Crotons and rubber plants help??

[kelly_girl199]

wondering how these two plants do with being wet all the time with mistings everyday. Rubber plants are safe of plant list on FL Chams and crotons here on Chameleon forums. I don't want shefflera, the leaves fall off too easily and didn't do well with the moisture. Also my bromeliads are not looking so hot. Normal or being overwatered? If there something besides pothos that does really well and be used for climbing ?

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Neither of those options are going to well constantly wet and are pretty high light plants. I suspect light (not enough) and too much water is your problem. I would discuss your set-up with @Venutus1 and see if there some tweaks you can make in your lighting and I would browse some gardening forums about growing house plants under artificial light. If you lighten your soil with aggregates, your plants will do better being wet. You can buy "wicking mix" off eBay or from some African Violet vendors. This is potting mix with the aggregates, designed to grow things under wetter than usual conditions.
If you increase your lighting and purchase a better draining mix, your options for suitable plants increase. As for which ones you can use, your options are limited in box stores, so if you don't want your typical ficus, pothos, or schefflera, you'll need to be in driving distance of a pretty decent tropical plant nursery or even better, be willing to mail order.

 

[kelly_girl199]

Neither of those options are going to well constantly wet and are pretty high light plants. I suspect light (not enough) and too much water is your problem. I would discuss your set-up with @Venutus1 and see if there some tweaks you can make in your lighting and I would browse some gardening forums about growing house plants under artificial light. If you lighten your soil with aggregates, your plants will do better being wet. You can buy "wicking mix" off eBay or from some African Violet vendors. This is potting mix with the aggregates, designed to grow things under wetter than usual conditions.
If you increase your lighting and purchase a better draining mix, your options for suitable plants increase. As for which ones you can use, your options are limited in box stores, so if you don't want your typical ficus, pothos, or schefflera, you'll need to be in driving distance of a pretty decent tropical plant nursery or even better, be willing to mail order.

It's not the lights. I have a quad from light your reptiles and it's has a grow bulb in it. Pothos have taken off in growth.

 

[kelly_girl199]

Neither of those options are going to well constantly wet and are pretty high light plants. I suspect light (not enough) and too much water is your problem. I would discuss your set-up with @Venutus1 and see if there some tweaks you can make in your lighting and I would browse some gardening forums about growing house plants under artificial light. If you lighten your soil with aggregates, your plants will do better being wet. You can buy "wicking mix" off eBay or from some African Violet vendors. This is potting mix with the aggregates, designed to grow things under wetter than usual conditions.
If you increase your lighting and purchase a better draining mix, your options for suitable plants increase. As for which ones you can use, your options are limited in box stores, so if you don't want your typical ficus, pothos, or schefflera, you'll need to be in driving distance of a pretty decent tropical plant nursery or even better, be willing to mail order.

What types do you have that have done really well?

 

[Extensionofgreen]

If you are looking for plants that have function, as in sturdy branches for climbing, I like ficus benjamina and Ficus 'alii'. If you mean just general foliage for cover and to add some visual interest, it's hard to beat the many types of dracaena that resemble bromeliads in shape. I am a little bit more experienced than 9 out of 10 people on here, because I have been growing many types of plants for several years. That means the things I enjoy and grow aren't always the way to go for people that don't have intuitive plant growing experience. The suggestions I gave you are easy to care for and will tolerate moisture and medium-high artificial lighting. Don't allow water to sit in the "cups" of the dracaena, to avoid rot. There are lots of colors, from neon yellow/green to yellow, white, and green stripes. They are easy to find at Lowes or Home Depot.

 

[kelly_girl199]

If you are looking for plants that have function, as in sturdy branches for climbing, I like ficus benjamina and Ficus 'alii'. If you mean just general foliage for cover and to add some visual interest, it's hard to beat the many types of dracaena that resemble bromeliads in shape. I am a little bit more experienced than 9 out of 10 people on here, because I have been growing many types of plants for several years. That means the things I enjoy and grow aren't always the way to go for people that don't have intuitive plant growing experience. The suggestions I gave you are easy to care for and will tolerate moisture and medium-high artificial lighting. Don't allow water to sit in the "cups" of the dracaena, to avoid rot. There are lots of colors, from neon yellow/green to yellow, white, and green stripes. They are easy to find at Lowes or Home Depot.

I ziptie my plants to dragon ledges. So I need something without cups.

 

[kelly_girl199]

and i will buy some of that soil you suggested.

 

[kelly_girl199]

how are elephant ears?

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Elephant ears have exceptionally high quantities oxalates and would not be good for a chameleon that would be ill advised for chameleons that munch plants. They also get LARGE, the foliage tears easily, and the foliage isn't very sturdy for climbing. They are not impossible, but a poor fit for a chameleon cage.
Try peace lilies, they are readily available and can handle the moisture and lighting and there cultivars in many sizes available in box stores. These also don't offer much in the way of climbing surface, though.