Marianne's Response

matt98030’s Question

What are some good plants for a miniature terrarium? I have one terrarium that is not much larger than a 32oz mayonaise jar, and one that is not much larger than a soup can. Both are sealed with a cork stopper.
What would be some good small plants for a terrarium like these?
I have done several small open top terrariums with succulents like Hen-and-Chicks and they worked well, now I want to try some other plants.
I found a story on another site, that listed several plants but only the latin names and I have not been able to find any of them in the south Seattle area.

Posted by Matt Baney on October 4, 2016

Marianne's Response

Tiny plants for tiny terrariums are mostly sold as groundcovers. Look for the dark green \"Baby Tears\" or mint smelling \"Corsican Mint\" or even miniature African Violets and tiny bog plants. The fact that your containers are sealed with a cork stopper means that sedums and succulents will not work because the humidity that will be trapped inside the glass is going to rot any plant that needs good drainage. The place to find these tiny plants is the houseplant section of an independent nursery that has terrarium supplies. Perhaps the easiest terrarium to make with a cork top is to layer in gravel, soil and moss from a tree trunk or stone. Then add a tiny focal point accent, something you cannot kill like a tiny bench or figurine. The moss will stay low but thrive in the high humidity. Other plants, even dwarfs will grow too large for the small space in just a few months. Good Luck and Keep growing, Marianne Binetti