Terrarium Plant Selector by Light & Type
Pick your terrarium type and light level to find plants that will thrive.
| Common | Scientific | Terrarium | Light | Size | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air plant | Tillandsia ionantha | Open | bright | small | No soil needed; needs good airflow so keep in open terrariums and mist weekly. |
| Aluminum plant | Pilea cadierei | Closed | medium | small | Silver-patterned leaves need steady moisture; prune leggy stems to maintain shape. |
| Artillery plant | Pilea microphylla | Closed | medium | small | Fine, ferny texture fills gaps nicely; keep humidity high and soil lightly moist. |
| Baby's tears | Soleirolia soleirolii | Closed | medium | trailing | Spreads quickly as ground cover; trim often to prevent overgrowth in enclosed spaces. |
| Button fern | Pellaea rotundifolia | Closed/Open | low | small | More drought-tolerant than most ferns but still benefits from the humidity of a closed case. |
| Club moss | Lycopodium spp. | Closed | low | small | True moss relative needing near-saturation humidity; ideal for sealed jar terrariums. |
| Creeping fig | Ficus pumila | Closed/Open | medium | trailing | Will climb glass walls; pinch back regularly to keep it from outgrowing the terrarium. |
| Echeveria | Echeveria elegans | Open | bright | small | Requires excellent drainage and dry air; never place in a closed humid terrarium or it will rot. |
| English ivy (dwarf) | Hedera helix 'Duckfoot' | Closed/Open | medium | trailing | Hardy trailing vine; trim regularly to prevent it from dominating a closed terrarium. |
| Haworthia | Haworthia cooperi | Open | medium | small | Prefers gritty, well-drained soil and open ventilation to avoid fungal rot. |
| Jade plant | Crassula ovata | Open | bright | medium | A slow-growing succulent that needs dry conditions and strong light; keep terrarium lid off. |
| Maidenhair fern | Adiantum raddianum | Closed | low | small | Delicate fronds demand constant humidity; a closed terrarium prevents them from crisping. |
| Nerve plant | Fittonia albivenis | Closed | low | small | Loves humidity; wilts fast outside a closed terrarium, keep soil evenly moist. |
| Nerve plant (red vein) | Fittonia albivenis 'Red Vein' | Closed | low | small | Needs high humidity to prevent leaf curling; ideal understory plant beneath taller specimens. |
| Peperomia | Peperomia caperata | Closed/Open | medium | small | Succulent-like leaves tolerate humidity swings; avoid overwatering even in closed setups. |
| Pilea (Chinese money plant) | Pilea peperomioides | Open | bright | medium | Prefers airflow and drier soil between waterings; better suited to open containers. |
| Polka dot plant | Hypoestes phyllostachya | Closed | medium | small | Colorful foliage fades in low humidity; pinch tips to keep compact in enclosed terrariums. |
| Pothos (dwarf) | Epipremnum aureum | Closed/Open | medium | trailing | Very forgiving; let vines trail over the rim but prune to control size in closed containers. |
| Ripple peperomia | Peperomia caperata 'Rosso' | Closed | medium | small | Textured leaves thrive in humid closed setups; avoid soggy soil to prevent stem rot. |
| Sheet moss | Hypnum spp. | Closed | low | small | Mist regularly and keep substrate damp; thrives in the constant humidity of a sealed jar. |
| Spikemoss | Selaginella kraussiana | Closed | low | small | A humidity-loving ground cover; keep substrate consistently moist, never let it dry out. |
| String of pearls | Curio rowleyanus | Open | bright | trailing | Water sparingly; trailing succulent stems rot quickly in enclosed humid environments. |
No match.
General recommendations — actual growth depends on your specific setup, humidity, and airflow.