The plants in our homes filter the air, increase humidity, and bring a little bit of nature into our home. Not everyone has the space to grow a fiddle-leaf fig or areca palm inside.
These cute plants can be grown in a teacup or on a shelf. They are also great for adding greenery to any area. The cuteness of each plant is enough to make it stand out, but the variety can create a beautiful miniature landscape or window sill garden.
Tiny Plants List
01
Baby Tears
Small, hanging baby tears Plant
The Spruce by Leticia Almeida
Soleirolia solirolii has a lot of charm: its common name, baby tears, evokes an “aww”, and the multitude of small leaves give this houseplant character and charm. Grow baby tears under a glass cover or in a terrarium to provide the humidity this plant needs to remain lush.
02
String of Pearls
Potted String of Pearls
The Spruce by Kara Riley
Senecio succulents have many different leaf shapes, such as the S. rowleyanus string of pearls, which closely resembles every child’s least favourite vegetable (but is not edible).
Its unique leaf shape helps the plant thrive in South Africa. The spherical leaf shapes maximize water retention and minimize leaf surface area, which would otherwise result in water loss through evaporation.
A string of pearls will trail delicately from a small container with filtered lighting in a warm, cosy room. Cut the pearls to size and shape as required.
03
air plants
The Spruce by Kori Livingston
Tillandsia is a forgiving plant. These epiphytes, or air plants, live on branches in frost free environments. They take the moisture they require from the air by using scales specially adapted on their spikey leaves.
You can mount them on driftwood or arrange them in a small basket. Or, you can create a mini-terrarium without soil for these plants. The plants grow slowly and require only partial sunlight, and weekly soakings in water.
04
Donkey’s tail
donkeys tail succulent
The Spruce by Leticia Almeida
The Sedum Morganianum is a great houseplant for someone who has a sunny area that can accommodate a small creeping or trailing plant. Donkey’s Tail has succulent, fleshy leaves that indicate its drought tolerance.
To prevent root rot, you should plant donkey’stail in a cactus pot mix that is sandy. Don’t throw away a stem that you have accidentally broken. You can easily propagate donkey’stail by cuttings. Insert the cut end in some soil and keep it under a transparent enclosure until roots form.
05
Scotch Moss
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The ethereal, mossy leaves of the one-inch Sagina subulata ‘Aurea’ plant conjure up images of woodland creatures such as garden fairies or gnomes.
Scotch Moss is a native of Scotland and prefers cool, moist climates. Your moss will stay bright and vibrant with frequent misting. The indirect light coming from a window facing north will maintain the chartreuse colour without burning the plant.
You’ll know that you have mastered the growing conditions of moss if it produces small white flowers.
06
Wooly Thyme
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Place a container filled with Thymus pseudolanuginosus wherever you want to feel the aromatherapy. The soft, fluffy leaves are touchable and release an aromatic burst with each pinch.
Slow-growing plants reach only three inches high and form a dense mat of wool in a container in full sun (and they may even bloom). When the soil surface feels dry, water the wooly thyme sparingly.
07
Venus Fly Trap
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Venus flytraps are often marketed as novelty plants for children, but they can make excellent small houseplants with some care. Dionaea mucipula leaves have teeth-like edges and trigger hairs. When touched twice, these hairs snap shut, killing insects such as those annoying fruit flies.
The quirky plants also have some quirky requirements. They grow well in peat moss and, because they are sensitive to minerals, require distilled water. Venus flytraps will live longer if you give them bright light in winter and keep the temperatures cool.
08
African Violets
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It’s not old news anymore. African violets, or Saintpaulia, were once the “it” plants for your grandparents. But they’re enjoying a revival, perhaps due to funky, new varieties that have ruffled, picotee, and variegated leaves.
The compact size and free-flowering nature of African violets have not changed. This plant likes small pots which encourages it to bloom. Keep your African Violets in a pot, moist, with bright light. Feed them with balanced flower fertilizer all year.
09
Purple Shamrock
Potted oxalis
The Spruce by Kara Riley
Oxalis is a genus that contains over a hundred species of clover, some of them weeds and others highly ornamental. Around St. Patrick’s Day, garden shops are filled with burgundy and red cultivars that produce white or yellow flowers.
In containers that are kept on the dry side, plants grow to six-inch height and eight-inch width.
