Captivating, Miniature Fern Specimens (Guaranteed to Win You Over)
In the world of terrarium gardening, ferns have become a popular choice due to their compact size, slow growth, and ability to thrive in high humidity and indirect light. These enchanting plants come in a variety of textures, shapes, and colours, adding a touch of elegance to any terrarium.
One such fern is the Button Fern (Pellaea rotundifolia), with its long fronds filled with round emerald leaves. Another contender is the Small epiphytic creeping fern, Pyrrosia nummularifolia, often overlooked but thriving in the moist and humid conditions of a tropical terrarium.
Trichomanes Javanicum, also known as the Borneo Fern, is a terrarium favourite. Its delicate foliage thrives in high humidity (60-70%) and low to medium light, making it ideal for enclosed environments. Resurrection Ferns (Pleopeltis polypodioides) are compact ferns with fronds about 4-6 inches long. They grow slowly and love humidity, which makes them perfect for terrariums.
The Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus), while it can get larger outdoors, indoors it remains relatively small (around 2 feet tall and wide). It prefers warm, humid environments with medium to bright indirect light, typical conditions in many terrariums. Nephrolepis, or the Boston Fern, is commonly used in terrariums and thrives in humid conditions.
For those seeking something unique, Platycerium (Elk Fern) with its antler-shaped fronds is a suitable option. These ferns need high humidity and indirect light, but their distinctive appearance makes them a worthwhile addition to any terrarium.
The Lemon Button Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia 'Duffii') is a versatile fern suitable for terrariums and small potted spaces. The Mini Asian Water Fern (Bolbitis heteroclita 'Difformis') is a semi-aquatic plant, typically used in aquascapes but suitable for tropical terrariums.
The Heart Fern (Hemionitis arifolia) is a compact fern with beautiful leaves that can grow reasonably large over time. It requires high humidity to thrive and can be pruned to remove tall stems that may grow. The Fluffy Ruffles Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Fluffy Ruffles') is a miniature terrestrial fern, maxing out at 12 inches tall. Lastly, the Eyelash Fern (Actiniopteris australis) is a tiny terrestrial fern species with delicate fronds that fan out like eyelashes, growing in clusters to stay compact.
Humata heterophylla can grow terrestrially or as an epiphyte in a tropical terrarium. It's an unusual and beautiful fern that produces leaf-like fronds along a stiff winding stem.
In summary, when choosing ferns for terrariums, it's essential to consider their size, growth rate, and suitability for high humidity, indirect light, and moist but well-drained soil conditions. These choices offer a variety of textures and forms well-suited to the enclosed, humid environment of terrariums. Happy gardening!
Home-and-garden enthusiasts looking to add a touch of greenery to their lifestyle may find terrarium gardening an appealing option. Besides the popular choices of Button Fern (Pellaea rotundifolia) and Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus), there are other unique ferns suitable for terrariums, such as the humidity-loving Heart Fern (Hemionitis arifolia) and the compact Eyelash Fern (Actiniopteris australis).
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