Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - October 08, 2014
From: Nederland, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Lists, Shade Tolerant, Ferns, Herbs/Forbs, Wildflowers
Title: Native Texas Plants for a Terrarium
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
I have a 55-gallon aquarium that I would like to make into a terrarium. Are there any Texas native plants that would do well in the limited artificial light of the tank? The plants should be of varying heights no greater than about 18 inches.ANSWER:
What a great idea to make your aquarium into a terrarium. There are several low-growing native Texas plants that like moist, shady conditions that should be great terrarium plants.
To find them take a look at the Native Plant Database on the www.wildflower.org website. Select Texas, fern (then herb), perennial, shade, moist & wet, 0-1 feet to select the appropriate search criteria. Some of these plants may need some small trials to see how they react to growing in a terrarium setting.
First, some ferns from this search…
Adiantum capillus-veneris (Southern maidenhair fern)
Argyrochosma dealbata (false cloak fern)
Asplenium trichomanes (maidenhair spleenwort)
Marsilea macropoda (bigfoot water clover)
And some herbaceous plants…
Calyptocarpus vialis (straggler daisy)
Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw)
Hydrocotyle umbellata (manyflower marshpennywort)
Mitchella repens (partridgeberry)
Viola missouriensis (Missouri violet)
From the Image Gallery
More Ferns Questions
Plant that can move from outside to inside for Denton, TX
December 14, 2008 - I am looking for a plant that is either native to Texas or is well acclimated to the Denton TX area that can move from a covered outside area to an adjacent indoor area behind large glass walls, to a ...
view the full question and answer
Propagation of ferns
June 05, 2005 - I have several varieties of well-established ferns and would like to know how I might propagate these ferns. I have tried just snipping one stem to root it but I was unsuccessful.
view the full question and answer
Ground cover to control hillside erosion in Illinois
May 04, 2014 - I have seen some other questions regarding native plants for erosion control, but I am looking specifically for plants that will do well on a hill in partial to full shade. I am told the soil in our a...
view the full question and answer
Winter hardy fern for northeast Texas
May 20, 2009 - I am looking for a winter hardy fern to grown around my deck. The area would get some morning sun but afternoon shade. What do you suggest?
view the full question and answer
Deer resistant plants for area under grand fir (Abies grandis) in Idaho
July 08, 2010 - What can I plant on a slope under Grand Fir trees in North Idaho, zone 4 - anything deer resistant?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |