Part III Plants

Here are some hints about which plants I have actually in my terrarium.

Almost evident for a rainforest terrarium I have implemented a bigger philodendron (bought as an ample with long hanging over sprouts).

Basic Planting

The long sprouts can be wound around the big basic bamboo stick crossing.
At the upper bay I planted a nesting fern.

Anthurium / Flamingo Flower

My daughter asked me to use many colored plants. At earlier times, we were very excited about bromelia plants, which have all kinds of beautiful colors and awesome blossoms. Also they seem to serve well for the original tropical flora, and the animals often use them as drinking water sources.

Chamaedorea

The downside of bromelia (especially the very small ones) is, they tend to fade quite quickly and after flowering, the florescences dry out and become uhmm just ugly. The lower leaves still stay green though, and still serve as a water crypt.

OK, I don't want to replace the bromelia plants all the time, to have colored flora in my terrarium.

Tricolor Rhoeo

So, to have colored spots I chose Anthurium  plants, aka Flamingo Flowers. They don't occur in Madagascar orginally (origin is south america & carribean), but the climate conditions fit well for the habitat, and the geckos love the smooth surface of the leaves.
I'm currently a bit unsure about toxicty of these plants, but all I've seen listed  to be exposed pets were cats and dogs, and I've seen no mentioning of being problematic in terrarium envrionments and with any kind of reptiles (I'll try to get more solid information about the harmlessness of Anthurium plants for reptiles!).


Another plant I have chosen is the Chamaedorea (aka parlour palm). This plant is also originated in south america, and fits the climate conditions well.

Another plant I have placed into the foreground is a Tricolor Rhoeo (I guess).

All in all I think it's pretty much colored flora now, and all is appropriate for the habitat and selected for a long term lifespan and growing in the terrarium.