Terrarium Varieties: Choosing the Ideal One for Your Preference (With Illustrative Examples)
Let's take a dive into the world of terrariums and the wacky, wonderful types you can create!
These days, technology and techniques have taken the art of terrariums to new heights, allowing for a diverse range of creations. But don't let the innovations trick you—terrariums still generally fall into a handful of distinct categories.
Get ready to explore the universe of terrariums and discover which one suits your plant parents skills and cravings!
The Main Types of Terrarium
In essence, there are two primary types of terrariums: open and closed.
Closed terrariums, the more traditional choice, are designed for housing humidity-loving tropical plants. On the other hand, open terrariums are tailored for arid plants like cacti and succulents.
The type of terrarium largely depends on the type of plants you're growing. Every plant has its quirks, so the construction and composition vary accordingly.
Curious to learn more? Let's delve into each category!
The Tropical Closed Terrarium
Ever since the Victorians, I've always admired the ability of terrariums to nurture exotic and rare plant species. For me, the tropical terrarium is where the real fun begins.
In simple terms, a tropical terrarium cultivates tropical plant species. So, what sets them apart? They require high humidity, temperature, and moisture to thrive.
With these conditions in check, you can let your creative flair soar by incorporating good terrarium mosses, lush ferns, and epiphytes (plants that grow on objects out of soil) to create breathtaking landscapes.
While tropical plants may be more challenging to care for than temperate ones, you'll find that the effort is worth the stunning results. I believe every plant lover should give a tropical terrarium a try, even if you have to start with a small moss terrarium.
Interested in more details? Check out my complete guide to closed terrariums!
Open Terrariums: Cacti & Succulent Terrariums
Succulent terrariums are incredibly trendy at the moment—and for good reason!
Despite their chunky, desert appearance, succulents and cacti have become adored by plant enthusiasts around the world.
However, these plants thrive under radically different conditions than those found in a traditional closed terrarium.
Designed to flourish in desert conditions, succulents and cacti will rot shockingly fast in a humid terrarium environment. That's why open terrariums (succulent terrariums and cactus terrariums) are exclusively open, often in dishes and bowls, and require excellent drainage. In essence, they need a terrarium setup that can starve them of water.
Succulents are one of the worst possible plant choices for a standard closed terrarium, but open terrariums, especially those designed for desert-dwelling plants, are the perfect solution.
Want more info? Check out our comprehensive guides on open terrariums and desert terrariums!
Air Plant Terrariums
Honestly, I still wrestle with whether air plant terrariums can even be considered true terrariums.
As the name suggests, air plants acquire water through the air, no soil, gravel, or other terrarium elements needed. They'll generally survive anywhere you put them, so they're great for ornamental terrariums that are more about style than function.
If you're looking for a bulletproof terrarium that you can assemble in 5 minutes and is almost impossible to kill, an air plant terrarium could be perfect for you!
Terrarium "Upgrades"
I call these upgrades because they build upon one or more elements of basic terrariums, often taking them to the next level and offering some truly amazing results.
These terrariums require a higher level of skill and complexity and are in a league of their own.
Bioactive Terrarium
A bioactive terrarium is the purest expression of a self-sustaining ecosystem.
All good terrariums aim to replicate the water cycle or provide effective drainage. Bioactive terrariums push the boundaries by adding microfauna (tiny animals charactristic of a region/habitat) and developing the microbiome (bacteria, fungi, and protozoa).
The natural cycle that bioactive terrariums seek to replicate is decomposition. Most terrariums lack the ability to effectively break down plant material to fertilize the soil and further support the environment.
That's why we typically remove this material ourselves during maintenance. Bioactive terrariums, however, try to create a truly self-sustaining ecosystem that can regulate itself without our interference.
👉 Start up your bioactive terrarium by adding a springtail culture.
Want to learn more? Check out how to make a bioactive terrarium!
Landscape Terrarium
Landscape terrariums fascinate me to no end.
These beauties use terrarium hardscape elements (like rocks and branches) and substrate sculpting techniques to create natural-looking landscapes.
Landscape terrariums are often larger scale than regular terrariums, but they don't have to be. The key element is scale and perspective, as they help recreate a natural environment on a miniature level and make it look... natural.
Expert terrarium artists often use miniature tree-like plants (like Biophytum sensitivum) and experiment with various mosses to create the illusion of grassy plains.
Of course, landscape terrariums still have the challenges of a simple plant terrarium, but they also come with a host of unique hurdles to clear. It's part of the fun, right?
Final Thoughts
Now that you've explored the different types of terrariums, you can identify the perfect one for your skills and interests.
Personally, I can't get enough of landscape terrariums, but I mostly create regular tropical terrariums myself.
curiosity piqued? Let me know in the comments!
If you're hungry for more inspiration, check out our terrarium ideas post!
-A home-and-garden enthusiast might find the tropical closed terrarium particularly intriguing, as it provides an opportunity to cultivate a stunning landscape with exotic plant species.- In the world of home-and-garden projects, opening a new project in home-and-garden space could involve creating an open terrarium, ideal for nurturing arid plants such as cacti and succulents.
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