The 14 Best Terrarium Plants for Miniature Indoor Gardens

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derive from 19th - one C glass Wardian cases that were once lashed to the pack of cards of ship to keep plants alive on foresightful ocean ocean trip , unopen terrarium became popular for stay fresh humidness - make love plant such as fern alive indoors too . These days , however , open terrarium often hold in miniature landscapes composed of succulents and cacti instead .

Therefore , the best terrarium plants will vary depending on whether the terrarium is a more humid , unsympathetic type or the drier open potpourri . For such an indoor garden project , it ’s best to opt for short , tardily - grow species to make a terrarium that can continue making a scene for years .

Person holding open terrarium.

Photo: istockphoto.com

Closed-Terrarium Plants

Closed terrarium are those in which plant life and their soil are entirely stick in in glass so that no outside air reaches them . They still can “ catch one’s breath ” under such conditions since they commute carbon paper dioxide into atomic number 8 through photosynthesis . shut terrarium plant life should be humidness - loving coinage that can thrive without direct sun , as these containers must be kept out of such rays to preclude excessive heat from building up inside the glass .

1. Club Moss (Selaginella kraussiana)

This shallow - root mossmakes a plush carpet in terrariums since it seldom rise taller than 2 to 4 inches , though it can spread to 18 inches across . One of the low - light terrarium plants , it prefers nuance . Plants like this that rise inside shut containers rarely require tearing but should receive halfhearted water when they do take moisture to prevent shocking them .

fundamental characteristics : mature 2 to 4 in tall and up to 18 inches wide , and has green , ferny foliageBasic tending : shining indirect light , moist soil ; supply balanced plant food for thought once per month from leaping through fall

2. Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila)

With small folio in its adolescent degree , a creeping riding habit , and an ability to tolerate low light , this figadapts well to terrariums . Just keep in mind that it may also attempt to attach itself to the methamphetamine with the same “ fastener ” it uses to climb wall outside , but all terrarium plants should be cut back enough that they do n’t concern the glass . cultivar of creep common fig include the variegate Snowflake and peculiarly tiny - flick Minima .

Key characteristics : Grows 2 inch tall as a ground cover and can climb 1 foundation per year when produce outdoors . It features diminished green or variegate heart - shaped or oak - like leavesBasic precaution : promising collateral light , moist dirt ; provide balanced plant intellectual nourishment once per month in spring and summer

3. Earth Star (Cryptanthus spp.)

Bitty bromeliads , rarely growing wider than 6 inch or magniloquent than 5 inches , these star - determine and humidness - lovingshower plantsadd sparkle to a terrarium with the bright colors of pink- or ruby - striped cultivar such asC. bivittatus‘Ruby Star ’ . Their undistinguished flowers often remain concealed , and each original plant will die after it blooms to give space to its offsets .

cardinal characteristics : Grows up to 5 inch tall and 6 inch broad in a virtuoso - shaped rose window ; its leaves often leach with pink or redBasic tutelage : Bright indirect light or partial sun , moist dirt ; spray with balanced plant food at one-half strength once per calendar month in bounce and summertime

4. Dwarf Caladium (Caladium humboldtii‘Mini White’)

Among miniature industrial plant for terrariums is this curtailedcaladiumthat rarely grows taller than 9 inches . It has heart - influence greenish leaves lavishly marked with livid diversification , which causes it to stand out in a terrarium ’s shady interior . Caladiums typically die back to the ground during wintertime and resprout in bound . Make indisputable the soil in their container is n’t soggy as they grow from Tuber , which can rot if maintain too cockeyed .

Key machine characteristic : Grows up to 9 inch tall with heart - shaped greenish leaf marked by white variegationBasic care : vivid indirect light , moist dirt ; provide high - nitrogen plant intellectual nourishment once per month in give and summertime

5. Dwarf Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum microphyllum‘Little Lady’)

Otherwise notoriously difficult to produce indoors due to their high humidness requirements , maidenhairsdefinitely make good terrarium plants . However , you will want to take a petite cultivar such as this little lady dressed in pale green frilly flounces with contrasting black stems . Avoid spraying its delicate foliage with insecticides , though , as these can be madam - killer !

central characteristics : grow to 1 foot tall with frilly light - green foliage and black stemsBasic care : Filtered Dominicus or lustrous indirect light , moist ground ; put up balanced plant solid food at half strength once per month in spring and summer

6. Lemon Button Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia‘Duffii’)

When asked about her best-loved unsympathetic - terrarium plant , Tovah Martin , generator ofThe New Terrarium , reply that she would like to “ give a shout - out toNephrolepis cordifolia‘Duffii ’ , which I love because this fern remains heavyset and create a marvellous vertical element in a terrarium , plus it loves the high humidness . ” Thislemon button fernalso emits a citrus - like fragrance .

primal characteristics : Grows to 1 foot tall with green , ferny , lemon - odoriferous foliageBasic forethought : Filtered sunlight or undimmed indirect light , dampish soil ; furnish balanced plant intellectual nourishment at one-half strength once per month in spring and summertime

7. Nerve Plant (Fittonia albivenis)

With its oval , morose green leave of absence elaborately veined with white , pink , or ruby , thenerve plantprefers the same humid conditions that ferns do and coexist well with them . That wet will facilitate prevent the fainting fits it throws if let to dry out out . Theplanttypically does n’t mature marvelous than 6 inches but may “ have the nerve ” to circulate double that wide .

Key characteristic : Grows to 6 inches tall and 12 inches wide with ellipse white , pink , or red- veined dark green leavesBasic care : hopeful indirect light , damp soil ; provide balanced flora solid food monthly in spring and summertime

Open-Terrarium Plants

give terrariums“break the glass cap , ” have openings in their tops or sides so that air is take at all times . In them , the crank is chiefly for decorative value since it does n’t hold back as much humidity . subject terrariums typically are establish with shortcacti or succulentssuch as the surveil species , though other small plants that do n’t ask high humidity should work as well . Do n’t include the species below in closed terrariums , which may make them to rot .

1. Air Plant (Tillandsia spp.)

Peculiar works that do n’t require planting , tillandsia rosettes survive on moisture and nutrients absorbed through their gray or gullible folio . You will involve tomist air plantsin a terrarium at times . Martin notes that in an open terrarium , “ Tillandsia xerographicalooks like a curly ocean urchin with eloquent felt leaves . Itneeds no soilwhatsoever and expect dead otherworldly in glass . ” Opt for aseedling sizefor small terrariums .

fundamental characteristics : Grows rosettes up to 8 inches , 2 to 4 inch mellow in others , with white-haired or gray-haired - green leavesBasic care : Bright collateral light , spray with water twice a week ; apply high-pitched - phosphorous atomizer - on plant food at half intensity level once every 2 weeks in leap and summertime

2. Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum‘Burrito’)

Although this trailing succulent with plump silver - green leave of absence spiral around its stems can get to 48 inches , you may keep its tails browse to a more reasonable duration as it dangles over the side of a terrarium plantation owner . Burro ’s taildoes tend to throw away some of those appendages when bumped , so rate it where it is n’t likely to get jostle .

Key characteristics : Grows ( trail ) to 4 human foot with spiraling silver - unripened leavesBasic care : burnished indirect light ; water when dry in summer , less often in winter ; provide balanced plant food once per calendar month in give and summertime

3. Ghost Plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense)

This works derives its spooky name from the light-green - bloodless pallidness of its 3- to 6 - inch rosettes . According toNorth Carolina State Extension , its leaf “ become pink - ting in hot dry atmospheric condition and blueish in partial shade ” when the industrial plant is grown outside . Those same colors appear under either bright or dim conditions indoors . As with many succulents , ghost industrial plant ’s growth slow during its summer hibernating geological period .

primal characteristics : Grows rosettes 3 to 6 inch across with greenish - ashen , pinkish , or aristocratical - tinge leaves ; plant can touch 1 infantry tallBasic care : Full or partial sun , admit to dry out out between waterings ; provide balanced works solid food at one-half strength once per calendar month in outpouring and summer

4. Hen and Chicks (Echeveria spp.)

alike in show to the out-of-door biddy and wench ( Sempervivum spp.),echeveriasproduce plumper , crimson - tinged green rose window 2 to 6 inch across more adapt to a constantly affectionate indoor “ mood , ” making them just plants for terrarium role . pull up stakes a little space around each so that it can produce its “ chicks , ” which are smaller versions of itself .

Key characteristic : Grows red - tinged green rosette 2 to 6 inches acrossBasic care : fond Lord’s Day , moist soil in summer and dryer soil in winter ; provide mellow - phosphorus plant food at half military posture every 2 week from outflow through fall

5. Haworthia (Haworthia spp.)

Among the most undemanding of diminished terrarium plants , haworthiastypically do n’t originate much tall than 3 to 5 inches . Their russet scab of frequently spiky foliage often are decorated with stripes of lily-white tubercles , but haworthias variegate wide in appearance according to mintage . Most , however , can get by on minimum care .

Key characteristics : Grows from 3 to 5 inches improbable , often with blanched - striped little potato of dark-green foliageBasic care : vivid collateral light ; set aside to dry out out between lachrymation and leave balanced houseplant fertilizer at one-half strength once per month in spring and summertime

6. Dwarf Jade Plant (Crassula ovata‘Minima’)

This miniature version of thejade plantgrows relatively tall with time but can be keep cut back to more petite proportions so that it resembles atiny treewith succulent green , often red - edge folio . Those contrast nicely with the more silver foliage of other succulents in a shabu flora terrarium .

Key characteristics : grow to 30 inches improbable and 20 inches blanket with plump , blood-red - border green leavesBasic care : permeate sunlight ; allow to dry out out between lachrymation and supply balanced plant food at half speciality every 2 weeks in natural spring through fall

7. Tiger’s Jaw (Faucaria tigrina)

This plant life grow no taller than 6 inches with a russet scab of green or sometimes orange- or purple - tinct , blanched - spy triangular leave-taking . Those are edged with vertebral column , the soft “ teeth ” of the tiger . Tiger ’s jawsometimes produces 2 - column inch spidery yellow blooms in fall and wintertime when their sunny hues will be most appreciated

Key characteristic : Grows to 6 inches with orange- or purplish - tint triangular and white - spotted immature leave-taking , produces 2 - in spidery yellow flowers in fall and winterBasic aid : fond sun from natural spring through declivity , full sun in wintertime ; moist soil in give and summertime , wry in fall and wintertime ; provide in high spirits - phosphorus plant food once per month from spring through descent

Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners

A potted club moss plant for terrariums on a table.

Photo:SapphireVinevia etsy.com

We ’ll help you localize up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your patio , a raised bottom , or an in - solid ground plot out back — and select the correct plant for your grunge and region .

A potted creeping fig plant for terrariums on a counter.