Live Plants in UK

goldk28611

goldk28611

New Member
For those members that are in the UK...

I am looking at getting some more live plants for my new tank but can't seem to find any that are on the list on this forum other than the Schefflera (umbrella) from my local garden centre.
IIRC someone on here got some plants from Homebase??

Anyone from the UK that has live plants please can you advise what exact ones you got and where from? (dont want to make the mistake of getting a toxic plant) as the workers of H/B are (how to say this nicley) lacking in common sence... for example - I handed over my list and the guy takes it, come back 2 mins later and says "aaahhh its called Schefflera arboricola..." so i asked if they had one then... then he goes back and asks again ... what the hell did he ask first time?!?! just how to say the word!!! i left straight after in frustration...

Thanks in advance.
 
hey there,
im from the UK also, i had to take a few trips to some decent garden centres to find myself a nice ficus and hibiscus. about 5 to be exact :p

i too tried homebase and the staff werent too much help.
i would say try a few other places, keep looking but dont give up!

hope that helps
 
Don't suppose that the Garden Centres that you went to were big chains?? or was it just a local store? can you remember the GC's names? do they deliver?


I found a plant too that looks really good - can't find too mcuh on the net about it in terms or toxity...

can anyone shed any light on the below:

Pachira (think this is a money tree - if so wiki says that its leaves are ok to eat - is that the same for Chams? as IIRC Money plant is to be avoided)
Schefflera amata
 
I got a Hibiscus in a local garden centre last summer. Try B&Q - they sell Ficus (Weeping Fig), Umbrella plants and Pothos (Devil's Ivy) in a few sizes. They've usually got some in and the umbrella plants last for ages - I haven't lost one yet! I've given up on Ficus for a while - they decided to drop all their leaves!
 
Yeah, big chains like that know very little about the plants and stuff they sell! Your best bet is to go to a garden centre and take a good list with you! They'll have most things there and you'll be able to pick want you want. As people have said, the best to go for are:
Schefflera
Ficus
Pothos (never had much success with it personally)
Hibiscus (not the blue ones apparently...)
Camellia (and variety)
Grape vine (vitis vinifera or any other vitis ... but none that aren't vitis something)

Camellia has been a recent find of mine and is a very good plant to use. Grows well indoors and out and is evergreen! :D The grape vine is good for a yemen as it can eat everything on it but it will lose its leaves over the winter!
 
Yeah, it's ok if you know what you're looking for though! I'm going to get a Camellia for Lily when I find one! I was given a list of safe plants along with all the info and caresheets pack when I got Lily.
 
anybody use twisted hazel

seen it in garden centre last weekend and it looked really well plus seemed like a really good climbing frame for chams
 
Thanks for the suggestions - now have a list from google maps of all my local garden centres :D

Are all Schefflera's and Ficus' OK? or are there certain ones to avoid?

camellia's sound good - are they strong enough for Chams to climb on?

Where in the UK did you get one?
 
Schefflera Arboricolor is good the other one that is bad for chams is called Schefflera Actinophylla. It has slightly different shaped leaves. Don't know about the Ficus - although the sap can cause skin irritation. I only used to get them from B&Q cos I knew they were ok for Lily. I currently use Schefflera because I haven't managed to track down a Camellia yet. When I do Lily will be having one!
 
We were always told that any plant who's fruit is edible is safe to use, but not sure how true that is! I have also found th estaff at places like Homebase to be complete numptys ("it says foliage, don't know what it is"), so apart from the Ficus and Dracaena which are easy enough to identify, all the other plants I use were from a garden centre (country gardens). the staff were great and took me to the plants i needed.
 
just sent over 20 emails to different garden centres in hampshire only a few have replied so far but was advised that Camellia's are available in different sizes from the below centre:

Glenvale Nurseries
Hungerford Lane,
Southend Bradfield,
Berkshire,
RG7 6JH
Tel: 0118 9744006
Mobile: 07766 903685
Email: [email protected]
www.glenvalenurseries.co.uk

What plants did you get from Country gardens?

thanks again for the added info, feel free to add more.
 
I bought two ficus' from Country gardens. Were nice size ones too. Plus a bushy gardenia. I think general palnts like the ficus can be found at Homebase etc, but the staff aren't knowledgeable. At least at the garden centre, they confirmed things and guaranteed the plant was the right one. Now the summer plants are coming in, i plan to get a nice hibiscus for him, and maybe a nice passionflower. the garden centre can also advise on if the plant has had fertiliser used on it etc. If jasmin is also suitable, i may get one of those too. I want some flowery colour in his cage!
 
Picked up a 4 Foot Ficus benjamina and 3 Foot Umbrella from Nottcutts in Bagshot in Surrey Yesterday if thats anyhelp
 
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