Need low light potted plants.

I've ordered a large, walk in bird aviary for my wife. It will be set up in our enclosed back "sun room". (Ebay hexagonal thing)
Inside of it I'd like to place a few live, potted plants for her canaries and finches to use as natural perches, etc.
These would need to be at least 4' to 6' tall with actual branches. So something like a palm will not work. And something that will live without direct sunlight. Only diffused lighting through glass windows.
Is there such a houseplant?
My brain says to use hibiscus and just take the pots outside once a week for sun.
But I'd rather not.
Would something else work?
Thanks.

How about a ficus benjamina? Would be a great choice.

Also a Schefflera.

Markw84 said:

How about a ficus benjamina? Would be a great choice.

Also a Schefflera.

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Thanks
I've seen Ficus locally.
I'll look for the variegated Benjamina type.
(I just googled it)
Sounds like a real possibility.
Maybe two of them.

I always kept a large branch off the eucalyptus tree in my bird flight. The scent and oil kept insects and mites under control and when a branch gets old you just cut another one.

I'm actually steering toward artificial small trees. It sucks. But I haven't seen anything low light tolerant that has actual branches.
Or a centrally located wooden post with different diameters of dowel rods drilled and attached to it like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
So much for my "natural" look if I go that route.

ZEROPILOT said:

I'm actually steering toward artificial small trees. It sucks. But I haven't seen anything low light tolerant that has actual branches.
Or a centrally located wooden post with different diameters of dowel rods drilled and attached to it like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
So much for my "natural" look if I go that route.

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Maybe you could use the Charlie Brown Christmas tree as the skeleton for a vining plant, something like Swedish ivy, pothos, or sweetheart philodendron. You could wrap the skeleton with sphagnum moss or the coir type hanging basket liner material, or even Spanish moss that's been soaked in a bleach solution (and rinsed well).

You could also search for "moss pole" a.k.a. "totem pole" relating to plants. I've never seen any with branches, but it might give you some ideas for modifying your Charlie Brown Christmas tree design.

Pastel Tortie said:

You could also search for "moss pole" a.k.a. "totem pole" relating to plants. I've never seen any with branches, but it might give you some ideas for modifying your Charlie Brown Christmas tree design.

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I AM considering a centrally hanging Parhos from the very center of the aviary.
I wonder if it will harm canaries if they eat any of it?

ZEROPILOT said:

I AM considering a centrally hanging Parhos from the very center of the aviary.
I wonder if it will harm canaries if they eat any of it?

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I don't think pothos would cause any problem for birds, unless there was nothing else to eat and they got desperate. Pothos has a mild toxicity, just enough to taste bad and not sit well with a critter's stomach.

I've heard of some people keeping pothos indoors so their young cats would associate houseplants with tasting bad, to deter them from chewing on other houseplants.

Pastel Tortie said:

I don't think pothos would cause any problem for birds, unless there was nothing else to eat and they got desperate. Pothos has a mild toxicity, just enough to taste bad and not sit well with a critter's stomach.

I've heard of some people keeping pothos indoors so their young cats would associate houseplants with tasting bad, to deter them from chewing on other houseplants.

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I seen several tortoises eat some. And also Koi. But Canaries are pretty sensative.

How much light do the windows block out? Is there a possibility of adding additional lighting inside the sun room?

You're probably too far south for camellias to be very happy, and I think you'd have the same issue as with the hibiscus...

Maybe rotating large potted plants out isn't such a bad idea... It doesn't have to be the same type of specimen you rotate out, either. You could do one each of a few different kinds, for variety. If you do, I'm in favor of putting all of those potted plants on wheels to make them easier to move.

That might expand your options. Dwarf fruit trees, shrubs, and vines. Thorn-less, low maintenance, rambling or vining roses.

Here's the MONSTER bird cage.
I assembled it yesterday and posted a review on another thread.
I could fit a small forest in there!

ZEROPILOT said:

Here's the MONSTER bird cage.
I assembled it yesterday and posted a review on another thread.
I could fit a small forest in there!

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Wow! Yes, you can... It looks great!

@ZEROPILOT Looks great. I still think a Ficus benjamina would be perfect in there for the birds. They grow well in low light, and with lower light they do not become as full and have plenty of open branches for perches. Most of the pictures you see online are the great full ones grown in nursery greenhouses. You can also prune to the open structure you would want. Here's a picture of one we've had for well over 10 years...

How about having couple of ficus, each on their own caster base. Rotate one inside, one outside monthly to recover. Let dry out so easier to move.

@Markw84
In that photo, I see exactly what you mean. So far I've only seen the twisted topiary ficus. Limbs all crunched together.
That would certainly work@

@Redfool
Nice idea about the caster bases.
I've seen plastic ones recently for moving around garbage cans.

I'll go to my favorite nursery tomorrow.
TROPIC PLANTS in Tamarac Florida.
They actually keep huge Redfoot on the property. So even if I don't find a bushy ficus, it won't be a wasted trip.

I went to several bird supply stores looking at natural branch perches.
These mount to the sides of the cage. So you get branches without an actual tree.
I grabbed 8 of them. Did the math in my head and discovered that they were over $100.
So, this morning I headed out west to a swamp area that has a lot of Live Oak trees and started cutting.
Then over to Lowes for washers, wingnuts and studs..
What I ended up with are these.
So far I've made 11 and I have about four dollars invested.

Along with these store bought "sand perches" of various diameters.
And other repurposed and homemade items.
I won't be needing a tree.