This is Peperomia caperata ‘Red Luna’. A peperomia with warm orange-red tinted leaves with raised veining and wrinkles that give the leaves another dimension and added interest. There are a wide range of Peperomias plants available. Peperomia caperata ‘Red Luna’ is an adaptable plant that can be grown inside a terrarium or bottle garden or cultivated in the traditional way, as a houseplant grown in a container.
Let me introduce you to Peperomia caperata ‘Schumi Red’. This peperomia’s leaves are an attractive rich maroon colour with deep grooves and wrinkles that give the leaves added depth and texture.
There are so many types of Peperomia available. Peperomia caperata ‘Schumi Red’ is an adaptable plant that can be grown inside a terrarium or bottle garden, but this Peperomia can also be grown in the traditional way, as a potted houseplant.
Asplenium bulbiferum is a very beautiful subtropical fern from New Zealand. I adore the light and airy, carrot top like fronds that Asplenium bulbiferum produces; overall it has a very grateful appearance.
This fern grows as an epiphyte – the ferns grow upon other plants, instead of growing as a terrestrial plant that grows with its roots in the soil. I mount my Asplenium bulbiferum ferns on their own individual pieces of cork bark and gently secure their roots in place with a strip of material cut from an old pair of stockings.
There are various forms of Peperomia caperata plants available to purchase in garden centres and online. Plants have handsome, fleshy leaves with deep set veins and their characteristic wrinkled foliage which adds welcome interest and texture to the home. Leaf colours vary from silver, grey, glaucous blue and green tones, as well as green, red, orange, and variegated forms.
I’ve grown many forms of Peperomia caperata inside my terrariums and bottle gardens, where they usually adapt well and form much loved, long-term residents inside my enclosures.
Peperomia caperata ‘Frost’ is an interesting plant with handsome silver and grey coloured foliage; as you can see from the photograph above, my plant has occasional soft blush coloured tints on it’s leaves and stems. This plant has unusual colouring, making it a superb choice of plant to use as a contrast against other plants and to add a new style or colour to your home.
If you’re a fan of autumnal colours or you’re looking to introduce warmer colour tones to your home, why not invest in a Peperomia caperata ‘Quito’ plant? Peperomia caperata ‘Quito’ leaves display an orangery-red glow, and with their deeply grooved leaves they also add a really interesting texture and contrast to other terrarium plants and houseplants.
Peperomia caperata ‘Quito’ is a very versatile plant, it’s a great choice of plant for a terrarium or bottle garden, but this Peperomia can also be grown in the traditional way, as a potted houseplant.
Platycerium bifurcatum is also know as the Staghorn Fern; this is a stunning evergreen fern that naturally grows as an epiphyte – establishing itself on the trunks and branches of trees in its native environment in the treetops and rainforests of Java, Polynesia, Australia, and Asia. This is a slow-growing, long-lived fern that will enhance your home when grown as a houseplant.
I bought this endearing little plant about ten years ago. For me this is a truly charming terrarium plant. I adore Goeppertia micans leaves; their foliage may appear to be lovely, but fairly ordinary, plain green, narrow leaves, but when you touch this foliage it’s a delightful surprise to discover that these leaves are sumptuously soft! The undersides of every leaf are smooth and silky, they feel like the softest velvet.
I adore Asplenium fissum! I’ve been growing these gorgeous ferns for about seven years now. I really appreciate Asplenium fissum’s miniature size and endearing character and habit; I’m always finding myself admiring this fern’s decorative appearance and elegance. Perfectly sized for terrariums, Asplenium fissum is a miniature fern that won’t grow taller than 20cm tall; most of my plants are smaller than this – many of my Asplenium fissum ferns have grown up to around 15cm tall.
Angraecum leonis is a stunning orchid species that can be found growing in the wild in Madagascar and the Comoros Islands. As is typical of Angraecum species, Angraecum leonis flowers are white in colour and display a very glamorous air and appearance. Angraecum leonis is a miniature to small sized orchid that can vary in size. If you’re considering purchasing this orchid, ensure that a larger growing area can be provided if needed.
Lepanthes aculeata is a mini miniature orchid species that produces bright and cheerful, red, orange and yellow coloured blooms. The flowers arise from the underside of a leaf; as the leaves are fairly upright they actually display Lepanthes aculeata’s flowers rather nicely.
I adore almost all Lepanthes species’ leaves, but I’m especially fond of Lepanthes aculeata’s foliage. These tiny leathery leaves are two toned: the top side of Lepanthes aculeata’s leaf is a lovely leafy-green colour, while the underside of the leaves are coloured in a very handsome tone of mauve and this side has a rougher bristly-looking texture.
Here’s another miniature orchid; this is Andinia schizopogon, an epiphytic orchid species that thrives in cool temperatures and humid growing conditions. In this orchid species’ natural environment, these plants can be found growing in the cloud forests of Ecuador and Peru.
Andinia schizopogon produces rather curious looking mauve-maroon, finely striped flowers that look rather whiskery! Plants can bloom at any time of year, given optimum growing conditions.
Lepanthes matamorosii is a mini miniature orchid species from Costa Rica. This incredible little plant produces brick-red-orange coloured flowers which are astonishingly large in comparison to the size of the plant; they’re very cute!
In the wild, Lepanthes matamorosii can be found growing in regions at around 2750m, in The Cordillera de Talamanca mountain ranges of south-eastern Costa Rica. This is a wonderfully diverse habitat that’s home to a range of plants and wildlife, including oak (Quercus costaricensis and Quercus copeyensis) trees that are endemic to this part of the world.
As the saying goes, ‘good things come in small packages’. To prove this adage, here’s a teeny tiny orchid: Trisetella hoeijeri is an absolute darling of a plant. An impossibly cute, exquisite beauty; I promise that this magnificent orchid will touch your heart, lift your spirits, and make you smile!
Trisetella hoeijeri is a mini miniature, epiphytic orchid species from Ecuador.
If you are partial to green flowers, you’ll love this orchid! Angraecum calceolus is a small-sized orchid species from Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Reunion Islands, and the Seychelles. This plant is larger than many of the orchid species I’ve listed in my various terrarium planting lists. Angraecum calceolus is unlikely to be a compatible choice for glass bottle gardens; a more substantially sized terrarium, vivarium, or orchidarium would be required to comfortably accommodate this orchid and provide a suitable home that will present itself as lasting and sustainable accommodation, as the plant develops and matures.
Maxillaria acutifolia is a small and compact orchid species from: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Leeward Islands, Mexico, Venezula, Trinidad and Tobago. From winter to springtime, mature Maxillaria acutifolia plants produce these very cute yellow-orange coloured flowers, which are fragrant and have a nice scent. The blooms are held low down at the base of the plant, underneath the leaves; however the blooms aren’t completely obscured and the flowers can be easily admired.
Platystele misasiana is a mini miniature orchid species that’s endemic to Colombia. In the wild, Platystele misasiana can be found in forests at around 200m above sea level. These orchids grow in Colombia’s cloud forests, where they enjoy cool, moist, and shady growing conditions.
This is an epiphytic orchid species with a naturally compact and bushy form. I often think of Platystele misasiana as being an orchid with a graceful air and poise, as the plants grow and hold themselves so elegantly.
Stelis tridentata is a miniature orchid species that grows as an epiphyte – instead of growing in the soil – this orchid grows upon other plants. In the wild, Stelis tridentata plants can be found growing upon trees in the rainforests of Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Costa Rica. Stelis tridentata grows in cloud forests, where these plants flourish in this humid environment.
Stelis stevensonii is a lovely miniature orchid species, which is endemic to Ecuador, where these plants grow in forested areas found at about 1600m above sea level.
This orchid species is epiphytic; instead of growing in the soil, in the wild, these plants can be found growing upon the branches of trees. In cultivation, Stelis stevensonii plants can be grown successfully in tiny pots filled with medium or large sized pieces of bark, or alternatively, plants can be mounted onto a piece of cork bark or wood.
Phalaenopsis equestris f. alba is the white flowered form of Phalaneopsis equestris. Many of the orchids I write about are miniature or even mini-miniature sized; however, Phalaenopsis equestris is a small sized orchid species, which forms plants that grow too large in size for this orchid species to be considered for planting inside many terrariums and orchidariums.
