Authored by Jeremy Kosonic
Bio-Active Terrarium Plant Species | Aquatic & Temperate Plants
Aquatic Plants
Dwarf Baby Tears By Ranjith-chemmad – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
Dwarf Baby Tears or cuba Hemianthus callitrichoides
This plant is Native to Cuba, (H. callitrichoides) (also called “HC” by aquarists) prefers bright light and higher humidity. It does well immersed, especially if planted near a pond or water feature. Given time, and if not trampled, It will form a low growing carpet.
Anubias spp.
Coming from Africa, Anubias spp. are naturally found growing along the water’s edge as well as on waterfalls. Anubias do very well in vivaria once established. There are many species of Anubias, with the smallest, most common species being Anubias barteri var. nana.
Duckweed Lemna minor
Commonly known as “Duckweed”, Lemna minor will grow anywhere there is water. It is virtually bullet-proof and if not “controlled” (if that’s even possible with this plant) it will quickly cover the entire water surface, depriving plants below it of light. Unless you have something that will eat the duckweed, I would advise against using this plant if you want to have any submerged vegetation. It is however a great addition to semi aquatic setups such as those for turtles.
Amazon Sword Echinodorus quadricostatus
Amazon Sword Plants Echinodorus
Found throughout South America, This bog plant prefers medium to bright light. It can be grown both submerged and emersed. Depending on the species, it can grow quite large, so size should be a consideration when planting the water section.
Temperate Plants
Unfortunately, since most temperate plants require a dormancy, it would be a good idea to substitute them for tropical plants that look similar. Unless of course, you are able to cool the entire enclosure to accommodate the need for a dormancy. Some species such as Acer spp., Hedera helix, and Sagina subulata can do well for a few months to a year in tropical conditions, but will eventually melt if not given a dormancy period. These plants are best left for outside enclosures/pits.