Plant Category: Australia

Alocasia ‘Ninja’ plants thrive in a very humid environment making these plants ideally suited to growing inside a terrarium, vivarium, or bottle garden.  However, terrariums and bottle gardens are not universally the same, different enclosures will provide contrasting growing conditions.  When choosing a terrarium and deciding on a location to cultivate Alocasia ‘Ninja’, remember that these plants won’t be happy in a shaded environment – Alocasia ‘Ninja’ require bright but indirect light to be able to thrive. 

Platycerium bifurcatum is also know as the Staghorn Fern; this is a stunning evergreen fern that naturally grows as an epiphyte – establishing itself on the trunks and branches of trees in its native environment in the treetops and rainforests of Java, Polynesia, Australia, and Asia.  This is a slow-growing, long-lived fern that will enhance your home when grown as a houseplant. 

Asplenium nidus is a gorgeous fern from Australia, Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Christmas Island, and the Philippines.  In the wild, Asplenium nidus often grows as an epiphytic fern, making its home on the branches and trunks of trees in rainforests.  Epiphytic plants are different from parasitic plants.  Epiphytic ferns grow upon another plant but they don’t steal any nutrients from their host plants; epiphytes simply use their host to raise themselves up to a more profitable growing position where they enjoy improved light levels, moisture, and humidity.

Melons (also known by their botanical name Cucumis melo) are tender, sweet tasting fruits that can be successfully grown from seeds, in the UK.  Sow melon seeds in springtime – from March to the middle of May.  If you’re too late to sow seeds (or if you don’t have access to a glasshouse), you don’t have to miss out, as young melon plants can be purchased from many nurseries and garden centres.

Angraecum moandense is an orchid species that hails from the rainforests of a wide range of exotic, tropical locations, including: Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire.  Plants produce small, pale greenish yellow coloured flowers, which have reflexed petals and from a distance look rather leaf-like in their appearance.

This is a miniature orchid species whose natural home is growing in amongst trees and other plants, in damp humid rainforests, where competition for space is great and plants grow close to one another, growing cheek by jowl. 

Ilex is the latin name for the genus of plants we often refer to as hollies.  This is an interesting and diverse group of plants, that includes evergreen and deciduous plants, that form small shrubs, tall trees, and everything in between – depending on the Ilex species or cultivar grown.

Ilex are native plants of the United Kingdom, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Americas, China, North America, South East Asia, and other areas around the globe.

Adiantum pubescens is a small to medium sized terrestrial fern – a fern that grows in the soil or is planted in a container or planter.  This fern produces soft-bronze coloured new growth; as the fronds grow their colour soon changes – established fronds are a lovely leaf-green colour.

If you’re thinking of growing Adiantum pubescens, let me give you some tips. 

Nephrolepis duffii is a tender fern from Asia.  This is a pretty little fern, with a naturally arching habit and a compact form.  Nephrolepis duffii  thrives in terrariums. Nephrolepis duffii fronds feature a series of button like leaflets that have earned this fern the common names of button fern and lemon button fern.  It’s said that this evergreen fern produces slightly aromatic fronds, that have an aroma that is reminiscent of lemons. 

Actiniopteris australis is a tender fern that requires warm temperatures to flourish.  This pretty little fern can be found growing in the wild in a wide range of countries and locations, including: Madagascar, Australia, Africa, and Asia.

Producing very pretty, palm like fronds on a diminutive scale.  Actiniopteris australis is a charming fern to add to your collection.

Actiniopteris australis is a miniature fern, that grows to just 15cm (6 inches) tall. 

Dendrobium striolatum is a lithophytic orchid species that originates from Australia, where it’s known as the Streaked Rock Orchid.

I have found that this miniature sized orchid grows happily when mounted onto cork bark, so don’t panic if you don’t have a spare limestone boulder, or decorative cliff face to mount your plants onto!  Indeed, Dendrobium striolatum is an easy going orchid, which is tolerant of a range of temperatures – from cool to warm. 

Diplocaulobium chrysotropis is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which can be found growing in the cloud forests of New Guinea.

Diplocaulobium chrysotropis flourishes under bright, indirect light.  This miniature orchid grows best in humid conditions, in temperatures between 17C (62F) and 25C (77F).

I have found that Diplocaulobium chrysotropis grow best when watered between three and five times a week.

 

Bulbophyllum sessile is a miniature orchid species.  This epiphytic orchid originates from a number of places in South East Asia, including: Fiji, Burma, Java, Laos, Malaysia, New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.  This little orchid can be seen growing on the small, twiggy branches of trees, it’s usually found growing in areas of evergreen forest.

Bulbophyllum sessile flourishes in cool and intermediate, to warm temperatures. 

Podangis dactyloceras is a miniature orchid species, which originates from Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zaire, where this orchid grows as an epiphyte, growing upon trees, near waterfalls and rivers, in evergreen rainforests.

Podangis dactyloceras is a miniature orchid species that grows best in warm to hot temperatures.  These plants require a humid environment and filtered light; allow your plant’s roots to dry out between waterings.  

Drosera rotundifolia is a small, low growing, perennial carnivorous plant that forms a rosette shape as it grows.  Drosera rotundifolia is also known by its common name of round leaved sundew, this plant naturally grows in acidic peaty, boggy, marshy soils, across heathlands, lowlands, moors, and other areas, where you’ll find Drosera rotundifolia growing in acidic soil.  Drosera rotundifolia flowers from mid to late summer.

A native plant of New Guinea, Mediocalcar decoratum is a low growing, miniature, epiphytic orchid species, it forms a creeping, spreading mat as the plant grows.  Mediocalcar decoratum favours growing in humid, damp conditions in dappled shade.  Mediocalcar decoratum thrives in moist conditions, this plant would enjoy being misted heavily every morning.

Flowering from autumn until spring, Mediocalcar decoratum produces attractive, brightly coloured, bulbous, bell-shaped, yellow and orange flowers which are long lasting.

Asplenium nidus ‘Crispy Wave’ (PBR) is a very versatile and attractive fern, which produces delightfully ruffled, fresh-green coloured fronds.  This is a great choice of fern to grow as a house plant or to plant inside a terrarium, vivarium, or bottle garden.  Asplenium nidus ‘Crispy Wave’ is sometimes known by its common name of the Japanese Asplenium Fern.

When the new fronds of Asplenium nidus ‘Crispy Wave’ grow up from the centre of the fern for the first time, they display quite a straight form, but as they begin to age, the fronds develop the wavy character and habit that this fern is known for and admired.

Diplocaulobium abbreviatum is a slow growing miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which is endemic to New Guinea.  Diplocaulobium abbreviatum produces attractive star shaped, white flowers that are edged with cream, with small yellow and dark purple markings in the centre of each inflorescence.

This Diplocaulobium abbreviatum specimen is growing inside my Miniature Orchid BiOrbAir terrarium, you can see how well this miniature orchid is growing in my BiOrbAir Review – Growing Miniature Orchids in the BiOrbAir.