One of the big gardening trends at the moment is terrariums and that means terrarium plants. It’s easy to see why. They don’t take up much space; even people without as much as a window box can have a glorious mini garden. They also can look very stylish and yet require minimal care.
So when I was given a terrarium kit by my youngest, Henry, for Christmas, I quickly put down the Quality Street and started reading up on terrarium plants and how to plant them.
Terrariums are a fun and easy way to bring a little slice of nature indoors. Enclosed terrariums, also known as closed terrariums, are completely sealed and create a mini greenhouse environment perfect for raising tropical plants.
The warm, humid conditions inside an enclosed terrarium allow you to grow plants that would normally struggle in the dry air of our homes Choosing the right plants is key to creating a thriving enclosed terrarium garden.
In this article, we’ll cover the 12 best plants that grow well in enclosed terrariums
What to Look for in Enclosed Terrarium Plants
When selecting plants for enclosed terrariums, there are a few key factors to consider:
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Size – Look for small, compact varieties that will fit the terrarium without overcrowding or touching the glass walls. Tall, leggy plants don’t work well.
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Growth rate – Slow growing plants are ideal since they won’t outpace the small space. Avoid fast growers that can quickly overwhelm the terrarium.
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Light needs – Most enclosed terrariums don’t get very bright light, so stick to low and medium light plants.
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Humidity lovers – Plants that naturally thrive in warm, humid environments will flourish in a sealed terrarium. Avoid arid plants like cacti and succulents.
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Foliage interest – Prioritize plants with attractive leaves and foliage since flowers are less common in low light terrariums.
Keeping these factors in mind, let’s look at the top enclosed terrarium plant picks.
1. Nerve Plant (Fittonia albivenis)
The nerve plant is a terrarium staple thanks to its striking foliage. Its leaves are a mosaic of contrasting veins in hues of red, white, pink, and green. Small in stature, nerve plants grow just 4-6 inches tall and spread through trailing stems. They need high humidity levels, making nerve plants a perfect fit for enclosed terrariums.
2. Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila)
With delicate heart-shaped leaves on trailing stems, creeping fig is a popular trailing vine for terrariums. It clings to surfaces with aerial roots as it grows, making it a great option for covering the background and climbing up terrarium walls. Creeping fig thrives in the warm, humid conditions of an enclosed terrarium.
3. Peperomia
With over 1,000 species, peperomia offer endless options for small tropical plants that flourish in terrariums. Many feature intricate leaf patterns and textures. Watermelon peperomia (Peperomia argyreia) and ripple peperomia (Peperomia caperata) are two compact choices that add visual interest.
4. Mosses
No terrarium would be complete without the addition of moss which thrives in the shady, humid environment. Club moss, mood moss, and cushion moss are all suitable choices that will carpet the forest floor of your terrarium.
5. Pilea
Pilea, also known as aluminum plant, is valued for its petite size, spreading habit, and curiosity-invoking leaves. Two top picks are Pilea glauca ‘Aquamarine’ with dainty blue-gray leaves and Pilea depressa ‘Baby Tears’ featuring tiny round leaves on trailing stems.
6. Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)
The prayer plant is named for its unique habit of folding up its leaves at night. The red-veined variety offers vivid green leaves with red stripes that will add a pop of color to your terrarium. Prayer plants appreciate the humidity and indirect light of an enclosed terrarium.
7. Ferns
Delicate ferns are a perfect addition to humid terrariums where they replicate shady forest floor environments. Look for compact varieties like lemon button fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia ‘Duffii’), holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum), and maidenhair fern (Adiantum raddianum).
8. Air Plants (Tillandsia sp.)
Air plants are epiphytes that attach to surfaces and absorb moisture through their leaves instead of roots. They come in intriguing shapes and textures, adding modern flair. Air plants prefer humid environments, so they suit open-style terrariums best.
9. Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
The polka dot plant lives up to its name with brightly colored spots decorating its leaves. Their vibrant pink, white, and red foliage provides a cheerful presence. Their compact size makes them an excellent foreground plant.
10. Cryptanthus (Earth Star)
For a burst of color and texture, add an earth star plant like Cryptanthus bivittatus. Their stiff, broad leaves radiate out in star patterns. Earth stars come in shades of red, purple, pink, and bronze that really stand out.
11. Pothos or Philodendron Vine
Trailing pothos and philodendron vines are quick growing classics, but their large size makes them tricky. Go for dwarf cultivars like ‘Minima’ philodendron or neon pothos to add a trailing element without overtaking your terrarium.
12. Venus Flytrap
For something entirely different, consider adding a carnivorous Venus flytrap plant. They naturally thrive in bog-like environments, so the humidity and moisture of an enclosed terrarium suits them perfectly. Just be sure to occasionally feed their insect appetite.
Caring for Plants in an Enclosed Terrarium
Once you’ve selected plants that meet the criteria above, caring for them in an enclosed terrarium is fairly straightforward. Here are some tips:
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Water minimally – the high humidity generally provides enough moisture.
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Choose a transparent glass container to allow light to filter through.
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Use a shallow layer of pebbles at the bottom for drainage.
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Remove dead leaves and flowers to prevent mold growth.
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Prune back any overgrown plants that outpace the space.
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Open the terrarium occasionally for airflow and to prevent excess moisture.
The right plant choices, combined with proper care, will lead to a thriving enclosed terrarium that brings lush botanicals into your home. With a little trial and error, you’ll be able to create a mini world alive with vibrant tiny plants.
Plants for Closed Terrariums
In theory a closed terrarium can last for years. That’s because you are creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. The warmth from the sun means moisture from the plants evaporates. This condenses on the sides of the container, and runs down the walls back into the soil. Equally while the soil provides initial food to get things going, longer term, debris from the plants as leaves rot, provide ongoing nutrients for the plants.
While this is the theory, and there are examples of terrariums which have survived decades without human interference, my hunch is that it’s probably quite a hit and miss affair. After all, the environment in the glass container can warm up pretty radically if it’s in too much sun. Furthermore, some plants may romp away too much and start dominating things. Other plants may get too humid and rot.
So to give your closed terrarium the best chance of success, you at least want to start out with some plants which work well in such a closed environment. A space with minimal airflow.
My son gave me a terrarium with a cork lid. So I can keep it closed if I want or have it open. I’m still not sure which way I’ll go with it, I’ll probably panic that the whole thing is overheating when it mists up and will chicken out and lift the lid!
But I want to have the option to keep it closed. So I first explored terrarium plants for a closed environment. From my research the consensus seems to be that good, safe options are:
- Ferns
- Moss
- Ivy
- Fittonia
- Syngonium
- Chamaedorea elegans (Parlour Palm)
- Begonia
- African violet
- Asparagus Fern
Let’s look at a few of these…
I was really interested to see that Begonias are so good for closed terrariums. But then again, I guess it makes sense. After all, begonias are tropical plants that thrive in humid environments.
Beyond them being perfectly suited to the environment, the beauty of choosing a Begonia as one of your closed terrarium plants is that they come in a wide variety of colours and sizes. At my garden centre a sweet little variety called Begonia foliage rex caught my eye. But you can get some with variegated leaves, and so forth. I guess the major thing is to check it won’t get too big.
Like the Begonia, the Fittonia (Nerve Plant) loves the high humidity and moderate light conditions of a closed terrarium. Handily it’s compact too, so won’t outgrow its space too quickly.
Although the most popular vein colour is silvery-white, you can also readily find varieties with veins in red, pink, white, and green. So you can create an array of looks with Fittonia and it will work brilliantly with all sorts of other plants.
I’m an absolute sucker for ferns. I have loads of them in the woodland style area of my garden but they’re mostly huge. So knowing I could have a dainty little variety in a terrarium intrigued me. The tiny, frilly leaved Nephrolepis called Fluffy Ruffles absolutely won me over. I also love Asplenium antigum below.
African Violets come from the misty, high-altitude jungles of Tanzania and Kenya. So they bloom and grow better in moist air, something a closed terrarium has in abundance. However, if you are going to put an African Violet in a terrarium, choose a small variety and make sure your plant’s leaves can’t touch the walls. As all that moisture running down the walls, will create mould on the leaves it touches and run down them, like a funnel, and collect at the centre of the plant, rotting it.
Now, a quick caveat here. I’ve read some people saying they haven’t found African Violets very easy to grow in a closed terrarium as they need more air flowing around them. So I’d be tempted to have one in a container which has an easily removed lid, so you can let a bit of air in every now and then.
A Syngonium is quite an ordinary, almost bog-standard houseplant. But in a terrarium I feel it becomes elevated to something a bit more special. I think that’s because its large leaves catch the eye as its greenery thickens over time. Syngoniums are a great plant to use in a terrarium because they grow upwards rather than out – they don’t bully other plants in the confined space. I’ve read that they’re happy in both closed and open terrariums – so are top terrarium plants in my book.
Confession time…I hate spider plants. I think it’s because I associate them with all those endless baby spider plants you end up with and which no one wants. However, I believe they’re pretty good closed terrarium plants and this variety (laxum) has lovely contrasty leaves with a white stripe around the edge of lush green leaves.
Terrarium Plants with Height – Parlour Palm
Looking at the most effectively planted terrariums, you want to have one plant which gives things a bit of height. That’s where a very small Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) comes in. It’s very easy to care for (the dream as far as I’m concerned) and it looks a bit like a mini tree when used in a terrarium.
15 Best Plants for Closed Terrariums
FAQ
What plants are good for closed terrariums?
- Ferns
- Moss
- Ivy
- Fittonia
- Syngonium
- Chamaedorea elegans (Parlour Palm)
- Begonia
- African violet
What plants should not be in a terrarium?
Don’t use plants that like an arid climate if you are using a closed glass container. Plants to avoid include cactus, succulents, air plants (tillandsias), herbs and alpines.
What are the disadvantages of a closed terrarium?
Tammy Sons says ‘The drawback of a sealed terrarium is the risk of mold or rot, especially if they’re overwatered‘. It’s easy to overwater these terrariums because they hold moisture forever – if you add too much at the start, none of it will be lost to evaporation. Closed terrariums fog up.