Table of Contents
- Benefits of Terrariums
- 6 Terrarium Plants You Will Love
- Terrarium Plants You’ll Love – The Wrap-up
- FAQ
The term terrarium derives from the Latin word terra, which means earth, and atrium, which means place. It is a place for the earth. That is the perfect definition of a terrarium. A terrarium is a creative and unique way to have a garden right in the middle of your home. Even if you live in Alaska, with a terrarium, you will be able to have plants that can only be found in tropical areas.
Terrariums are fully functional ecosystems that can water themselves through humidity and condensation. There are both closed and open terrariums. Open terrariums are for drier plants like succulents, whereas a closed terrarium is better for plants who need a humid environment. Terrariums were first discovered in the 1800s by Dr. Nathaniel Bradshaw, a botanist who made the discovery by accident. Terrariums became very popular during the Victorian era and had a resurgence of popularity during the 1970s. Today, terrariums are coming back into style. There are many options for terrarium plants that you can undoubtedly find the one you love.
Benefits of Terrariums
- Terrariums are a great decorative item to have in your home. They add to the overall feeling of the room. Besides looking pretty, there are many other benefits a terrarium can bring into your life.
- Terrariums are a very low-maintenance way to garden inside your own home. They require very little care and maintenance, making them a perfect choice for those who want a plant but don’t have the time to commit to taking care of it.
- This is a real-life mini garden perfect for people who live in an apartment or the city. Although it is tiny, it gives people a sense of purpose to care for something. You might even be able to grow small fruit.
- Those living in colder climates can grow tropical plants inside their own homes. The dry air inside makes it hard to grow tropical plants, but it’s effortless to do with a terrarium.
- Indoor plants are known to aid in stress and anxiety relief for people who are around them. Studies have shown that indoor plants can increase energy levels and reduce stress and anger levels. They are even known to aid in recovery, digestion, and productivity.
- You don’t have to worry if your plants are perennials or annuals because plants inside a terrarium stay alive all year long! They even grow during the winter months, so there is no need to take a break in gardening.
- Having a terrarium in your home is a great learning experience for children and adults alike! It is a full-functioning ecosystem right in front of you! A terrarium can show you how the growth and water cycle work.
- You can make a terrarium into anything. There are terrariums made from bookcases, shelves, light bulbs, mason jars, and even necklaces. If you are a creative person, designing a terrarium can bring you hours of fun.
6 Terrarium Plants You Will Love
The Moon Valley Friendship Plant
Moon Valley Friendship plants, also known by the scientific name Pilea involucrata, are comfortable in a terrarium, a pot, or hanging from the ceiling. The Moon Valley Friendship plants thrive in high humid climates, which is why it is one of the best plants for a terrarium. If you plan to use these plants in your terrarium, keep them away from harsh and direct sunlight. They also prefer moist but drained soil. The Moon Valley Friendship plant is durable and easy to grow. They have been known to grow up to 12 inches wide and 12 inches tall!
The Earth Star Plant
The Earth Star plant, or Cryptanthus bivittatus, is a stunning and unusual plant, but it is a trendy plant to have in a terrarium because of how pretty it is to look at. Native to the rainforests of Brazil, the Earth Star plant needs a humid environment to grow, hence why it grows in a terrarium. The Earth Star plant is easy to maintain and does best when it receives bright but indirect sunlight. If you are watering this plant, never pour water directly into the middle of the flower. Mildew and fungus can form because of the water that gets trapped under the leaves.
Moss
Moss is a bryophyte. A bryophyte produces spores instead of seeds. Moss also does not have roots. A spore spreads through asexual reproduction, and once the spore is created, it is released into the world to live its life. Add rocks and stone to your terrarium before growing moss to give the terrarium a look of an indoor forest. Put moss into the terrarium over the larger stones. You can find moss in any wooded area around your home. It requires no fertilizer and very little care in general aside from the daily sunlight needs. You can also use a fluorescent lamp to grow moss by adjusting the light to be about a foot over the terrarium.
The Strawberry Begonia
Also known as Saxifraga Stolonifera, the Strawberry Begonia is a terrarium plant you will love. This small plant does not grow over 8 inches, making it the perfect plant for any terrarium. When you plant your strawberry begonias, you want to make sure you are using indoor potting soil. Strawberry begonias need bright but indirect light to grow. If they are placed in direct sunlight, the leaves can get burned. If the leaves are beginning to look dry and brittle, that means the air is too dry, and the strawberry begonias will need more humidity in the terrarium.
Bonsai Trees
Bonsai trees, relatively small and native to China, have been very favored nowadays. Although bonsai trees can grow in a terrarium, only certain bonsai trees can thrive in one. Some of the best bonsai trees to add to a terrarium are the Ficus tree, the Water Jasmine tree, and the Bald cypress tree. The Ficus tree comes from Southwest Asia and is one of the most popular Bonsai trees to keep inside a terrarium. The Bald cypress tree comes from the swamps of Louisiana and Florida, meaning the humidity and hot temperatures in the terrarium are perfect for it. The Water Jasmine tree comes from Southeast Asia and blooms beautiful flowers.
Venus Flytrap
The scientific name for the Venus flytrap is Dionaea muscipula. Venus flytraps have a sweet-smelling liquid in them that attracts flies. Once the fly enters the lobes of the plant, its hair-like sensors will go off to close the lobe, and the Venus flytrap then digests the fly. A Venus flytrap can be placed in either a closed or open terrarium. If in a closed terrarium, be careful of the plant getting overly humid. If monitored correctly, a Venus flytrap can thrive in a terrarium.
Terrarium Plants You’ll Love – The Wrap-up
There are so many things you can do with a terrarium. If you are a parent or a teacher, you can create one with a child to teach them about ecosystems and the water cycle. You can make a terrarium out of jewelry to wear or give as a gift to a loved one. No matter what you decide to do with your terrarium, you will have a beautiful, tiny ecosystem to care for and love! If choosing a plant for an open-air terrarium, you will need to monitor it more often than if you were to select a plant for a closed terrarium.
FAQ
The plant emits a sweet-smelling liquid that attracts flies. When the fly gets close, the plant is triggered by its hair-like sensors and quickly closes its lobes, proceeding to eat the fly.
The 3 types of Bonsai trees are the Ficus tree, Water Jasmine tree, and the Bald Cypress tree. These Bonsai trees typically grow in humid environments. The Ficus tree grows in Southwest Asia, the Water Jasmine is native to Southeast Asia, and the Bald cypress comes from Louisiana and Florida.
Most of the plants listed should have high humid environments. All the plants listed in this article would do well in enclosed terrariums with access to bright indirect sunlight.
Studies have shown that indoor plants have the purpose of reducing levels of stress and anger as well as having a significant improvement in energy. They are also known to help with recovery, productivity, and digestion.
Open Terrariums are for plants that require direct light and a drier environment, such as succulents. Closed Terrariums are for plants that need a more humid climate and require indirect sunlight, such as ferns and moss.
