9 Tiny Plants for Cute Indoor Gardens

Baby Tears

Everything about Soleirolia soleirolii is cute: the common name of baby tears elicits that "aww" reaction, and the myriad of tiny leaves gives character and charm to this easy houseplant. Grow baby tears in a small terrarium or under a glass cloche in bright filtered sunlight to give this small plant the humidity it craves to stay lush.

• Name: Baby's tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)
• Light: Prefers bright, filtered light or artificial lights.
• Mature Size: 4 in. tall, 36 in. wide

String of Pearls

Succulents give us so many interesting leaf forms, including the string of pearls (Curio rowleyanus) which so closely resemble every kid's least favorite veggie (but the plant isn't at all edible).

The plant's unusual leaf form helps it thrive in its native South Africa, where the spherical leaves maximize water retention while minimizing leaf surface area that would result in water loss to evaporation.

String of pearls will trail daintily from a small hanging container in a warm room with filtered light; snip off the pearls as needed to shape and keep in bounds. Note that this plant is toxic to people and pets.

• Name: String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus, formerly Senecio rowleyanus)
• Light: Filtered light, prefers direct morning sunlight and diffused afternoon, sunlight.
• Mature Size: 1-2 ft. tall, 1-2 ft. long

Air Plant

Few plants are as forgiving as those in the Tillandsia genus. These epiphytes or air plants live perched on branches in frost-free environments, taking the moisture they need from the air using specially adapted scales on their spiky leaves.

Mount them on driftwood, arrange them in a basket, or create a soil-free mini terrarium for these mess-free plants. They grow very slowly and need little more than partial sunlight and a weekly dunking in water to stay hydrated.

• Name: Air plant (Tillandsia)
• Light: Bright to medium indirect light.
• Mature Size: 2-12 in. tall

Donkey's Tail

Sedum morganianum is the perfect houseplant for that person who has a bright sunny spot with room for a small trailing or creeping plant. The fleshy, succulent leaves of the donkey's tail are a clue to the drought tolerance of this plant.

Grow donkey's tail in a sandy cactus potting mix to prevent root rot. If you accidentally break off one of the stems, don't discard it because donkey's tail is easy to propagate with cuttings. Let the wound callus over. Then, insert the cut end into some succulent potting soil, and place it in indirect light until roots form.

• Name: Donkey's tail (Sedum morganianum)
• Light: Bright morning sunlight, diffused afternoon sunlight.
• Mature Size: 1–4 ft. long, 1–2 ft. wide

Scotch Moss

A patch of bright green Arenaria verna conjures up notions of garden fairies, gnomes, or any woodland creature who might like to nestle in the ethereal mossy foliage of this low-growing plant.

As a Scotland native, Scotch moss prefers the cool, moist conditions of its homeland. Frequent misting will keep your moss perky and bright. Indirect light from a north-facing window will help to maintain the chartreuse color without scorching the plant.

If your moss produces tiny white flowers, you'll know you've mastered its growing requirements.

• Name: Scotch moss (Arenaria verna)
• Light: Bright indirect light, but avoid low light.
• Mature Size: 1–2 in. tall, 8–10 in. wide

Wooly Thyme

Wherever you need a pick-me-up of aromatherapy, place a container of Thymus pseudolanuginosus. The soft, fuzzy leaves and tiny flowers are so adorable and touchable.

The slow-growing plants only reach an inch in height and creep slowly to form a dense, wooly mat in a full sun container (and may even flower). Water wooly thyme sparingly, when the soil's surface is dry to the touch.

• Name: Woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus)
• Light: Prefers direct, bright light.
• Mature Size: 1/2-1 in. tall, 12 in. wide

Venus Flytrap

Venus flytrap plants are sometimes billed as novelty plants but with a little care, they make the perfect small houseplants. The leaves of Dionaea muscipula, with their teeth-like raspy edges, are equipped with trigger hairs that, when touched twice, snap shut on prey insects like those pesky fruit flies you've been trying to get rid of.

These quirky plants have some equally oddball growing requirements: They do well in a peat moss growing medium, and being sensitive to minerals, need distilled water. Add bright light and cool winter temperatures to ensure a long life for your Venus flytrap.

• Name: Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
• Light: Bright, direct sunlight at least four hours a day.
• Mature Size: 6-12 in. tall, 6-9 in. wide

African Violet

What's old is new again. African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) were the "it" plant for your grandparents, but they are enjoying a resurgence, spurred perhaps by fun and funky new varieties with ruffled or picotee blooms and variegated foliage.

What hasn't changed is the compact size of African violets and their free-flowering nature. These plants prefer tiny pots, which spurs blooming. Keep your African violets moist and pot-bound, give them bright light, and feed them with a balanced flower fertilizer to keep them performing all year.

• Name: African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)
• Light: Bright, indirect light.
• Mature Size: 6-9 in. tall and wide

Purple Shamrock

Purple shamrock (Oxalis triangularis), also known as false shamrock, grows nearly black foliage but the color is a very deep purple. The triangular leaves fold up almost like an umbrella and reopen in the morning. The plant bears tiny flowers that are a white to pale pink or lavender color. Note that purple shamrock (or any shamrock plant) is toxic to animals and people.

• Name: Purple shamrock (Oxalis triangularis)
• Light: Bright light.
• Mature Size: 1/2 in.–1 ft. tall, 1–2 ft. wide