Thought I would share two of my terrariums. I tend to like all things tropical... the ferns, orchids, etc... that all like extra humidity. So, I did these in order to display some of my favorite plants to their full potential.
This first one is the Heart Fern, Hemionitis Arifolia...
from outside...
And looking inside...
This second one is a Jewel Orchid, Ludisia discolor.
From outside...
And again, looking in...
Karen
Those look lovely...all should do very well.
Don't ya just love the foliage of that Jewel Orchid??
Way to go!
MsC
The heart fern is adorable!
Thanks Keyring... this is one of them that, when very happy, will put up fertile fronds. So, keep your fingers crossed that she is really happy there, and I can send you some spores!
Yes MsC, I do love the foliage on this jewel orchid... it is my favorite. The veins almost glow! I really want one of the Macodes orchids too... there veins remind me of lightening!
Karen
They are turned out really pretty. I just love the heart fern too.
Thanks for sharing.
Patti
~~~Hiya Patti~~~
Yes, those jewel orchids are very pretty... I have to put them on my replacement list...oh & if your fern does decided to make a few babies...put me down for one.. I'm sure I can find something to trade you for it... our local garden stores leave a lil to be desired as far as selection goes...
Will do MsC! Heart ferns are difficult to find in nurseries, though many online places I frequent have them. I love them and have kept them for years, and I have lost a many too! They DO NOT fancy being allowed to dry out AT ALL, and they are not forgiving about it either! LOL!
okay, fingers crossed!!! I'll have to brush up my spore skills too! I was just thinking today that the ping container (which is like an open-top terrarium - I'm still on topic) might be a good place for fern spores, as there will be water exchange to promote fertilization.....
Pardon my dumb question...
What is that???
They DO NOT fancy being allowed to dry out AT ALL, and they are not forgiving about it either! LOL!
I was wondering the same thing VA_ Wild_Rose. LOL
Patti
Those are the leaves of a butterwort - pinguicula. Carnivorous plant that mostly feasts on fungus gnats around here. Mine is a noid Mexican type (not a temperate one). It's planted in a mix that is about half AV soil and half coarse sand, and I drown it in water every 1-2 weeks.
*grin*
You aren't serious??!!!
It's pink??? It LIKES WATER????
~~~thump~~~~
MsC falling over out of chair....
OH MY........
Hope I'm not too late!
*helping MsC up*
You okay?! I think you fainted!
VERY pretty, Keyring ; D
LOL MsC ... They prefer to go a little dry between waterings - many grow on steep slopes in the wild. This one blushes pink if given enough light.
This message was edited Jul 5, 2007 11:39 AM
It really is pretty and very, very cool! I was thinkin' it was some type of fungi (like in the mushroom family).
Eats fungus gnats, huh? Hmmmmm.... (maybe I should get about 10 of them...)
Nice Karen! I love jewel orchids!!!
Key, you know I love that pink ping!!
Key always have the coolest plants.
Amen... and always has the rest of us adding to our wish- and want-lists! LOL!!!
Ooooh ... Yes, that "Ping" thing is so very lovely!
Va_Wild_Rose .... Love both of the Terrariums you've planted up! Is that Heart Fern an easy one to grow? I've had a Jewel Orchid for a couple of years and all of a sudden this year it isn't real happy!
Are your plants in straight Spag, or is there soil in the bottom of those jars?
goes to show you never know what you"ll get in trade. Years ago, I made an orchid buddy take a box of gesneriads - in return, he sent me carnivorous plants. I killed all but two nepenthes and this ping - I *love* the ping.
Learning something new again...just getting the humidity loving plants mostly enclosed is enough for some? No need for tops? Interesting!!
I really like the look of the large brandy snifter type glass containers and the plants in these are beauties! I have a couple smaller snifters but saw some big ones a Wal Mart, hmmm, time to add to my list for when I go to the city.
Keyring the beautiful pink Carnivorous plant...butterwort - pinguicula is one I'm going to go searching for! Is it growing in the AV soil/ sand mix in an open terrarium ??
~Brenda
I grow a lot of things without tops during the warmer months, but often have to slap lids on them in the winter - sooooo dry here.
The ping is in an open top cube. If you do get one, make sure it's a Mexican type (or "tropical" one) - if you can provide a cool (but not freezing) winter, then a temperate type would be fine as well. The mexican ones mostly grow on slopes, cliffs and even as epiphytes. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Denis_Barthel/Spielwiese
Lin... the heart fern isn't that difficult, but as stated above, from last night, it is VERY UNFORGIVING when it comes to drying out. I've had numerous ferns, and usually, if they dry out, they will wilt, and maybe even drop their leaves... but if you catch them within a reasonable time, and give them a good soaking, they will bounce back. NOT this one! If she dries out, she's done... she won't give back!
No, they are not in LFS alone. I make a "bowl" out of the LFS, then fill it with a very light, fluffy mix... my current choice is one part perlite, one part vermiculite, and one part peat. Then I put more LFS up around the plant, basically encasing the root ball.
I don't usually cover these terrariums, but I too, live in an apt, so I may have to during the dry heat of winter. I put nearly everything I keep inside over pebble trays during the winter, and usually group them tightly for the humidity.
Karen
Well since we heat with wood during the winter my atmosphere would be dry enough that I would add a lid in winter too I guess. My violets and streps did good this past winter all grouped together but I may add pebble trays this winter, we'll see.
I love the reasoning behind the name of the "Ping".........."The generic name Pinguicula is derived from the latin pinguis (meaning "fat") due to the buttery texture of the surface of the carnivorous leaves." LOL
I found one seller of the Mexican Butterworts here on Dave's Garden. Cascade Carnivorous I think it was. It had a nice variety and some pretty ones. There are a couple on eBay too but they don't look nearly as pretty as this one of yours Keyring. Time to go shopping....
~Brenda
I am wondering if I planted one of those ferns in an enclosed terrarium if that would be enough moisture for it to survive? A couple of my terrariums with lids stay pretty moist with me not having to water much at all. The humidity stays pretty high in some of them.
Thanks for the info regarding the LFS ... since I couldn't see any soil I thought maybe you had them growing in the straight Spag! I have one of mine like that with the spag as a pocket for the soil and then on top ...
I would love to have one of those beautiful "Ping" plants too but since they are carnivorous I was wondering how one would go about "feeding" it! LOL. I've never had a carnivorous plant before. What if you have no fungus gnats for it to eat? I had those gnats last winter but all of a sudden they disappeared! And, I don't want them back unless I can find one of those plants to take care of them! :)
Wouldn't it be great if they ate mosquitoes?? I'd love that this time of year! :)) They could also eat the bees that get into the house and bounce around in my windows...
They go dormant in the winter time so evidently wouldn't need food then. Hopefully they will attract enough flies or other such insects to keep going through the summer months??? Maybe they just need one every week or two! :)
~Brenda
Oh, now if they would eat mosquitoes I would grow an entire nursery of them! We have those durn Skeeters down here too! Some times are worse than others ..... like Now! We've been having a lot of rain the past few days so there's standing water around which is just prime breeding ground for Skeeters!
I just found this thread.................am in love with the Jewel Orchid..............where in the world do you even find plants like this, Karen?
Gail... (LOL!) You won't like my answer (blushing...)
eBay... (blushing again, and looking at my feet...)
Karen
Until I get rid of a -2 for being an idiot several years ago, I guess I will have to keep drooling (LOL)..............don't think I have good credit on ebay.........the understatement of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I still think you could start a new account there. Lots of people have multiple eBay accounts.
Oh by the way, Karen...I love the heart fern. Did you get it on eBay?
The heart fern I got from Jodie at Secret Garden Rare Plants... http://www.secretgardenrareplants.com/
but he has an eBay store under cowboyflowerman...
http://stores.ebay.com/SECRET-GARDEN-RARE-PLANTS
I buy all my ferns from him. The plants are always huge and healthy.
Karen
This message was edited Jul 6, 2007 12:00 PM
This message was edited Jul 6, 2007 12:01 PM
(grumble, mumble, kick, pound...)
Finally got the @8%#-blasted thing to post it right!!!
Ya just HAD to send the eBay link, didn't you? LOL He has the heart fern now AND a blue butterfly clerodendrum! I was supposed to get one of those in trade last year and the lady never sent it and now she's left DG. I was heartbroken! Wonder what else he's got......
