Creeping Plants for Paludarium

[Guns286]

Hi. I'm almost ready to start buying the stuff to make my Paludarium. I have some ideas about terrestrial, submerged and underwater plants, but I wanted some suggestions for a terrestrial "creeping" plant. I am making a DIY styrofoam waterfall and wanted to plant a creeping plant on the sides of it. I would attach it to the sides of the waterfall and let it creep and spread up the sides. Any ideas? It would need to be able to thrive in a humid environment. Thanks.

[duff]

Hi Guns, What size do you plan on the tank being? That might help narrow down your selection.

Here are a few suggestions that you may want to look into:

Ficus pumila var. quercifolia - Oak Leaf Creeping Fig
Ficus pumila var. minima
Rhaphidophora pachyphylla
Hoya carnosa
Ficus sp. 'Lance Leaf'
Pilea glauca

[CannaBrain]

could also consider helxine, or mosses. mosses too close to the waterflow sometimes start to collect muck and mulm but if your water's pretty clean you can sometimes get some nice mossy creep. maybe wire vine or somethin like that depending on how wet/dry the area is that you plan on planting, as that one needs some amount of dryness between watering..

[ducky14523]

i'm using babies tears(not the aquatic) and it is starting to creep up burlap sacking.

[CannaBrain]

Originally Posted by ducky14523

i'm using babies tears(not the aquatic) and it is starting to creep up burlap sacking.

He's referring to helxine, which is this guy comin out of my old filter. Common name of baby tears


Here's the aquatic hemianthus, grown emersed (also called baby tears). Definitely a lot more of a challenge than the helxine.

[duff]

Wow, that's one happy plant! Looks like an over-grown chia pet The close up shot is beautiful!

[CannaBrain]

Originally Posted by duff

Wow, that's one happy plant! Looks like an over-grown chia pet The close up shot is beautiful!

Haha, yes I agree. I always thought it looked like some 80's coif unfurling. Thank you! I think the string algae in the bg takes from the hemianthus flower.

[Guns286]

Thanks for the advice guys. @Duff: My tank is a 72g bow-front. 4' wide and a little over 2' high. I'm going to put about 10" of water in. I plan on putting the waterfall on one end and building an island around a nice driftwood stump on the other end. I'll leave the middle open. I think having some creeping plants climbing up the waterfall will look nice.

[duff]

Oooh - Very nice size! I'm Jealous. I would so love a larger tank.

various types of Moss would look great next to the water fall then a smaller type vine close to that to blend in a bit to the surroundings.

Looking forward to seeing updates!

[Guns286]

Originally Posted by duff

Hi Guns, What size do you plan on the tank being? That might help narrow down your selection.

Here are a few suggestions that you may want to look into:

Ficus pumila var. quercifolia - Oak Leaf Creeping Fig
Ficus pumila var. minima
Rhaphidophora pachyphylla
Hoya carnosa
Ficus sp. 'Lance Leaf'
Pilea glauca

Duff, I took a look at these plants you recommended and I really like the Rhaphidophora pachyphylla. Since I'm new to the Paludarium world, I was wondering if you knew what the optimal growing environment is for this plant? Its going to be a little humid in the tank and warm too. Would I just plant it in normal potting soil, next to the structure I want it to creep on?
Also, your suggestion about adding moss sounds good. What terrestrial moss would you recommend?

Thanks,
Bill

[mellowvision]

Don't overlook HC and riccardia, both do a lot of nice spreading, especially along the waterline.

[duff]

Totally agree with Mellowvision on the HC and Ricca. I bet you could line the edges of the waterfall with eccoweb or fern panel and get some good growth using either one.

On the Rhaphidophora pachyphylla, I've not grown it myself but have been looking at it for some time now. Appears that it would be happy with the humidity and some soil. My old neighbor back in Florida has some growing outside on his back deck in a pot with orchid mix soil growing up a corn plant of all things. He has it in bright dappled shade on the north side of his house that gets a couple of hours of dappled sun each day. Because it is outside he says it does die back some what in the winter if the temps get too low but bounces back. I am not sure if this is common but he's the only person I know personally that has gown it. I'd love to get a picture but he's in his late 70's and does not use the internet and It's been about a year since I've been able to make my way back to Florida to visit him. From what I have read, it seems most people that have it keep it towards the bottom of their set ups in the soil and as you mentioned, creeps it's way up.

[mellowvision]

just an example of how much riccardia loves to travel. I have 2 slightly different ones growing in this tank, both are doing quite well. One I got grown flat, outdoors, in humid conditions (shown) and one was an aquatic variety that is a bit darker and slower growing. I started this by pinning 3 or 4 quarter size clumps on the cork wall.