Best single plant for an enclosure

[dlaunde]

Stopping by a greenhouse on the way home today and was wondering what the best single plant would be for an 18x24x36 enclosure? I will be decorating the enclosure with fake vines, leaves, and sandblasted branches, but I want the plant (which will be planted in a bio-active soil setup) to be tall enough and robust enough for climbing on. I was thinking minimum of 24" though 36" would be best so I can trim it to fit.

I know of the safe plants list but figured I'd cut right to the exact question. Thanks!

 

[Jackkitch]

I’ve found the large tall Pothos plants wrapped around a pole work really well as they give some good cover and if you get the large ones they’re tall enough to reach the top end of the enclosure which gives a lot of space to climb on it

 

[nightanole]

dracaena are pretty indistrucable for a "woody" plant. I would say the Schefflera is the perfect chameleon plant, but they require greener thumbs than what i have.

 

[SourGrape4u]

Schefflera limbs are to weak i had to remove mine from my male panthers cage, they would brake if he tried to climb them.

 

[MissSkittles]

If you have a strong plant light, hibiscus is very nice.

 

[Gingero]

My chams really enjoy their Hawaiian Ti plants that have a lot of height and coverage.

Just curious, why are you not wanting to use live plants for the whole enclosure?

 

[dlaunde]

I forgot to say, this is for a veiled chameleon (since the issue of sturdiness of limbs was brought up)

 

[nightanole]

Schefflera limbs are to weak i had to remove mine from my male panthers cage, they would brake if he tried to climb them.

You havent seen some of jannb's. They are huuuuuuge.

 

[dlaunde]

So...I found a really nice Umbrella Plant (nice light colors, already filled out and can tailor to fit as needed) but the lady at the greenhouse brought up a good point I forgot (apparently she has a friend who is big into raising reptiles): buying from a greenhouse that has plants shipped in, they are already "full" of fertilizers and whatever else is sprayed on them.

I know chameleons don't normally chew on leaves, but this would mean I either need to flush the plant out (a few weeks of growing in my own soil with plenty of watering) or am I just better off buying online from a trusted source?

 

[Jackkitch]

So...I found a really nice Umbrella Plant (nice light colors, already filled out and can tailor to fit as needed) but the lady at the greenhouse brought up a good point I forgot (apparently she has a friend who is big into raising reptiles): buying from a greenhouse that has plants shipped in, they are already "full" of fertilizers and whatever else is sprayed on them.

I know chameleons don't normally chew on leaves, but this would mean I either need to flush the plant out (a few weeks of growing in my own soil with plenty of watering) or am I just better off buying online from a trusted source?

So...I found a really nice Umbrella Plant (nice light colors, already filled out and can tailor to fit as needed) but the lady at the greenhouse brought up a good point I forgot (apparently she has a friend who is big into raising reptiles): buying from a greenhouse that has plants shipped in, they are already "full" of fertilizers and whatever else is sprayed on them.

I know chameleons don't normally chew on leaves, but this would mean I either need to flush the plant out (a few weeks of growing in my own soil with plenty of watering) or am I just better off buying online from a trusted source?

Buying from a greenhouse is fine but you will need to thouroughly clean the leaves and every part of the plant and also repot the plant with new soi

 

[Jackkitch]

Buying from a greenhouse is fine but you will need to thouroughly clean the leaves and every part of the plant and also repot the plant with new soil

 

[dlaunde]

Buying from a greenhouse is fine but you will need to thouroughly clean the leaves and every part of the plant and also repot the plant with new soil

I had planned on taking it completely out of the pot it comes in, cleaning all of the leaves and roots thoroughly, and replanting in my own soil mixture (made up per the DIY soil blog). The lady, however, made it sound like I needed to allow it to grow in the new soil and be watered for a few weeks until it was "safe" for the chameleon due to not knowing what has been sprayed on it, etc.

 

[Jackkitch]

I had planned on taking it completely out of the pot it comes in, cleaning all of the leaves and roots thoroughly, and replanting in my own soil mixture (made up per the DIY soil blog). The lady, however, made it sound like I needed to allow it to grow in the new soil and be watered for a few weeks until it was "safe" for the chameleon due to not knowing what has been sprayed on it, etc.

I have never waited and my plants have been fine so I don’t see why you would have to wait

 

[dlaunde]

I have never waited and my plants have been fine so I don’t see why you would have to wait

I think the worry is/was what if my chameleon ate one of the leaves and it still had a chemical (fertilizer, insecticide, etc) still present in it?

 

[Ramrod]

So...I found a really nice Umbrella Plant (nice light colors, already filled out and can tailor to fit as needed) but the lady at the greenhouse brought up a good point I forgot (apparently she has a friend who is big into raising reptiles): buying from a greenhouse that has plants shipped in, they are already "full" of fertilizers and whatever else is sprayed on them.

I know chameleons don't normally chew on leaves, but this would mean I either need to flush the plant out (a few weeks of growing in my own soil with plenty of watering) or am I just better off buying online from a trusted source?

Vields most definitely chew on plants?

 

[Jackkitch]

I think the worry is/was what if my chameleon ate one of the leaves and it still had a chemical (fertilizer, insecticide, etc) still present in it?

Im not really sure if they could be affected by eating the plants, I personally think it would be fine but if you want to be on the safe side either buy from somewhere that don’t use fertilisers or wait a few weeks for the fertilisers to come out of the plant like the person at the greenhouse suggested

 

[dlaunde]

Vields most definitely chew on plants?

I'll be receiving a small juvenile/baby veiled. Would it be safe to still use a plant from a greenhouse without giving it a few weeks to "remove" anything sprayed or absorbed by the plant?

Or should I buy online from a trusted vendor?

 

[dlaunde]

Im not really sure if they could be affected by eating the plants, I personally think it would be fine but if you want to be on the safe side either buy from somewhere that don’t use fertilisers or wait a few weeks for the fertilisers to come out of the plant like the person at the greenhouse suggested

Are there recommended places to purchase online? Josh's Frogs has some plants I like. Not sure what other sites people use?

 

[Jackkitch]

Are there recommended places to purchase online? Josh's Frogs has some plants I like. Not sure what other sites people use?

im axtually from the UK so I don’t think it would be much help recommending any places to you but I have heard very good things about Josh’s Frogs

 

[RPCV]

Just one? Pothos. Simple, safe, hard to kill and branches grow as vines that can be draped throughout the enclosure and will support a veiled. My original pothos from more than 10 years ago has been divided and is now about 15 plants.