Best And Safest Live Plants For Bearded Dragon Cages (2024)

Are you looking for plants to add to your beardie’s cage?

Do you have questions about which plants are safely added totheir environment?

Introducing plants into the environment can provide a tasty snackand create a fun and stimulating home for your pet.

There are so many options available, and finding the best plantsfor their cage is a challenge at first.

We have selected live plants safe for your pet and provide a diverse and stimulating environment:

Why Should I Add Live Plants?

Live plants can survive and thrive in an enclosure with a beardeddragon.

With proper care, plants in the environment can survive, and as a bonus, they improve your pet’s quality of life.

If you have an enclosure with plants, climbing branches and furniture, and other items, your beardie will have a more exciting and complex environment to enjoy.

Think about your own home and how boring it would be if it wereall the same color with nothing to do or see.

Pretty boring, right?

These items will give your animal a more stimulating home toexplore each day.

In addition to your animal enjoying a complex environment, theycan munch on the live plants if they are hungry.

Bearded dragons are omnivores, meaning they will eat insects andplants.

Be prepared for your dragon to eat some plants or their leaves faster than the plant can tolerate.

With some plants, like herbs, you will have to replace themregularly as they are no match for your hungry beardie.

Overall, adding live plants will increase the amount of work youhave to do in the environment, so you need to make sure you are willing to givethe extra time and energy before you buy a bunch of live plants.

There are a variety of plants available which won’t harm your pet, and the plants on our list are all safe for your beardie.

How Do I Install Live Plants Into The Tank?

Once you pick which plants you want to add to your beardie’s environment, you might be wondering how you put them in the enclosure.

There are two different routes to take when it comes to theinstallation of these plants.

Either plant them directly into the tank, usually in the substrate, or you plant them in pots that are removable from the tank.

Installing Directly In TheTank

This approach, while aesthetically pleasing, is challenging.

Maintenance becomes difficult, and you must find a substrate safe for your animal and provide for the plants.

If you are willing to put in the time and go through some trialand error, you will be rewarded with an eye-catching display.

There are other options when it comes to installing plantsdirectly into the enclosure.

Some plants like Tillandsia Ionantha can adhere to surfaceswithin the tank.

You will be able to add these plants to the background, on rocks,or even the ceiling.

If these are attached, you will have some added maintenance whenyou go to clean the tank.

Planting In Pots

A far easier option for adding plants to the enclosure isplanting them in pots, which are added and removed whenever you want.

With pots, you will be able to remove the plants for tankmaintenance or plant maintenance easily.

Additionally, you will be able to switch new plants in and outwith this method.

Some plants, like herbs, cannot last long in bearded dragonenclosures not only because of the climate but also because your beardie willbe munching.

Removing the herbs and switching them in and out will give theplant some recovery time and provide your pet with variety.

Planting in pots is also a great way to keep the humidity levelstable.

If the plant requires regular watering, keeping the humidity levels where you want them to be is challenging if you are constantly adding water to the environment.

Your plants might also need more natural light, and putting themin pots will allow you to give them time out of the tank to perk up.

Do your best to hide the pots with rocks or other decorativeitems, but if the look of the enclosure is important to you, look at the directinstallation.

We also recommend repotting the plants after purchasing them andbefore adding them to the enclosure.

Plants will grow better and be healthier if they are given plentyof room for their root systems to grow.

Review Of The Best Live Plants For A Bearded Dragon Cage

Tillandsia Ionantha Air Plant

5 Large Ionantha Tillandsia Air Plant Pack

• BEAUTIFUL IONANTHA PLANTS: One of the most sought after Tillandsias, this pack comes with 5 Ionantha Air Plants that will be about 2 to 3.5 inches in size. Colors vary from green to red (see photos).
• EASY CARE HOUSE PLANTS: Tillandsia air plants are extremely low maintenance and easy to care for. They require only a moderate amount of light, no soil, and only need watering about once a week.
• DIY HOME DECOR: These live plants are perfect for do it yourself terrarium kits, holders, pots, and hanging planters - great accompaniment for other plants like succulents, orchids, and indoor moss.

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Tillandsia Ionantha is a pretty common plant for dessert-typehabitats.

This plant, also called the blushing bride, can turn pink-red and even have purple blooms making it an attractive addition.

It is a low-maintenance plant and doesn’t require much water, so a light misting every two weeks is enough to keep them alive.

You can adhere to rocks, the background of the enclosure, oranywhere.

The plant stays relatively small, so they won’t take over the enclosure, but if you are looking to fill a specific space fully, this won’t do the job.

Pros For This Product

• Easy maintenance
• Requires minimal water
• Attractive

Cons For This Product

• Stays relatively small

Edible Herbs

Indoor Herb Garden Kit - Certified 100% USDA Organic

• Oregon Family Farm Business - Our company is family owned and operated on our 65 acre farm in rural Oregon. Each Spade To Fork indoor garden kit contains 5 types of Certified USDA Organic Non GMO seeds. The herb planters for indoor plants also include Italian Large Leaf Basil, Coriander Cilantro (slow bolt), Peione Parsley, Broad Leaf Sage and Thyme; 5 OMRI listed compostable peat pots; 5 OMRI certified rich potting soil discs; 5 custom wood burned plant markers; our beautiful 26pg growing guide
• Entire Kit Is Certified USDA Organic - Most kitchen herb garden germination kits only include organic seeds, but their soil and pots are sometimes treated with harmful chemicals and pesticides. We are strong believers in sustainable, eco friendly, fully organic systems that are safe for our families and women, men, kids and every grower. Our DIY culinary indoor plant growing system is fully and proudly certified by ODA right here in Oregon.
• The Perfect Special Gift - Our indoor herb seed kit makes a fun gift for virtually anyone -- man or woman, vegetarian or vegans, mom on mothers day, dad on fathers day, best kitchen and gardening gifts or housewarming present. Our indoor herb garden kit grows perfectly on a windowsill, in an apartment or condominium, in a personal outdoor greenhouse, or in your home window sill, balcony or even countertop.

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Herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, and rosemary are tastyadditions your dragon will love.

These plants are a great safe option for enclosures, and yourbearded dragon will enjoy munching on the leaves.

Herb plants are readily available all over the country and areeasy to grow indoors year-round.

We highly recommend basil and parsley and favorites, but you willfind your beardie will enjoy a variety of different herbs.

Herbs come either as already started plants or start them fromseed.

The major downside to adding these plants is they do not do wellin high temperatures and will have to be removed or switched out every fewdays.

Also, your bearded dragon might eat the leaves faster than theplant can grow new ones.

Only add the plants to the enclosure when they are established,as seedlings will not be able to stand up to the appetite of your dragon.

Even though these plants will not last forever in the habitat, your pet will enjoy the variety they offer.

And if you would like some more information on adding herbs such as cilantro, we have a post on feeding bearded dragons cilantro that you’ll find helpful.

Pros For This Product

• Your beardie will love munching on them
• Inexpensive
• Readily available
• Easy to grow

Cons For This Product

• Won’t last long in the environment
• Will need to be switched out or removed everyfew days

Aloe Vera

Alluring Aloe Collection of Live Aloe Plants, Hand Selected Variety

• INCLUDED IN PURCHASE | (1) Mature Aloe Vera plant. Each plant may vary from pictures shown as plants are hand selected based on season, size, health, and readiness.
• WATERING NEEDS | Water your Aloe vera every 2-4 weeks. Don't over water. If Aloe begins to smell, then it’s rotting. Dark, transparent spots or crimping at the base of the leaves are also signs of too much water.
• FERTILIZING NEEDS | Fertilize Aloe plants once a month from Spring until late Autumn.

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Aloe Vera is an excellent option for tanks, as it is easy to grow, low maintenance.

It will do well in a dry environment, and like Tillandsia Ionantha, it requires little water.

Bearded dragons areknown to enjoy eating this plant, but as a downside, you will find it becomingless and less attractive the more they do eat.

Some varieties of aloe plants can get rather large (there are over 500 species).

Be sure to stick to smaller growing species which won’t take over the whole enclosure.

Pros For This Product

• Requires little water and maintenance
• Beardies love munching on them
• Easy to grow

Cons For This Product

• Becomes kind of ugly the more your pet eats
• Pick a small growing species, or the plant willtake over

Dwarf Bolivian Wandering Jew

Dwarf Bolivian Wandering Jew

• 10 Fresh Cuttings

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A favorite among bearded dragon enthusiasts, Dwarf Bolivian Wandering Jew is a great choice that will look great in tanks.

Besides beingattractive, your bearded dragon will enjoy climbing on the plant.

As a bonus, this planthas healing properties and can help if your bearded dragon is suffering fromdiarrhea.

It can make them extra thirsty, so be sure to watch your pet’s stool to ensure it isn’t too watery.

This plant is hardy andfast-growing.

Pros For This Product

• Helps with bearded dragon diarrhea
• Adds another climbing feature to enclosures
• Hardy and fast-growing

Cons For This Product

• Can make your beardie extra thirsty

Speaking of diarrhea, it’s a serious issue when these pets are experiencing such an issue.

Still, we have a guide on treating bearded dragon diarrhea that’s arguably more interesting than you think it would be.

Echeveria

Echeveria Succulents Live Plants (12 Pack)

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These succulents offer an attractive and safe option when it comes to putting plants in your beardie’s tank.

They will thrive in the bright light in the tank but keep them on the cooler side because they do not do well in intensely hot areas.

Echeveria is native toarid regions of the Americas and will thrive in tanks.

Some species of thisplant do like darker conditions, so be sure to find the right species for yourneeds.

Echeveria comes in a variety of colors and usually grows as rosettes or globe-shaped plants.

Pros For This Product

• Thrives in bearded dragon environments
• Comes in a variety of colors
• Low maintenance

Cons For This Product

• Small plants

Conclusion

As with any item you introduce into your bearded dragon’s environment, it is important to watch your pet to make sure they are ok with each new addition.

And to complete your terrarium with plants, we also recommend adding in some branches to match.

Here’s our other review of the best branches for bearded dragon terrariums so you can find something to match.