Make your home a beautiful, green space with a tiny garden in a jar—a terrarium! Beyond their aesthetic appeal, studies have shown that interacting with these tiny gardens can significantly boost your mood and alleviate stress.1
There are terrarium-worthy plants that not only thrive in enclosed environments but also create a visually stunning display in your home.
1. African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)
- Appearance: Characterized by fuzzy, oval leaves with vibrant, often purple flowers. Several varieties offer different leaf shapes and flower colors.
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and consistently moist (not soggy) soil. Avoid getting water on the leaves.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its compact size and love of humidity make it a perfect fit for terrariums.
2. Air Plant (Tillandsia spp.)
- Appearance: Air plants come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from spiky to wispy, with colors ranging from green to silver. Some produce colorful blooms.
- Care: No soil required! Mist regularly or soak briefly in water every week or two. Needs good air circulation.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its unique ability to thrive without soil adds a touch of whimsy to any terrarium.
3. Asparagus Fern (Asparagus setaceus)
- Appearance: This plant has delicate, feathery fronds that resemble pine needles and it can become quite sprawling if not pruned.
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its fine texture adds an airy feel to a terrarium, but it may need occasional trimming to keep it contained.
4. Baby’s Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)
- Appearance: Tiny, round leaves form a dense, moss-like mat. Baby’s Tears is a creeping plant that will spread to fill available space.
- Care: Loves moisture and humidity. Prefers bright, indirect light but can tolerate some shade.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Creates a lush, green carpet in a terrarium. Its spreading habit can be an asset or a challenge depending on the desired look.
5. Begonia (Begonia spp.)
- Appearance: Incredible diversity! There are thousands of begonia varieties, each with unique leaf shapes, colors, and textures. Some also have beautiful flowers.
- Care: Most begonias prefer bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy.
- Terrarium-Worthy: With so many types to choose from, there’s a begonia perfect for any terrarium style. The colorful leaves and flowers add vibrant interest.
6. Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium spp.)
- Appearance: These ferns display bright green, wavy, or crinkled fronds that form a rosette resembling a bird’s nest.
- Care: Prefers indirect light and high humidity. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Mist regularly. Avoid wetting the crown (center) of the plant.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its unique shape and love of humidity make it a fantastic focal point in a terrarium.
7. Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila)
- Appearance: Small, heart-shaped leaves that vine and climb create a dense, lush carpet.
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and moderate moisture. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between watering.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its climbing nature adds dimension to a terrarium, creating a beautiful, living wall.
8. Jewel Orchid (Ludisia discolor)
- Appearance: Strikingly veined, velvety leaves grow in deep red, green, or purple hues. Small white or yellow flowers may appear in winter.
- Care: Prefers low to medium light and high humidity. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Water less in winter.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its dramatic foliage adds rich color and texture to a terrarium, even without flowers.
9. Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum spp.)
- Appearance: Maidenhair has delicate, fan-shaped fronds with wiry black stems. Numerous varieties offer different frond shapes and sizes.
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and high humidity. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Mist regularly.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its delicate, airy fronds create a sense of elegance and whimsy in a terrarium.
10. Nerve Plant (Fittonia albivenis)
- Appearance: Small, oval leaves with strikingly colored veins (white, pink, or red) create a netted pattern.
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and high humidity. Keep the soil consistently moist. Mist regularly.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its colorful foliage adds a vibrant pop of color to a terrarium. Its creeping habit helps to fill in gaps and create a lush look.
11. Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
- Appearance: This palm has elegant, slender stems with feathery, dark green fronds and is slow-growing and compact.
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and moderate moisture. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its graceful form and compact size make it a perfect vertical accent in a terrarium.
12. Peacock Plant, Calathea (Geoppertia spp. )
- Appearance: Calatheas have strikingly patterned leaves with vibrant colors and unique markings (stripes, spots, or intricate designs). Some varieties fold their leaves up at night!
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and high humidity. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its bold foliage adds dramatic visual interest to a terrarium. The “prayer plant” movement of some varieties can be fascinating to watch.
13. Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
- Appearance: Small, oval leaves are speckled with vibrant pink, red, or white spots.
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and moderate moisture. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its cheerful, colorful foliage adds a fun pop of color to a terrarium.
14. Prayer Plant (Maranta spp.)
- Appearance: Oval leaves with intricate patterns and colors fold up at night, resembling hands in prayer.
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and high humidity. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its unique leaf movement and striking patterns make it a captivating addition to a terrarium.
15. Spike Moss (Selaginella spp.)
- Appearance: Delicate, moss-like foliage forms creeping or upright mounds. Varies in color from green to bronze.
- Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and high humidity. Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy.
- Terrarium-Worthy: Its lush, textural growth creates a soft, carpet-like effect in a terrarium.
These low-maintenance beauties offer a fulfilling and visually stunning way to bring the joy of nature indoors. Let your creativity bloom as you design your own terrarium, and experience firsthand the calming effects and sheer delight of having a flourishing ecosystem right in your home.
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Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.