Hi all,

I stumbled across this forum this afternoon and I've scrolled though a lot of your threads and thought I would seek your advice for a new project I'm considering.

During lockdown in Sydney, I stumbled across this lovely lady's green wall and wanted to replicate something similar. I can't post link yet so search for ameliab.com/Green-Wall However I must admit I was a bit concerned by her use of staples to largely contain what looks to have become quite a substantial green wall. So I have come up with a hybrid plan utilising robust gabion wall sheets (again search for .gabioncages.com.au/product/century-mesh-gabion-panel-2000-x-1000/) which will allow the plants to more securely lock onto the structure (I hope). So think of a wall approximately 6m long by 2.5m high with a fence like product with squares of 10cm by 10cm covered by synthetic felt that doesn't degrade when wet. The wall is in shade most of the day as it is covered by a massive callistemon (much larger than this image, the trunk you could maybe hug and touch your hands around





My concerns are now around the plants to get. I'm looking for ones that will be quite happy with exposed roots, enclosed on by sides by synthetic felt. I'm still considering wrapping the root balls with some sphagnum moss and contain that in a little pocket of its own felt for added water retention (this extra pocket would not be "tight" and would allow roots to grow out of). At the moment, and given availability and my local plant store (LPS) , I'm considering...

a) Spider plants
I have several of these with many pups which I've put in water and have lots of white roots currently growing. Amelia in her green wall (linked above) used these so I'm presuming they should be fine.



b) Philodendrum Birkin - LPS has them, I could propagate via root division to hopefully save some $$$. I love the variegated foliage.

c) Elephant ear - alocasia lauterbachiana





I like the big leaf structure and elephant ears are epiphytes so should do ok.

d) Monstera - Again beautiful big leaf and should like the structure I'm building.

I also have 3 very very large staghorns (maybe 1metre by 80cm) and 3 medium size elk horns which I'll be building into the structure so there will be some established plants into the mix as well.

But now I'm running out of suitable plants. I want to avoid bromeliads due to mosquito issues (we used to have a big problem, manage to solve by bringing more light into the garden but don't want to recreate a habitat for them). The plants I am considering...

e) Polypodium Vulgare




f) limelight river wattle





So I don't want a lot of different types but a mix of 5 or 6 different plants. I would like more that I can save money on by propagating as I am doing with the spider plants and hope to do with the philodendrums and elephant ears. But I'm starting to struggle with the number of plants which will cost a lot and hoping that they survive so I was hopeful of getting any and all advice if possible.

Here's hoping you can throw some plant suggestions my way.

Thanks in advance!
Aussie Gonzo

I could not access the websites you posted, my computer will not allow it because their internet certificates have expired. I do not know what limelight river wattle is, so can't speak to it.
One thing I will comment on.....'Elephant ears' and not epiphytic. And lauterbachiana is way too large growing unless you make a pocket for it and reinforce it in some way.

Philodendron Birkin likewise is not an epiphytic variety of Philo, its a terrestrial.

Staghorns, Monstera, ferns, if you have access to anything like Anthurium vittariifolium, other climbing/vining Philodendrons, etc would be nice. If you have the correct climate, shingling aroids like Rhaphidophoras, Marcgravias would be nice.

I am actually about to use synthetic felt for the first time in my own greenhouse to test it out.

Thanks Gina for the response and then information. This is the green wall I'm emulating...




In my opinion, it would seem to be not as much about epiphytic or not really. I think it's more about the ability of the plant to:
a) withstand having its roots in a more exposed manner (i.e. between two layers of synthetic felt) and
b) not rooted in soil so taking it's nutrients from a fertiliser being sprayed a few times a year;
c) the ability of the plant to support itself via it's roots wrapping around the steel cage.

I was worried about climbing plants because I'm not sure whether they will add weight to the other plants or whether they will attach to the felt i..e what or how do they attach and would they attach the felt as they shouldn't be able to penetrate the felt and wrap around the steel cage? This is the felt by the way... made from recycled plastic bottles.





From the top picture she uses quite a few large plants which is what I would like to copy (I want the jungle look slightly organised but lots of growth), but as I said in my first post, she attached them to marine grade ply, felt over the top, and then stapled them in. My method is different. I am now thinking of purchasing tube stock, slit open the out layer of felt and slide the tube into the whole and attach the tube (maybe split the plastic to allow the roots to grow out and over the steel cage) to the cage with probably metal. I could also make a pocket out of the felt fill with peat moss / potting mix and slide that into the slit, and attach to the steel cage with metal. Hopefully that should work for the elephant ears.

I've found some tube stock producers and I can get access to the following philodendrons,
a) imperial red
b) super atom
c) birkin
d) moonlight
e) black cardinal
f) silver sword
g) minima

I'll take birkin off for the reasons you noted. I like the black cardinal for the colour variety and minima has such an usual leaf that it has become a favourite. Any thoughts on these Phils for this project are most appreciated!

In terms of monstera, I can get:
a) deliciosa single
b) deliciosa clump
c) adonsonii

They all look lovely. With adonsonii I'll be afraid the snails are eating it though

Do you have any experience with peperomia? Raindrop looks nice and is meant to be tough and may be suitable for this project?

I do need to find a plant that will be able to deal with sunlight from 9am to 12pm and I know most epiphytic plants are shade lovers. There are a number of ferns but most ferns prefer dappled light. Any suggestions for what might like a little bit more morning sun, before dappled for the rest of the day?

I appreciate all who have read my thread. I know it's possibly a bit off topic but it's helping me to put my thoughts into writing so I think it all out before doing it so I appreciate everyone reading it and appreciate the advice re plant selection. Happy to post pictures as I embark on the project.

Its not off topic at all. Green Walls are a very popular thing in aroid growing now. A bunch of people on other forums I am on have put them in their houses as stand alone plant features with a water reservoir at the bottom and water pumped up and allowed to drip down through the felt back into the reservoir.

Just looking at that photo, it doesn;t appear that the (what appear to possibly be alocasias) are actually growing in the felt itself, but rather are planted in ground at the base. Since that feature is outdoors, and yours seems to be going as an outdoor installation as well, you could probably get away with the lauterbachiana planted unground at the base as well.

Of the philodendrons you listed, the only climbers as opposed to terrestrials are hastatum (silver sword) and possibly Imperial Red. All the others are either terrestrial trunk forming plans (Thaumatophyllum Super Atom) or self heading terrestrials (Birkin, Moonlight, Black Cardinal.) Again, you could plant these at the base of the wall, but they would eventually get too large and heavy ON the wall.

Monstera adansonii would do well, so would Monstera deliciosa, but deliciosa gets heavy over time. It WOULD however really latch on and not be prone to falling off.

Thanks again Gina. Please bear with me as I think you are very knowledgeable and I'm making assumptions which may well be wrong. The key question I have from your responses is terrestrial versus climbers. If I'm understanding you correctly, you're implying that only certain Phils and Elephant Ears are climbers and therefore suitable. My premise was as an epiphytic species, they should have a root structure that is looking to "grip" onto my structure? Climbers will of course be fine but I'm looking to expand beyond climbers. I'm sure you're aware epiphytes have two root structures; a clinging root and an aerial root. Are you saying that the terrestrial Phils / Elephant ears you note, do not have these clinging roots?

I am rethinking the way I will "plant" them into this structure. As I'm going to grow from tubestock, I want to give them the best chance at surviving and thriving so I will make a little U shaped pocket, approximately 15cm wide by 20cm long and quite think i.e. 60mm, out of excess felt and slip that into the slit of felt and attach to wire frame probably via zip ties. Inside the pocket I will put whatever that plant is suited to i.e. peat moss or potting mix. The sitiching on the side will be rough and over time I would expect the plant roots to escape and then cling independently on the metal frame. This should also help me plant a wider variety of plants although noting the amount of "soil" is small and therefore I still want to focus on plants that will readily adapt to liquid fertiliser a few times a year.

There ARE NO EPIPHYTIC 'ELEPHANT EARS' that I am aware of except Remusatia species. COlocasia can live as emersed aquatics, but they all need soil.

Yes I am aware that climbing epiphytes have different roots that fulfill different functions. I grow probably 200 climbers so I see them every day.

Having never built a wet wall, I have no first hand experience. I have seen other people's wet walls though. The terrestrial plants that they most often choose that are not climbers are things like Anthurium crystallinum, warocqueanum, vittariifolium, clarinervium, plants like that. Self heading Philodendrons eventually get huge and would rip your set up and fall out.

I get that you want to use liners. But you may have to think outside that box.