Shade-loving plants

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:35 am

I am not a gardender by any means, so I need some advice regarding plants.

In my outdoor flight cage, I have a schefflera (umbrella tree) and 2 small palms which are doing beautifully. However, I am having the most difficult time finding a 3rd (nontoxic) live plant which is small and bushy, but also loves living in the shade.

To this date I have tried both fountain grass and parsley, but both of those plants died within about two weeks of living in the flight--due to lack of sunlight, I'm sure, as the birds have not started chewing on the plants.

The plants will have to be potted and will be watered automatically once per day, but they will also be placed in *full shade*.

Do any of you know of a good bushy, nontoxic plant for me to try? I wanted it to be a bushy plant because I am placing them below the nest entrance--this way if any chick falls from the nest, it will have a soft spot to land on.

Thanks!

Post by **Hilary** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:04 am

I would think that a fern would be ideal - soft and bushy, and they love the shade.

Hilary

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 12:38 pm

That sounds like a good idea. I already have a boston fern outside the cage, but at the time I was plant shopping, I didn't see one small enough to place in the flight so I guess it slipped my mind as a possibility.... I think I know of just the place to find one though!

Thanks!

tursiopschic · Post by **tursiopschic** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 11:35 am

Did you find some nice plants?

zookeeper · Post by **zookeeper** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:56 am

Try some begonias. They are nontoxic and come in all shapes and sizes. I especially like rex begonias--they come in an amazing variety of leaf colors. If you can't find any locally, logees has a great variety and their plants are very healthy and vigorous--I recommend them highly.

Also logees carries hoyas which are nontoxic--and some hoyas are bushy and some like shade.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 3:19 pm

hi crystal
i was going to suggest a bamboo,but they dont have any drawf varietie i dont think or maybe a thuja they come in small varieties but dont have flowers

ken

JeannetteD · Post by **JeannetteD** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:13 pm

Heya..

I have an aviary that we are refinishing and then I will need to put something in it for the birds to land on. The wiremesh that is on it is far too small to hang any perches on it, or put any branches in it.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a branchy 'tree' that stays around 4 feet tall??

I'd change the mesh if I could find the size I want locally..

Jeannette

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:50 pm

hi jeanette
there are not many that stay small but there are some that you can cut back vigourously and they will carry on growing....like the butterfly bush( buddleja ) or even a drawf apple tree would do.......but i have a suggestion that might fix your perch problems if you can get some dowel (round wood) sorry but i dont know how they would sell it in the u s and place a washer inbetween the dowel and the wire and screw the dowel through the wire and it should hold the wood in place and you should be able to put peices of it across the corners to fix it solid enough for the birds to perch on and use short pieces in the same way.if you dont understand my stupid idea i could draw you a picture and e-mail it or put it on the gallery i have done this on some of my wire in the more awkward places to put perches

ken

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:04 pm

This isn't a very good photo, but I think you'll get the idea of what Kenny is suggesting. You've probably seen this type of perch already. I made some up using natural tree branches for one of my large breeder cages. They've worked out pretty well.

As for a live tree, perhaps a small ficus would work??

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 4:29 pm

hi tammie
thats exactly the thing i was talking about,great minds think alike .i would say!

ken

JeannetteD · Post by **JeannetteD** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 6:34 pm

Thanks Kenny/Tammie!

I never thought of that and it's a very good idea. The only issue I have is something sticking outside of the mesh. I have a tendency to be wobbly and brush against walls or sides of cages. *shows you her latest gouge on her shoulder from a cage* And all this without the use of alcohol. LOL

But a flat headed wood screw would do nicely without sticking out. A butterfly nut would stick too far out.

I think I'll try that! Thank you so much for the idea Kenny and Tammie!

I'll try that before I try live plants. They take up so much room and get shredded pretty badly. LOL

Jeannette

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 6:53 pm

hi jeanette
try this link i have put these in my aviary where the frame uprights are and you can use dowel or natural perches

ken
http://www.javafinch.com/perch/perch.html

JeannetteD · Post by **JeannetteD** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:39 pm

thanks Kenny!!

I'll pass that along to my dad or my boyfriend. They like woodworking.. hee hee

Jeannette