 50 Plants Evaluated (from O.P.) and things began to snowball from there.

Hopefully, I've found some starting points for anyone who wants to take it further. It goes along with my personal belief that planning an enclosure should be more than just picking/choosing chameleon-safe plants off of a list or lists. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/ is a really good start (categorizing centerpiece, trailing, wall cover, and accent), but I believe more can be done in the interests of improving the "hobby" and providing healthier habitats for our pets.

 

[Sonny13]

This might interest you as well from #25 https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/naturalistic-hydration.173365/page-2

@cyberlocc it is my understanding that plants only transpire during the day using it as a way to pull nutrients up into the plant at night they use a different mechanism. I know it is likely not a constant for all plants and your plant knowledge eclipses mine. You've mentioned a palm that transpires more than most. Does it do so day and night?

You are correct, its said most plants only transpire during Photosynthesis however some plants continue to photosynthesize at night, but in a different way. Here is an article about a handful of them.

https://wiki.nurserylive.com/t/top-9-plants-that-absorb-co2-at-night-as-well-best-for-indoors/315

Now in that article we do see this, which is kind of contradictory
"In CAM photosynthesis or Crassulacean-Acid metabolism, the plant opens the stomata at night to minimize water loss. CO2 is acquired at this time and stored in vacuoles as malate."

I bolded, the contradiction open the Stomata is what causes Transpiration, there may be more to it with other plants in the article, than meets the eye that leads to that statement of that I am not sure.

However, one plant in that list does Transpire about the same amount of water 24/7, the Arcea Palm.
You will see this same snippet, plastered everywhere, and I had seen some article long ago (It might have been the study this was from) about the rates, and they were pretty much the same 24 hours a day.

"In NASA's famous research looking at the air-purifying qualities of houseplants, they found that the areca palm filters certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air. Meanwhile, famed plant scientist Dr. B. C. Wolverton notes that a ~6-foot areca palm can transpire 1 liter of water per 24 hours, thereby making it an effective humidifier – which can help with allergies, colds, or other breathing discomforts that can disrupt sleep."

https://www.treehugger.com/green-home/8-bedroom-plants-improve-your-sleep.html
https://www.hunker.com/12003913/plants-that-add-the-most-moisture-to-the-air

In my own testing, I can confirm this things humidity around it is constantly 100%, it expels an INSANE amount of water, and it uses an insane amount of water as well.
My specimen is only slightly over 2 feet atm, I do think it is raising humidity cage wide, its still fairly small however. When I have a 4 footer, I aim to replace my 4ft Viv with a 6/7 foot (Inside space) to allow it to reach its full 6ft .


However newer articles are starting to say that alot of plants may transpire at night more than we think.

https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/pdf/S1360-1385(19)30022-6.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17241998
http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/143/1/4

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

However, one plant in that list does Transpire about the same amount of water 24/7, the Arcea Palm.

....

Meanwhile, famed plant scientist Dr. B. C. Wolverton notes that a ~6-foot areca palm can transpire 1 liter of water per 24 hours, thereby making it an effective humidifier – which can help with allergies, colds, or other breathing discomforts that can disrupt sleep."

....

In my own testing, I can confirm this things humidity around it is constantly 100%, it expels an INSANE amount of water, and it uses an insane amount of water as well.
My specimen is only slightly over 2 feet atm, I do think it is raising humidity cage wide, its still fairly small however. When I have a 4 footer, I aim to replace my 4ft Viv with a 6/7 foot (Inside space) to allow it to reach its full 6ft .

That's impressive! The areca palm tops many of the linked lists here & previously.

I'm using several sp. of dracaenas as workhorses ATM (they grew from less than a foot to over 5 feet in about a year).

I'll be taking a serious look at areca palm for my next enclosure build/remodel.

 

[Sonny13]

Just been using the areca palm in one of free range setups. It has one downside it's not strong enough to hold a panther, veiled or jackson. The stems of bend easily due their weight. Still it's a beautiful and functional plant to put in your enclosure.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Just been using the areca palm in one of free range setups. It has one downside it's not strong enough to hold a panther, veiled or jackson. The stems of bend easily due their weight. Still it's a beautiful and functional plant to put in your enclosure.

How tall? If it's not suitable as a center piece plant, perhaps as wall cover or accent?

 

[Sonny13]

How tall? If it's not suitable as a center piece plant, perhaps as wall cover or accent?

Haven´t measured it, but this is how big it is. It´s next to the desk and this on can hold my jackson, side note the stems can´t be hold by anything.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

The bulk of it looks about (and I'm guessing) 2' (except for the frond on the right).
Maybe a matter of age(?) These look more than strong enough.

 

[Sonny13]

True and maybe inside an enclosure it has more strength due ´leaves´ can rest against the screen or something. Now I´ve have a heavy cham trying climb and gets top heavy. Need to confess they´re smart enough not using it again. Fixed some small branches in the middle of the plant, which he uses. It was a laughing situation, almost laying with his back on the floor and still having the stem grabbed tight

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I get it. I have a snake plant that's plenty sturdy except it can get top-heavy too, so it kind of leans against a back corner.

Mine also loves a large spider plant hanging in the window. It wouldn't support his weight from the top, but he clings to the parts that hang down for hours—one of his favorite places when he's out.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Mine also loves a large spider plant hanging in the window. It wouldn't support his weight from the top, but he clings to the parts that hang down for hours—one of his favorite places when he's out.