Redwood

[Joopes]

So I want an enclosure that has small plants that look like redwoods in it, however, redwood is a softwood so it is not usable, and bonsai is expensive as heck. Does anybody know of any small plants that look similar to redwood trees, but that will not get any taller than a few inches?


Thanks!

 

[Smotzer]

Your best bet is a fake plant.

First off, I was a bonsai apprentice, and this will never work in an invertebrate enclosure and with anything even remotely temperate, due to what real bonsai are grown in, and how they are developed. Completely forget that idea, it would die and be wasted.

second off no tree will ever be a few inches, and no other vascular plant naturally for that matter. Let alone look like a tree.

plants often have widely different requirements than invertebrate life, like pest treatment and fertilizers, and moisture requirements.

The only thing I can think about would be possibly some bryophytes (mosses) that get a few inches tall maybe like Pluerocarpous mosses like Ptilium crista-castrensis and then a different family spp Pogonatum dentatum remind me of little trees. But I don’t think these may be readily available ive only collected them in NE . And have never attempted to grow any indoors.

truly your best bet is to use fake plants, as you did not mention anything you wanted to use/have with them specifically

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

I agree with @Smotzer, and I am also in NC (based on your profile info). There is a species of clubmoss that I have encountered near Rocky Mount that looks extremely similar to a Norfolk Island pine in my opinion; it is Dendrolycopodium obscurum. This would probably be the best option to replicate a miniature gymnosperm, however, I have no idea how it fares in terrariums. It might be worth researching because it is a really interesting looking little plant.

 

[Smotzer]

There is a species of clubmoss that I have encountered near Rocky Mount that looks extremely similar to a Norfolk Island pine in my opinion; it is Dendrolycopodium obscurum.

That’s a good suggestion and an awesome species ! And that has a very wide range as well, I have definitely seen these before

Norfolk Island pine

I long to see a A. heterophylla in its natural habitat...... bucket list. In general maybe all of that genus

 

[Matts inverts]

What animal is this for. Or just a terrarium

 

[schmiggle]

I long to see a A. heterophylla in its natural habitat...... bucket list. In general maybe all of that genus

I saw Araucaria araucania in situ in Chile, and I can confirm--they're absolutely stunning!


Returning to the topic at hand, I agree on Dendrolycoperdon being a good choice. You might also try Lycopodium, which will spread quickly if established through underground stems (pseudorhizomes? Don't remember the terminology). I've tended to find them in drier conditions under dappled light; if you try to grow them like a pothos or a zz plant, I imagine they'll die.

 

[Smotzer]

@schmiggle very jealous, Ive seen a decent small one A. araucana before, but thhothing like those giant monkey puzzles!!!

And I agree Lycopodium is a option....thats actually what I new the rare club moss by.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

I've grown Huperzia lucidula (close relative of the other clubmosses mentioned) in a frog vivarium in the past. It grew successfully for a few months but eventually died, probably because of insufficient light or because I let the substrate get too dry- apparently, from what I've read on the topic, clubmosses actually do best under propagation when grown with as much light as possible and are extremely sensitive to dessication and will be killed by even very brief soil drying.