Your favorite flowers/flowering plants?

[ItsMike64]

Hey everyone! I'm looking to add some (safe) and natural color to my enclosure - and what better of a way to do so than with flowers! Well...I guess that's pretty much the only natural safe way one could add color, but I digress. I'm looking for either suggestions or recommendations or both for flowering or colorful plants that I could put in my enclosure. I have my eye on a wandering jew which I am considering, but wanted to get your opinions/ideas first! I know there is the list of FL Chams safe plants, but going through it one by one looking for a trailing flowering plant is super tedious. I wish there were some pics and a little more of a description on that list - then it would be perfect! Anyway, flowers or colorful plants that preferably trail is what I'm looking for

 

[Sonny13]

Personally, I prefer the schefflera tree, because it gives you already lots of climbing vines like this (https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/project-royal-penthouse-suite-ranjo.183628/), but you need check for a tree and plant and use it as a center piece. Also the passion flower is great climbing vine with beautiful flowers, Bill from Chameleon Academy uses them a lot. Pothos is also good option and then try decorate the branches with bromeliad´s, they give you in color inside your enclosure, like this

 

[ItsMike64]

Personally, I prefer the schefflera tree, because it gives you already lots of climbing vines like this (https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/project-royal-penthouse-suite-ranjo.183628/), but you need check for a tree and plant and use it as a center piece. Also the passion flower is great climbing vine with beautiful flowers, Bill from Chameleon Academy uses them a lot. Pothos is also good option and then try decorate the branches with bromeliad´s, they give you in color inside your enclosure, like this

View attachment 320465

Thanks for the suggestions! I already have my centerpiece plant (which is a schefflera) and two pothos. I was just looking for some additional foliage to break up all the green

 

[MissSkittles]

I love nerve plants for subtle color accents…they come in white, pink and red. Hibiscus is great and comes in many colors and flower varieties. Wandering Jew is one of my staple plants and I love the color it gives. I would go by this list instead of FLChams. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/

 

[Sonny13]

Thanks for the suggestions! I already have my centerpiece plant (which is a schefflera) and two pothos. I was just looking for some additional foliage to break up all the green

Then bromeliads are a great option, you can bind them epiphyte with some moss to a branch.

 

[DonKeesh]

I can get maranta prayer plants, spider plants, and goldfish plants to flower indoors using a quad 6500k t5. Outdoors I recommend mandavilla, but I don't think the light would be strong enough indoors to get them to flower.

The key to getting plants to flower is high light.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

The key to getting plants to flower is high light.

+1. I use a couple of 70W Sansi grow lights (double-wide enclosure) and everything under them grows & flowers like crazy. For a 24 x 24 x 48, one of these is sufficient. They are BRIGHT.

I know there is the list of FL Chams safe plants, but going through it one by one looking for a trailing flowering plant is super tedious. I wish there were some pics and a little more of a description on that list - then it would be perfect! Anyway, flowers or colorful plants that preferably trail is what I'm looking for

Not the list I would use, but here are some that include pics.

Safe plant lists:
https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
https://caskabove.com/chameleon-safe-plants
https://www.madcham.de/en/pflanzen-fuers-terrarium/
Be sure to read all the text & notes.

Inchplants are great, fast-growing, and with decent light will flower (albeit tiny & delicate) to boot. They also have a range of color, depending on age (old growth darker, newer growth lighter.

I also use a climbing/trailing philodendron, golden pothos, and several dracaenas. All will flower when mature.

Another worth checking out IMO is Madagascar Jasmine if you can find them in your area.

Bromeliads are colorful, but only flower once and they're done.

Unfortunately, the tedium may not be over. As you're looking at plants, you also need to be aware of each plant's individual needs (water, light, soil, drainage, space, feeding, etc.) and use that information to plan out the enclosure. For example, you don't want to put a full-sun plant at the bottom or where it's shaded by other plants.

Color is great, and different shades & patterns of green can be colorful too.

 

[ItsMike64]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!! I ended up going to Home Depot yesterday and got two spiderwort, a polka dot plant, and an African violet! I absolutely want to get a wandering Jew and even the pretty looking Madagascar jasmine in the future but I’d have to order those and it’s horrendously cold where I am. I think I’m finally happy with the product here! And don’t worry, I have my UVB bulb it’s just out of frame at the top

 

[AmandaS]

I love the plants you got!
I agree, the nerve plant, spider plant, bromiliads, hibiscus, and wandering jew are lovely! But I much prefer the orchids!!!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!! I ended up going to Home Depot yesterday and got two spiderwort, a polka dot plant, and an African violet! I absolutely want to get a wandering Jew and even the pretty looking Madagascar jasmine in the future but I’d have to order those and it’s horrendously cold where I am. I think I’m finally happy with the product here! And don’t worry, I have my UVB bulb it’s just out of frame at the top

The spiderwort is an inchplant—just another name. It may do better in partial shade rather than up in the light's face.

IDK if the violet will get enough light down where it is, but time will tell. Same for the polka dot plant.

They're all great looking plants, but this is exactly why I was saying it's best to look up each plant's needs so you can place them accordingly and keep them healthy/good looking.

I can't see the pots, but all three also need good drainage.

See also: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/introducing-new-plants.181812/

 

[ItsMike64]

I love the plants you got!
I agree, the nerve plant, spider plant, bromiliads, hibiscus, and wandering jew are lovely! But I much prefer the orchids!!!

Thank you! Wandering Jew and hibiscus are my favorites, looking forward to adding them into my enclosure in the future!

The spiderwort is an inchplant—just another name. It may do better in partial shade rather than up in the light's face.

IDK if the violet will get enough light down where it is, but time will tell. Same for the polka dot plant.

They're all great looking plants, but this is exactly why I was saying it's best to look up each plant's needs so you can place them accordingly and keep them healthy/good looking.

I can't see the pots, but all three also need good drainage.

See also: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/introducing-new-plants.181812/

I thought spiderwort was an inchplant, but I just called it a spiderwort because that's also it's name haha!

All pots have adequate drainage - trust me after those gnats I ensured they did

Do you think I might have more success swapping the inch plant by the light and the violets?

 

[CrisBruns]

I added a cordyline to our panther's enclosure for a different color foliage. I think I got it at Lowe's awhile back. It is more upright and tall (at least the variety I got).

 

[Kaizen]

Hey everyone! I'm looking to add some (safe) and natural color to my enclosure - and what better of a way to do so than with flowers! Well...I guess that's pretty much the only natural safe way one could add color, but I digress. I'm looking for either suggestions or recommendations or both for flowering or colorful plants that I could put in my enclosure. I have my eye on a wandering jew which I am considering, but wanted to get your opinions/ideas first! I know there is the list of FL Chams safe plants, but going through it one by one looking for a trailing flowering plant is super tedious. I wish there were some pics and a little more of a description on that list - then it would be perfect! Anyway, flowers or colorful plants that preferably trail is what I'm looking for

What species of chameleon ?

 

[Kaizen]

It’s only really veiled chameleons that occasionally snack on their plants. So there is less to worry about with other species.

 

[ItsMike64]

It’s only really veiled chameleons that occasionally snack on their plants. So there is less to worry about with other species.

Female panther! I’m not that worried about her eating the plants, like you said it’s only really the veileds that do that

 

[ItsMike64]

I added a cordyline to our panther's enclosure for a different color foliage. I think I got it at Lowe's awhile back. It is more upright and tall (at least the variety I got).

Those are so pretty!! I’ll have to keep my eye out for one

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Do you think I might have more success swapping the inch plant by the light and the violets?

I think you'll have more success by learning about each of the plants and their specific needs, and rearranging as necessary. I've been through this movie before.

 

[ItsMike64]

Just wanted to bump with a quick question about any plants in general:

I have a hard time having a lot of plants towards the top of my enclosure because I think the bright light from my sansi grow light and the UVB fry them a little bit. Anyone have suggestions for some hardier plants that don’t mind this?

 

[DonKeesh]

Just wanted to bump with a quick question about any plants in general:

I have a hard time having a lot of plants towards the top of my enclosure because I think the bright light from my sansi grow light and the UVB fry them a little bit. Anyone have suggestions for some hardier plants that don’t mind this?

I have this issue with pothos... I try to put more space between the plants and top of cage/lights when possible. I usually put pots no closer than 15 inches from top and have the lights raised above cage about 4 in.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Different sources may use different terminology, e.g.
https://www.skh.com/thedirt/indoor-plant-light-guide/
https://www.houseplantsexpert.com/indoor-plants-lighting-guide.html
https://savvygardening.com/light-for-house-plants/
(Yes, it can drive one nutzo... ), but basically, plants that like a lot of light should do fine at/near the top, while plants that do well in shade or indirect light should be happy at/near the bottom.

Unless a plant is growing right up into the UVB, IDT it will have much effect. The intensity of a T5HO 5.0/6% UVB drops off quickly beyond 6" or so.

Source: https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/

Nutrients & water may also be factors. Plants higher up my dry out faster than those lower down, and nutrients may deplete more quickly under frequent aggressive misting cycles.

Any of the center piece plants should do well (Dracaenas as well).
In fact (without checking each one), it looks like most of the plants on https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Chameleon-Plants-061321.pdf
should do OK.

Lower down I have a snake plant in a shaded corner. Cham-safe ferns should do OK at the bottom as well. I have philodendron, pothos, & inchplant vines planted at the bottom but they grow throughout—the 'healthiest' portions of all 3 being where they get the most light.