Terrarium Guide: ideal plants, common mistakes, and suitable substrate
Tropical terrariums are not just decorative elements, but true micro-ecosystems. For them to thrive over time, it's not enough to simply insert "beautiful plants": you need specific terrarium plants that can live in enclosed environments with high humidity, limited space, and indirect light.
In this guide, you'll discover which tropical plants are best for terrariums, why they are suitable, and how to choose the right species to create a healthy, stable, and spectacular terrarium!
What is meant by terrarium plants
When we talk about terrarium plants, we mean tropical species that naturally live on the forest floor: humid, poorly ventilated environments with filtered light and constantly moist soils.
Unlike common houseplants, terrarium plants:
- Tolerate very high humidity
- Grow slowly
- Remain more or less compact
- Do not like direct sun
- Adapt to confined spaces
They are therefore perfect for closed terrariums, humid terrariums, and glass ecosystems.
Ideal characteristics of terrarium plants
Not all tropical plants are suitable for living in a terrarium. The best terrarium plants possess some fundamental characteristics:
Humidity lovers → the terrarium naturally creates condensation.
Slow growth → to avoid continuous pruning.
Small size → so as not to suffocate the ecosystem.
Medium-low light requirements → perfect for indoor environments.
If a plant loves direct sun, large pots, or doesn't tolerate waterlogging... it's not a terrarium plant.
The best tropical plants for terrariums
Here you will find a selection of perfect plants for tropical terrariums, ideal for both beginners and experienced plant lovers.
🌿 Fittonia – The queen of humid terrariums
The Fittonia is probably the most loved and chosen plant for composing terrariums, and it's no coincidence. It loves high humidity, remains compact, and provides incredibly decorative and colorful leaves.
Main characteristics:
- Limited growth
- Thin leaves
- Suffers immediately from dry air (therefore perfect indoors!)
👉 Ideal as a "base" plant for almost any tropical terrarium.
🌿 Macodes petola – The jewel orchid for terrariums
The Macodes petola is a jewel orchid famous for its golden veins. In nature, it grows on the floor of tropical forests: exactly the environment that a terrarium recreates.
Main characteristics:
- Loves high humidity
- Does not tolerate dry air
- Slow growth
- Very high ornamental value
👉 One of the best prized plants for tropical terrariums.
🌿 Gynura aurantiaca – Purple contrast for tropical terrariums
The Gynura aurantiaca immediately strikes with its velvety purple leaves. In a terrarium, it creates a strong contrast with classic green.
Main characteristics:
- Loves constant humidity
- Diffused light
- Controllable growth (small pruning can be done regularly).
👉 Excellent for adding character and visual depth to the terrarium.
🌿 Ficus pumila – The ideal climbing plant for terrariums
The Ficus pumila is a climbing and groundcover plant perfect for creating living backgrounds inside the terrarium. Over time, it will tend to "attach" its roots to available surfaces.
Perfect for:
- Covering walls
- Creating a "jungle effect"
- Vertical terrariums
Main characteristics:
- Small leaves
- Modulable growth
- Excellent in high humidity environments
👉 Ideal for visually connecting all the plants in the terrarium.
Which plants are suitable for terrariums
Below is a list of some species that can be used inside terrariums:
- Fittonia
- Macodes petola
- Ferns (Hemionitis Arifolia, Asparagus Setaceus, Phlebodium, Pteris etc.)
- Mini Begonias
- Ficus Pumila
- Pilea Peperomioides
⚠️ Common mistakes in choosing terrarium plants
- Using houseplants not suitable for tolerating high humidity
- Inserting plants of excessive size that grow quickly and are difficult to control
- Exposing the terrarium to direct sun
- Using a non-draining substrate
And finally, a terrarium only works if all plants have similar needs.
How to choose the right plants for your terrarium
Before buying plants for your terrarium, ask yourself:
- How much light does it receive?
- How much space do I actually have?
The ideal substrate for a terrarium: Terrarium Mix
When creating a terrarium, the choice of substrate is essential to ensure stability, balanced humidity, and plant health over time. For this reason, it is important to use a specific mix, designed to recreate a true micro-ecosystem.
The Terrarium Mix is a substrate specially formulated for closed, semi-closed, and open terrariums, where humidity control and environmental balance are essential for the growth of tropical plants.
Its composition combines various natural materials: fine coconut fiber, potting soil, pumice, perlite, worm humus, and activated charcoal. This mixture perfectly balances water retention and drainage, allowing the soil to hold water and release it gradually without creating dangerous waterlogging.
Thanks to this structure, the Terrarium Mix helps to:
- Retain water and release it slowly
- Maintain a stable humidity level over time
- Reduce the need for frequent interventions and watering
- Reduce mold formation, ensuring balance
A particularly important element of the substrate is the presence of activated charcoal, which plays an essential role in keeping the terrarium healthy and balanced. The charcoal helps absorb toxins, impurities, and organic residues, limiting the development of mold and rot.
This contributes to improving root system health and keeping the terrarium clean, stable, and biologically balanced, creating the ideal environment for ferns, fittonias, mosses, and other tropical plants perfect for terrarium cultivation.