What are the basic 'mini' plants?

I need some sort of list of the best plants to use in a terrarium. I'm thinking that I need mini plants that do not get too big to outgrow the terrarium. What would you all suggest?

Jesse

This small groundcover I have pictured that I believe is some member of the sedum family, tahitian bridal veil, wandering jew, smaller leaved begonia....?????? Deb

What a fab question....I will keep my eye on this as well...I love mini's but then in the same thought I love the real big ones....trying to pick a fav plant is hard and I can't do it....

But will keep keep checking back here,


Char

Deb,

I am thinking that is what I "thought" was a jelly bean plant...however i can be wrong..i have just like it and the tips are red.

Char

This is what it looks like in my flower bed....stays green even under the snow.....I keep a tiny stone planter with it growing in it....Deb

Deb,

I just went to look for mine...and surprise could not find it...it is somewhere around the house...I have over a hundred plants scattered about my one story house....so i will look for it tomorrow and see if it is the same one.
In that pic you posted in your flower bed is that recently or in the summer? Cause i always thought that they needed to be in for the winter...


Char

The picture is very recent and after alot of snow....it's on the north side of the house so the snow doesn't hit it much but the weather is just as cold there as anywhere else and it just keeps growing along.....I do think I know what plant you are thinking about....this fella's leaves are really small and more oblong rather than the chubby round of the plant you're thinking of. This came along as a volunteer when one of my friends gave me some Lily of the Valley pips.....it would be a good candidate for a terrarium, tho....I have millions of starts..........Deb

Oh Wow, I have been wanting to get some Lily of the Valley. It is one of my friends' favorite flowers and they keep asking me if I'm growing any yet. Where did you get it from and how can I get some?

Jesse

One of my girlfriends here in Orofino....Last spring I went over to dig some peony's she was giving me and here she has this huge area covered over with wet cardboard trying to kill all her lily of the valley....I almost passed out.....I got a bunch & put in the north bed that this groundcover is in but none has come up yet....I will check with her & see if she has pips I could dig & send you......I will let you know tomorrow.....Deb

thanks Depsi

Jesse

These were all white.....no pinks...just the regular old fashioned Lily of the Valley....with the smell of Heaven.....as soon as I hear from her I'll dmail you....Deb.

There are a number of miniatures in many, many plant families. Are you planning a tropical garden? I like the small peperomias myself, especially the one that has a deep green rippled leaf.

There are several very small leaved members of the wandering jew family that would adapt well. However, you would have to prune those from time to time. There are some small ferns that you might like for a different texture. I like Pteris cretica, not a true mini but light, airy and tough as nails. Begonia is another genus that has lots of minis that would give you both bloom and leaf color. The earth star bromes offer good leaf color and interesting shape. Look for selaginellas that have iridescent foliage (peacock fern).

The white ones are what I want. That is what my friend's mother used to plant. So white will be great.

Jesse

I see Fittonia all the time in terrariums.....they surely propagate easily....here is one that rooted in 3 weeks and is sitting on the outside now.....then I will show you a different kind of leaf for a Fittonia.... I think that any plant which loves high humidity does well in a terrarium setting...

this one tends to have a long almost serrated leaf. Lowe's also had some that had more white than green in them....have fun!!!

I had both of those 2 Fittonias in my last terrarium plus one other kind. It was great and then one day the whole terrarium started dying. I still have not figured out why yet. The only thing that I can think of is that some fungus gnats got down into the soil and ate the roots. I will not know until I dump it out what really killed everything.But I will take it way outside away from all of my plants and my greenhouse to dump it to make sure that none of them get close to my healthy plants.

Jesse

Jesse,Check out these I found at Rob's
http://www.robsviolet.com/miniature_houseplants.htm

They have alot of tiny ones that I think would be perfect for a terrarium.
Nancy

Jesse: Here's a link to a site that lists different plants suitable for terrariums!

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/terrarium~plants.html

Lin,That is a great site! : )

Isn't it? I like that it gives tells the height and light requirements for the different plants!



edited to say: I think the entire site has some great information on gardening and all kinds of plants!

This message was edited Feb 24, 2007 6:43 PM

Here is a nice mini crown of thorns, but, not suitable for terraiums.

The gardenhelper site is good but it lists Venus flytraps as a terrarium plant and it's not. It needs winter dormancy. These are NOT indoor plants by any means.

Tom