Terrarium Plants for Shade

Ferns

• Ferns are a good choice for a terrarium in shade. Many kinds of ferns require little or no sunlight, and they can add texture and interest to any indoor plant arrangement. Holly ferns have dark, glossy leaves and require minimal sunlight, but they can grow to 2 feet tall, making them suitable for a large terrarium but not a small terrarium. Shorter varieties that require partial shade include cretan brake fern, sword brake fern and crested spider brake fern. They typically grow no taller than 1 foot and often reach only about 6 inches in height.

Other Non-Flowering Plants

• Adding other non-flowering plants can enhance the variety in your shade terrarium. Examples include ivies and mosses, which provide texture in a collection of houseplants and can help fill space in a large terrarium. You could use flowering mosses and ivies if you prefer. Peperomias are another non-flowering plant option. They are decorative, tropical houseplants with leaves that boast a variety of sizes, colors and shapes. Some have leaves that are solid green while others feature marbled leaves; their leaves also may be outlined in colors such as yellow, white and red. Common types of peperomias include emerald ripple, pepper face and trailing.

Flowering Plants

• Many flowering houseplants are small and compact, making them ideal for all sizes of terrariums. They can add a touch of color and brighten the standard greens and browns of plants. African violets are suitable for shade terrariums because they need some sunlight, but it does not have to be direct sunlight. They produce small flowers in bunches above their leaves, and their flower colors range from fuchsia to white. Begonias are another option; their white or pink flowers bloom throughout the year. Brass buttons, which typically do not grow more than 2 inches tall, have fernlike leaves and produce tiny yellow flowers.

Growing Tips

• Ensuring the growth of terrarium shade plants requires placing the container near a window but away from direct sunlight. Certain plant soil is specially formulated for terrariums, but you could make you own from a mixture of pebbles and charcoal. Terrarium plants need water about once each week. Don’t give them food, or fertilizer, however, if your goal is to keep the plants small. Pinching off dead flowers and pruning plants that become too tall keeps a terrarium neat and tidy.