Annatto

Bixa orellana

Annatto - Bixa orellana

Product: Annatto fruit skins are white on the inside and a red-brown on the outside. They are quite spiny with small stiff "hairs" that harden when dried. These will soften when immersed in water, but may not be suitable for vivaria housing amphibians or other similarly soft skinned animals. Dried Annatto products are harvested in late winter annually.

Uses: Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets

Banana

Musa sp.

Banana - Musa sp.

Product: Dried leaves, flower stalks and flower sheaths are great to use in bioactive aquariums and vivariums. Their unique shapes add a wonderful contrast to regular leaves adds a wonderful contrast. Banana products ar eusually available year round, please contact us for availability.

Uses: Arts & Crafts, Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets, Feed, Cultivation

Betel Nut

Areca catechu

Betel Nut - Areca catechu

Product: Betel Nut fruits are sun dried and have a fibrous husk not dissimilar to that of dried coconut. Their fibrous texture makes them ideal for bioactive tanks that enjoy a good biofilm and fungal growth. Particularly good for terrestrial pets and clean-up crews like isopods. Please check with your country to see if a phytosanitary certificate is required (contains seeds).

Uses: Arts & Crafts, Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets

Bishop Wood

Bischofia javanica

Bishop Wood - Bischofia javanica

Product: Dried fruit and fruit stalks add a loose feel to terrariums and vivariums. The fruits are marble like in appearance, while the stalks are a loose/spaced out out inflorescence.

Uses: Arts & Crafts, Vivarium, Pets

Flame Tree

Delonix regia

Flame Tree - Delonix regia

Product: Flame Tree fruits are exceptionally hard, relatively large flat bean pods that are very long lasting in tanks. Evolved to sustain fires and split, these fruit could be classified more like wood than fruit pod. Fruits measure anywhere from 10-50cm long and tend to have an almost scimitar like shape. Fruit pods will contain seeds, please check with your country to see if a phytosanitary certificate is required.

Uses: Arts & Crafts, Aquarium, Vivarium, Cultivation

Guava

Psidium guajava

Guava - Psidium guajava

Product: Guava leaves, when fresh, are a staple for certain stick and leaf insects. Dried, they are used more often in aquariums for tannins and biofilms for small fish, crabs, shrimp etc. In vivaria they are perfect leaf litter for both dry and moist tanks. Isopods & shrimp love them.

Uses: Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets, Feed

Indian Almond

Terminalia catappa

Indian Almond - Terminalia catappa

Product: Indian Almond is a staple in the aquarium industry for water conditioning, adding tannins and lowering water PH. It is enjoyed as a food source by many crustaceans, including terrestrial species such as isopods. Unlike many dried leaves, Indian almond turns autumn colors when they fall every year and the dried leaves will have more dark reds/purples/browns rather than just straight brown.

Uses: Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets, Feed

Java Olive

Java Olive - Sterculia foetida

Product: Java Olive fruits are medium sized fruits that are extremely woody. Their cup, or bowl, like shape makes them fantastic for vivaria and aquaria as they act as exquisite hiding sites for many animals. Turned upwards, they hold water and could serve as egg laying sites for certain frogs.

Uses: Arts & Crafts, Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets

Leucaena

Leucaena leucocephala

Leucaena - Leucaena leucocephala

Product: Leucaena fruit are thin long leathery bean like structures great for tannins and fast decomposing leaf litter material. The fruits will contain some seeds. The bark is thin, fairly smooth and curls into loose cinnamon stick looking curls, depending on size. The leaves are quite fine and make an excellent terrestrial leaf litter for worms, isopods and similar decomposers. Available year round.

Uses: Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets, Feed

Longan

Dimocarpus longan

Longan - Dimocarpus longan

Product:Longan leaves are a good leaf litter for terrestrial pets. Especially well-suited for lizards, tropical cockroaches, isopods, centipedes and millipedes. Leaves are medium sized, great for both big and small tanks and easily crushed. Available year round.

Uses: Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets

Mahogany

Swietenia macrophylla

Mahogany - Swietenia macrophylla

Product: Mahogany leaves and fruits are well suited for both aquatic and terrestrial enclosures. They add excellent tannins to water and lower the PH. On land they create great leaf litter for most animals. The fruits will create great bacterial and fungal sources for many types of isopods, insects, millipedes etc. Usually available year round.

Uses: Arts & Crafts, Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets

Napier Grass

Pennisetum purpureum

Napier Grass - Pennisetum purpureum

Product: Napier Grass is a large species of grass that forms incredibly hard stems (for a grass). This species has a similar appearance to bamboo and is quite useful in adding that old bamboo feel, albeit in a smaller body, to the tank. It is perfect for growing bacteria and fungus in order to get mosses, ferns and orchids started in vivaria while the older stems and their aerial roots give that jungle feel. Available year round.

Uses: Arts & Crafts, Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets, Feed, Cultivation

Roselle

Hibiscus sabdariffa

Roselle - Hibiscus sabdariffa

Product: Roselle leaves are quite sour and will probably affect the PH of the soil or water quite quick, proceed with caution even though they are edible and safe for most terrestrial animals. The fruit are incredibly ornamental but are spiny at the tips and might not be suitable for amphibian and other soft bodied animals. Ideal for aquaria and arthropods. Stems are fairly smooth and the outer fibers create a neat network once the inner core has decomposed in the tank.

Uses: Arts & Crafts, Aquarium, Vivarium, Pets, Feed