For anyone interested in plants for their own or as a gift’s garden, deciding what plants live in a terrarium is an important part of the decision. There is a lot of information out there on what plants grow best in what types of terrariums, and what kinds of plants would be the best to start out with. I have decided to put together a few ideas here that might be useful in making your decision. Hopefully they will give you a better idea as to what terrarium plants are best suited for your situation.
Ferns are well suited to life inside a terrarium. They enjoy the constant moisture and warmth that well-lit terrarium environments offer, and they also tend to form a large amount of the appropriate low light terrarium plants for beginners. Ferns can be used as low-maintenance plants and are very adaptable and grow in a range of different habitats. The most difficult of conditions may be the combination of shade and partial light, which may be achieved by pruning back some of the lower limbs and removing some of the foliage.
Almost all terrestrial terrarium plants are epiphytes. This means that they are not true vascular plants, meaning that they do not provide air support. The epiphyte family contains several hundred species, and almost all of them are available as sold as part of a set of half containers. Many people commonly grow epiphytes along the walls of their aquarium, but other terrarium plants can be successfully brought into a home through more natural means.
Most pothos plants like bright indirect light, but you have to be careful if you have pothos plants like High humidity and Bright indirect light. If you have pothos plants like High humidity and Bright indirect light, then make sure that you keep the terrarium well ventilated, because it will cause the leaves of your pothos plants to wilt. In sunny conditions, you can simply provide extra fluorescent lighting or use an ozone generator with a wide-range bulb to make sure that the leaves don’t turn yellow.
The majority of Cascara and Ephedra vines are epiphytes, but there are some exceptions. The Cascara vine is highly desired by hobbyists for its ability to grow to a great length, and is usually cultivated for ornamental purposes. When grown in a home environment, the vines usually grow horizontally along the base of the aquarium. Many epiphytes will grow horizontally along a vertical surface within a home aquarium, but not all. Most epiphytes prefer a slightly moist soil, and so you should consider planting these in pots, and then placing them into a well-drained, slightly sunny terrarium.
One other group of plants, which are often planted in terrariums are Ferns. Because Forts grow very tall and have long stems, they are susceptible to getting snagged on hanging plants or on the sides of the tank. Many experts recommend avoiding planting fronds with fronds attached and prefer to have them in pots instead. That way the plant can have long stems and the shorter leaves won’t get snagged. Most experts also recommend that you keep the Fronds contained in a humidifier, as it helps to keep the humidity levels in the terrarium up.
Anchid and Orchid leaves can make beautiful plant decorations, but there are many different types of flowers that can do equally well in an open terrarium. The best way to choose the right type of flower is to get a few of them and see what they do. If you like a certain kind of flower, but find that they are not doing too well, you can rearrange the plants until you find what you want. Just remember, though, that most orchids do very well in a closed terrarium.
As you can see, there are several different plants that can be included in a terrarium, if you know what to put in the container. They come in many varieties, both from seedling and from plant stores that sell these plants, and are suitable for almost any size tank. Some plants may need special care, especially if they have roots that run directly into the water, but there are many plants that will do nicely in a basic container. Just remember that you can add decorative accessories to your terrarium, such as rocks, and if you put in a plant which does poorly, it’s not the end of the world.