Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

Phrases like 'Terrascaping', 'Bio-Active' and 'Living Terrariums' are becoming more and more common in the world of reptile and amphibian care, as keepers become more aware of the benefits of creating a living ecosystem for their pets.

Apart from the aesthetic appeal of a planted terrarium there are some very real, tangible benefits for the animals. Living plants provide natural cover and climbing perches, shade, basking sites and maintain natural humidity. Just as live plants in an office can improve workers well-being, live plants in a terrarium will have the same effect for animals.

But not all plants are suitable for terrarium use and it is important to not only choose the correct plants for the environment but also to select species or varieties that do not grow too large. Many houseplants for sale appear suitable when they are small specimens in a garden centre, but given time they may end up as giants that overwhelm a terrarium.

ProRep are delighted to introduce a comprehensive range of live plants. These are not just small houseplants but are a selected range of species that are ideally suited to the terrarium, including some of the more unusual or rare types. They have carefully selected the range so that there are plants to suit all habitats and growth patterns. There are succulents for arid environments, bromeliads, ground cover plants and epiphytes for jungle setups as well as aquatic plants and mosses.

Whatever the environment you're trying to re-create, you will be able to use live plants to suit.

Chamaedorea elegans

The common Parlour Palm seems a strange choice for the terrarium as it can get very tall. As a small plant however it is ideal due to its tolerance of low light and a wide variety of moisture levels. Under low light conditions the plant will grow very slowly and does not really get much taller than when planted. With more light the fronds will get progressively taller and eventually it needs carefully trimming or moving to a new location. Although this palm grows from the base it should not be cut back to round level as this can kill it. Instead remove the dead outer fronds or remove very tall ones by cutting the stem. A large plant is ideal for chameleons as they can form thick clumps.