Terrarium Plants for Shadowed Areas

Foliage Plants

• The bird's nest sansevieria (Sansevieria trifasciata hahnii) grows from 3 to 6 inches tall. This shade-tolerant evergreen has variegated dark-green and light-green foliage. Bird's nest sansevierias thrive in partially shaded sites and well drained soils. The Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema spp.) also grows up to 6 inches tall. This evergreen has broadly oval, white-variegated and green-variegated leaves. It thrives in warm temperatures and low light and tolerates pruning. The spider or airplane plant (Chlorophytum comosum "Vittatum") grows well in low light and warm temperatures. It has arching, narrow, sword-shaped foliage in shades of white, green and yellow variegation. Spider plants propagate prolifically through their runners.

Ferns and Mosses

• Several species of spore-producing plants can thrive in shaded terrariums and are good choices for enclosed, high-humidity environments. These include the maidenhair fern (Adiantum spp.), a delicate species with feathery, evergreen foliage. Maidenhair ferns grow from 2 to 3 feet tall in their natural habitats, through terrarium enclosure prevents them from reaching full size. These native ferns prefer shade and rich, moist, well drained soil. Irish moss (Selaginella spp.) grows well in terrariums. This moss, which grows 1 to 3 inches tall, thrives in shady, wet sites. It has tough, dark-green to light-green foliage and prefers fertile soil rich in organic matter.

Flowering Plants

• Add color to the shady corners of your terrarium with flowering plants. Shade-tolerant, low-growing varieties include sweet violets (Violata odorota). These tiny perennials grow to 6 inches tall and bloom in spring with white and purple blossoms. They grow well in moist, fertile soil amended with organic compost or sphagnum peat moss. Pink Panda wild strawberry (Fragaria "Pink Panda") produces pink flowers from spring through fall. This ground cover grows from 2 to 6 inches tall and has lustrous, dark foliage that grows in clusters of three. Wild strawberry grows well in partial shade and fertile, well drained soil.

Woody Plants

• Woody plants grow best in open terrariums. Though these shrub-like species can grow up to a few feet tall outdoors, when pruned regularly and planted in a confined space they will grow as dwarf plants. Shade-tolerant woody plants include Japanese pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira), an evergreen shrub that grows well in containers. This slow-growing, sub-tropical plant prefers well drained, fertile soil and partial shade. It has small, tough and glossy foliage. Another shrub, the podocarpus (Podocarpus spp.), also grows well in open terrariums. These evergreens have dark, lustrous, needle-like foliage that grows in a spiral form. They grow well in partial to full shade and prefer well drained soil. Some species produce catkins or edible, purple-red fruit.