Gardening Houseplants Choosing Houseplants The 12 Best Terrarium Plants to Grow in Your Miniature Garden These small, humidity-loving varieties are perfect for growing in terrariums. By Andrea Beck Andrea Beck Andrea Beck served as garden editor at BHG and her work has appeared on Food & Wine, Martha Stewart, MyRecipes, and more. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on April 3, 2023 Reviewed by Joseph Tychonievich Reviewed by Joseph Tychonievich Joseph Tychonievich is a gardening expert with two decades of work in horticulture, the author of three gardening books, and known for his deep knowledge of the science behind techniques for successful gardening. Learn about BHG's Gardening Review Board Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Michael Partenio A tabletop terrarium is easy to make and care for. The best terrarium plants stay small while offering tons of color and texture. Create your own thriving mini indoor garden with these adorable, humidity-loving selections. 01 of 12 Air Plant Marty Baldwin Although air plants don't need soil, they still make versatile terrarium plants that offer both color and texture. Either set them among other plants in your container, or create a soil-less display exclusively for showing off your air plants. Name: Tillandsia stricta Size: To 8 inches tall and wide 02 of 12 Aquamarine Pilea Marty Baldwin If you examine the leaves up close, you'll see tiny speckles all across the silvery-blue, rounded leaves of Pilea glauca 'Aquamarine.' This terrarium plant loves high humidity and low light. Its low-growing, densely matted, creeping stems create the perfect base for other plants in your terrarium. Name: Pilea glauca 'Aquamarine' Size: To 12 inches tall and wide 03 of 12 Black Mondo Grass Marty Baldwin Familiar to gardeners in Zones 6-9 as a groundcover plant, black mondo grass also makes a pretty terrarium plant. Its dark, strappy leaves lend a moody hue to your mini landscape. Name: Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' Size: To 5 inches tall and 12 inches wide 04 of 12 Dwarf Golden Sweet Flag Marty Baldwin The grassy, golden foliage of tiny Acorus gramineus 'Minimus Aureus' makes a striking addition to terrariums. It can also be grown outside in Zone 5-7, though this perennial plant does best in consistently moist soil. Name: Acorus gramineus 'Minimus Aureus' Size: To 4 inches tall and 6 inches wide 05 of 12 Golden Clubmoss Marty Baldwin Even though golden clubmoss stays compact in height, it likes to spread. Be prepared to do some trimming to keep it from crowding other terrarium plants. The light green foliage has a delicate texture that contrasts beautifully with plants that have bold leaves. In warmer zones, golden clubmoss also can be used in shade gardens as a groundcover. Name: Selaginella kraussiana 'Aurea' Size: To 6 inches tall and 2 feet wide 06 of 12 Moon Valley Friendship Plant Marty Baldwin The delicate patterning and deeply textured craters and valleys give 'Moon Valley' friendship plants a distinctive look. The two-tone green and purplish-red leaves stand out in terrariums dominated by all-green plants. These plants may surprise you with delicate pink flowers, too. Name: Pilea involucrata 'Moon Valley' Size: To 12 inches tall and wide 07 of 12 Mother Fern Marty Baldwin Although mother fern can get about 2 feet tall, it still makes a good terrarium plant when it's small. This graceful, arching, fine-textured fern does best in high humidity. When mature, the fronds produce tiny plantlets that you can replant to make more ferns or replace the original plant if it has outgrown your terrarium. Name: Asplenium bulbiferum Size: To 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide 08 of 12 Nerve Plant Marty Baldwin Turn your terrarium tropical by adding a nerve plant with a netlike pattern on its leaves in silvery white, burgundy, or pink. This pretty little plant thrives in the high humidity of a closed container. If it starts to crowd other plants, trim it back and use the cuttings to start new plants. Name: Fittonia verschaffeltii var. argyroneura Size: To 12 inches tall and wide 09 of 12 Ripple Peperomia Marty Baldwin The textural wrinkles on the heart-shaped leaves of Peperomia caperata make this plant an intriguing addition to terrariums. Plus, it has reddish stems for an extra splash of color. This small, slow-growing plant thrives in the high humidity of a closed system. Name: Peperomia caperata Size: To 6 inches tall and wide 10 of 12 Starfish Plant Marty Baldwin A favorite terrarium plant is Cryptanthus bivittatus, also called starfish plant, a member of the bromeliad family. The straplike leaves almost seem to glow with iridescent stripes, which range from red to maroon, white, and deep green; the plant can also bloom with a tiny white flower in its center. The leaf colors of starfish plant change with the intensity of light, and its slow-growing nature makes it well-suited for a terrarium. Name: Cryptanthus bivittatus Size: To 6 inches tall and wide 11 of 12 Strawberry Begonia Marty Baldwin The name "strawberry begonia" is a little misleading, because this plant isn't actually a begonia or related to strawberries. But the leaves look a bit like begonia foliage, and it sends out runners like strawberry plants do. While strawberry begonia grows quickly, it stays compact enough to fit into most terrariums. Name: Saxifraga stolonifera Size: To 8 inches tall and 6 inches wide 12 of 12 Variegated Spider Fern Marty Baldwin Each glossy, green leaf of variegated spider fern sports a yellow band down the center that distinguishes this easy-care, evergreen fern from other similar-looking plants. If it eventually outgrows your terrarium, you can take it outside and plant it in a shade garden in Zones 6-9. Name: Arachniodes simplicior 'Variegata' Size: To 16 inches tall and wide Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit