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The bottle garden is an ideal way to cultivate exotic plants. Planting in a glass is particularly suitable for plants from the (sub)tropics and moor areas.

In a nutshell

  • mainly suitable for bottle gardens: miniature specimens of orchids, ferns, mosses and succulents
  • Bottle garden for moisture loving plants
  • Bottle garden for less watering effort
  • should be slow growing varieties

Definition bottle garden

This type of garden is about planting plants in a glass, which gives them optimal growth conditions in local areas in the form of permanent and relatively high humidity. Whether individual glasses in the conservatory, on the windowsill or an entire "garden" on the balcony/terrace, glass cultivation offers many possibilities.

Notice: As a rule, plants in sealed jars only need to be watered every three to six months. If the closure is a cork, more moisture will escape, requiring more frequent watering.

Suitable plants for the bottle garden

A to H

Aerangis citrata

Source: 阿橋 HQ, 船型蘭屬 Aerangis citrata -香港沙田洋蘭展 Shatin Orchid Show, Hong Kong- (9226998127), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
  • orchid
  • Growth: hanging panicles
  • Growth height: 10 centimeters
  • Flowers: white, between winter and spring
  • periwinkle
  • Location: semi-shady, shady
  • Hardy: no

Notice: All of the examples of plants suitable for the bottle garden listed here are evergreen plants.

Aerangis luteoalba 'rhodosticta'

Source: Orchi, Aerangis luteoalba var. rhodosticta Orchi 137, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • orchid
  • Growth: upright, hanging panicles
  • Growth height/width: 8 to 10 centimeters / 6 to 8 centimeters
  • Flowers: creamy-white, between spring and summer
  • Location: partially shaded
  • hardy: no

Mountain palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

  • Growth: upright, overhanging
  • Growth height: 10 centimeters
  • yellowish leaves
  • Location: semi-shady, shady
  • hardy: no

Earth bromeliad (Cryptanthus bivittatus)

  • Growth: upright, partly hanging
  • Growth height/width: 30 to 80 centimeters / 10 to 30 centimeters
  • Flower: Color white, yellow, orange, red or pink
  • Location: shady to semi-shady
  • Winter: not below 15 degrees Celsius for long periods

Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris)

  • carnivorous plant
  • Growth: rosette-like
  • Growth height/width: up to 15 centimeters / 5 to 10 centimeters
  • Flower: various colors available, May to June
  • Location: partially shaded
  • hardy

Grusonia moelleri

Source: Stickpen, Grusonia moelleri, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • cactus
  • Growth: upright, slightly falling apart
  • Growth height/width: 4 to 7 centimeters / 5 to 20 centimeters
  • Flowering: Color white or pink, between June and September
  • Location: bright to semi-shady, no direct sunlight
  • hardy

Harefoot Fern (Davallia fejeensis)

Source: Photo by David J. Stang, Davallia fejeensis 6zz, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Growth: overhanging
  • Growth height/width: 5 to 15 centimeters / 10 to 20 centimeters
  • no flowers
  • Location: bright to semi-shady
  • sensitive to frost

J to M

Java coffee (Coffea arabica)

  • Growth: bushy, upright dense
  • Growth height/width: 100 to 200 centimeters / width depending on the space available
  • Flowers: white, April to May
  • Location: sunny
  • hardy: no

Tip: Planting java coffee is often difficult. You have significantly better chances of success than in the bed if you use cuttings and let them grow under a glass or in a closed glass jar.

Java moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri)

Source: Buchling, Javamoos, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Growth: creeping, dense
  • Growth height: about ten centimeters
  • Colour: pure green
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Winter: not below 12 degrees Celsius

Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes)

  • carnivorous plant
  • Growth: overhanging
  • Growth height/width: 20 to 40 centimeters / 20 to 40 centimeters
  • Flowers: Color dependent on variety, March to September
  • Location: bright, no direct midday sun
  • not hardy

Small-leaved Spiderwort (Tradescantia)

  • Growth: bushy, shrub-like
  • Growth height/width: up to 40 centimeters/ up to 40 centimeters
  • Flower: white or pink, in summer
  • Location: sunny but not in full sun
  • Winter: not below 10 degrees Celsius

Small-leaved ivy / common ivy 'Green Pittsburgh' (Hedera helix 'Green Pittsburgh')

  • Growth: cushion-forming
  • Growth height/width: up to 15 centimeters/up to 1 meter
  • Flowers: yellow-green, September to October
  • Location: semi-shady, shady
  • hardy: yes

Maihueniopsis ovata (previously called Tephrocactus gratus)

Source: Source: Michael Wolf, Maihueniospsis ovata 02, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Growth: cushion-forming
  • Growth height: up to 10 centimeters
  • Flowers: Color yellow to orange, May/June
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • hardy

Malaysian polypody (Aglaomorpha heraclea mini)

Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Aglaomorpha heraclea kz02, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Growth: clumpy
  • Growth height: up to 15 centimeters
  • Color green
  • Location: semi-shady, shady
  • Winter: at least one degree Celsius

Carrot-Leaf Spleenwort (Asplenium daucifolium)

Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Asplenium daucifolium kz03, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Growth: clumpy
  • Growth height/width: 20 to 60 centimeters / 20 centimeters
  • Color green
  • Location: cool, semi-shady, shady
  • hardy: no

Mosaic Plant (Fittonia)

Fittonia Verschaffeltii 'Mont Blanc'
  • Growth: flat
  • Growth height/width: 5 to 15 centimeters / 5 to 15 centimeters
  • Flowers: green and white, spikes
  • Location: sunny to shady
  • sensitive to frost

O to S

Parrot pitcher plant (Sarracenia psittacina)

  • Growth: rosette-like, flat
  • Growth height/width: 10 to 20 centimeters / 20 to 30 centimeters
  • Flowers: pink, July to August
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Winter: not below 5 degrees Celsius

Purple mare (Syngonium podophyllum)

  • Growth: climbing, hanging bushy
  • Growth height / width: up to 150 centimeters / up to 100 centimeters
  • Flowers: green-white spikes in summer
  • Location: shady to semi-shady
  • hardy: no

Star Moss (Sagina subulata)

  • Growth: creeping, carpet-like, dense
  • Growth height/width: 3 to 5 centimeters/ 20 to 25 centimeters
  • Flowers: white, June to August
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Winter: not below 12 degrees Celsius

South Sea palm (Biophytum sensitivum)

  • Growth: expansive, upright
  • Growth height/width: 10 to 20 centimeters / up to 30 centimeters
  • Flower: pink single flower
  • Location: shady to semi-shady
  • hardy: no

Marsh pitcher (Heliamphora chimantensis)

  • Growth: upright
  • Growth height/width: 8 to 20 centimeters / up to 20 centimeters
  • Flowers: Color white to red, May
  • Location: sunny, direct sunlight
  • Winter: not below 8 degrees Celsius

T to Z

Peat Moss (Sphagnum)

  • Growth: cushion-like, dense
  • Growth height: 5 centimeters
  • Color: red-green, yellow-brownish green
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • hardy

Vanda nana

Source: Naoki Takebayashi, Vanda nana (inflorescence), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • orchid
  • Growth: upright, hanging panicles
  • Growth height: 6 to 8 centimeters
  • Flowers: creamy white, white, violet, flowers once or three times a year
  • Location: very bright, full sun (in winter) to sunny
  • hardy: no

Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

  • Growth: rosette-like
  • Growth height/width: 30 to 40 centimeters / 20 to 30 centimeters
  • Flowers: white, March to May
  • Location: sunny
  • hardy

Zebra weed (Tradescantia zebrina)

  • Growth: hanging, spreading
  • Growth height / width: up to 20 centimeters / up to 40 centimeters
  • Flowers: pink, white, from January to December
  • Location: sunny
  • hardy: no

Ornamental pepper (Peperomia polybotrya)

  • Growth: upright
  • Growth height/width: 20 to 30 centimeters/ 5 to 15 centimeters
  • Flowers: spikes, inconspicuous
  • Location: shady to semi-shady
  • sensitive to frost

Dwarf spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

  • Growth: partly upright, partly overhanging
  • Growth height/width: up to 40 centimeters/ up to 2.5 centimeters (leaf)
  • Flowers: white, in summer
  • Location: sunny or shady
  • Winter: not below 5 degrees Celsius

frequently asked Questions

When creating a bottle, does it only fit one plant?

Theoretically, you can also create several plants in one bottle if it is big enough and the plants harmonize with each other. But with a single assembly, each copy grows according to the space available. This means that the larger this is, the larger most specimens will be.

How long do plants last in the bottle garden?

As a rule, these are perennial specimens. If care is taken that meets the respective requirements and the location is optimally chosen, the plants can become many years old.

Are all plants suitable for the outdoor bottle garden?

That depends on the requirements of the plant species. In addition to high humidity, many also love the warmth - however, some prefer a cool location, so that they should be given a cooler place in the house at least in midsummer.

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Category:

Indoor plants