Selecting and Utilizing Terrarium Plants: A Guide to Achieving Thriving Terrariums (Setup for Achievement)
Terrarium planting can be a thrilling endeavor, with a vast array of options at your fingertips. But, the type of terrarium you choose will significantly impact your plant selection.
Whether you want an arid or a humid terrarium, there's a plant for you. In this comprehensive guide, we'll help you pick the perfect plants for your DIY terrarium project. Let's dive in!
Choosing Your Terrarium Plants
The essential question you need to answer is simple:
Do you want a humid, closed terrarium or an arid, open terrarium?
Every aspect of your terrarium plants will stem from this crucial distinction. Remember, mixing and matching these two different groups of plants is not advisable.
So, let's break it down, with a few plant ideas for each:
Closed Terrarium Plants
Imagine a miniature rainforest in a glass container. That's what a closed terrarium is: a self-contained ecosystem that mimics tropical conditions. To thrive, you'll need small, slow-growing, humidity-loving tropical plant species.
Some terrarium plant ideas for this type of environment:
- Ferns, such as Sword Ferns, Maidenhair Ferns, and Button Fern
- Foliage like Peperomia, Calathea, Begonia, Pilea, and Jewel Orchids
- Vines such as Selaginella, Ficus pumila, and Syngonium
- Epiphytes like Tillandsia Air Plants, Neoregelia, and Anubias
- Moss like Cushion Moss, Mood Moss, and Hypnum Moss
💡 Looking for moss? You'll find a variety of live terrarium mosses in our store!
Open Terrarium Plants
Open terrariums are a modern twist on the traditional concept. They offer arid plants a chance to shine, with low moisture, good ventilation, and exposed conditions.
Examples of plants that prefer this setting include:
- Succulents such as Echeveria, Haworthia, and Sedum
- Cacti like Hedgehog Cacti (Echinocereus) and Gymnocalycium
💡 Remember, open terrariums do not restrict plants to arid species. They can accommodate houseplants such as Philodendron, English Ivy, Spider Plant, and even Air Plants (Tillandsia bulbosa or Tillandsia Ionantha)!
As with closed terrariums, it's essential to choose species that are small, low-growing, and well-suited to the defined conditions of your container garden.
Parting Words
With careful consideration and the right plant selection, create a terrarium that caters to your unique style, seems, and thriving plant life!
Want to learn more about bringing your terrarium to life? Check out our beginner's DIY Terrarium Guide. Happy planting! 🌱✨💚
- For a humid, closed terrarium, you can consider planting ferns like Sword Ferns, Maidenhair Ferns, and Button Fern, along with foliage plants such as Peperomia, Calathea, Begonia, Pilea, and Jewel Orchids.
- If you prefer an arid, open terrarium, succulents like Echeveria, Haworthia, and Sedum, and cacti like Hedgehog Cacti (Echinocereus) and Gymnocalycium, would be suitable choices.
- live terrarium mosses can be found in our store if you're setting up a closed terrarium that mimics a miniature rainforest.
- Open terrariums can accommodate a variety of plants, including succulents, cacti, houseplants such as Philodendron, English Ivy, Spider Plant, and even Air Plants (Tillandsia bulbosa or Tillandsia Ionantha).
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