Hello... Ground cover help

[Skinnart]

Hello hello, My wife and I are starting a dart frog viv. Dimensions are roughly w48"/d18/h24. What kind of ground cover would look nice? I was thinking perhaps some riccia and java moss. I believe she will be wanting to put a few azureus in the viv once done. Any suggestions on ground cover and plants in general is appreciated. Any info on where to obtain plants from a reputable source is also appreciated.

Thank you in advance for any help.
Paul

[Frogtofall]

Hello Paul. There are a few nice ground cover plants that could work for you so long as your lighting is adequate. Just make sure you can get about 1200 foot candles to the floor or so and you'll be set.

The 2 that you mentioned would look nice. Riccia and Java Moss like to be constantly wet so if your substrate ends up on the soggy side, that would be a great place for it. If your substrate isn't soggy (which is actually better in the long run b/c of the other plants) you might try some Peperomia prostrata, Selaginella, tropical moss, liverworts or even good ol' leaf litter works really well. Eventhough Pothos isn't really a ground cover, it does scramble about on the ground very well and its next to impossible to kill.

As for other plants, you have many choices. Broms, orchids, aroids, other epiphytes, Begonias, gesneriads and many more to chose from. There is a list of vendors in the links section and a few of them even sponsor this site which are listed in the sponsors section.

Post a picture of your viv once the landscaping is done and I can help a little better. Good luck.

[wishIwereAnExpert]

I would also suggest some of the hardier dischidias as ground cover. D. rusiflora, D. nummalaroides (Antone will say how's it's actually spelled ), D. geri etc.

-Solly

[stchupa]

Sillegenilla (spelling is wrong= spike moss) would do great with any large frog that tends to trmple, many different sp. to suite your tastes. Lindneria would do nice near or in wet substrate. Epiphytic peperomias will do nicely as a ground cover. Liverworts are beautiful plants and do as well if not better than many mosses will. Terrestrial sp. of bladder wort are cool looking (I have no experiece with these, aquatic yes), but there is no South American sp. I'm aware of (which may or may not matter to you). Lichen are possible but impractical. Many different ferns/aquatics make a nice cover. Dead leaf cover is a good idea unil your plants grow in.

Saleginella actually grows all the way into the water. Mine has adapted to grow below water as well as above it.
Java moss is great. It'll grow under high humidity and moist soil. It'll look like a nice green carpet, after a year. it'll also need lots of light.