Plants that ACTUALLY GROW without problems

DABRUTE

DABRUTE

New Member
I notice service safe plants/tree have a issues growing without a grow light...so what plants/tree grow and actually look good in the cage?
 
Aside from mushrooms, I don't know of any plants that do not need at least some sunlight. Ficus, Schefflera, and Pothos plants seem to be the top favourites for chameleon owners.
 
I use cane plants that grow quite well just with the basking bulb and UVB. They are hardy and make it easy to wrap benda-vines around their trunk for cham highways through the cage. I pick mine up at Lowe's or Home Depot and they sometimes have a pothos planted in the bottom of the pot as a bonus.
 
I have scheffleras in all three of my cages. My big cage has a 6500k plant light but the other two cages have nothing but a UVB and basking lights but they are growing like weeds and I have to keep trimming them back lol. I've also had really good luck with pothos with just a UVB and basking light. Just make sure the plants are slightly elevated off the floor and not in any type of tray that retains water. The constant mistings can drown a lot of plants if the water can't drain out... Don't ask how many orchids we've drowned before we learned that lesson:eek:
 
I've had excellent luck with pothos and to a lesser extent schleffera (umbrella plants) and a dracaena.

The pothos has put up with all my abuse and continues to explode. Let me detail how badly I have abused this plant...

I didn't repot it from the store, just changed out the dirt, it's in the darkest corner of the cage, it was being drowned by the dripper but now I forget to water it... And the darn thing has grown over two feet in height in 3 months. I actually will have to trim it soon.

My cham loves to cuddle up under the huge leaves to sleep. My other plants are doing okay, but the pothos is really thriving.
 
Pothos does the best for me. It grows like crazy with no grow lights. I use that and branches from outside now, my ficus and umbrella plants never did well.
 
I have a nice 4' tall umbrella plant in mine. It is a great plant and you can wrap your fake vines around it and everything. It is a very sturdy plant.
 
I feel compelled to ask - why only plants that do well without added lights? Adding even a small bright CFL bulb of the right colour (towards 6500k which is slightly blue) on for a few hours each day to benefit plants wont harm the chameleon at all and isn't much impact on your electric bill either.

My pothos do fine without added grow lights, though those that get it certainly appreciate added light. But the ficus does much better with the added light.
 
sandrachameleon said:
I feel compelled to ask - why only plants that do well without added lights? Adding even a small bright CFL bulb of the right colour (towards 6500k which is slightly blue) on for a few hours each day to benefit plants wont harm the chameleon at all and isn't much impact on your electric bill either.

My pothos do fine without added grow lights, though those that get it certainly appreciate added light. But the ficus does much better with the added light.
Click to expand...

Exactly!


I have used the full spectrum incandescent light bulbs for basking lamps. They aren't super effective but were enough to keep a Scheflera alive.

There tons of great low heat, low energy, low cost grow light options.

That said pothos does great with chameleon minimum light requirements as everyone else already said...
 
Just a thought...
If you can take you enclosure outside for a couple of hours each day, that will benefit your chameleon and plants. Also if you take the plants out for a solid day in the sun it will benefit too. Walmart has small grow light there that somewhat works. Just a thought! :)
 
absolutbill said:
I use cane plants that grow quite well just with the basking bulb and UVB. They are hardy and make it easy to wrap benda-vines around their trunk for cham highways through the cage. I pick mine up at Lowe's or Home Depot and they sometimes have a pothos planted in the bottom of the pot as a bonus.
Click to expand...

Michelle,,, what is a cane plant, is it like the corn plant that has a big thick trunk? Thanks, lisa
 
Why are so many people on here not using a plant light? Just getting a dual bulb T5-HO hood and having 1 UVB light and 1 6.5K light will solve your like plant issues.

Plants want light and providing them good light is an easy thing to do. They will thrive with a nice 6.5k light shining down on them.
 
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