Bioactive Plant Planner

Find the best live plants for your terrarium

Pick your animal and the planner shows which plant types suit its setup: tropical, arboreal, semi-arid, desert, paludarium or invertebrate. Herbivores and omnivores automatically see only plants that are safe to graze. You can also browse over 500 bioactive terrarium plants by type, light needs, mountability and safety.

What you get for every plant

• A planting diagram showing exactly where and how it goes in the enclosure
• Light, watering and humidity needs
• Whether it can be mounted on cork bark, spiderwood or driftwood, and how to do it
• The best soil mix, moss and clean-up crew (isopods and springtails) to pair it with
• The animals it suits, and a printable care guide

Frequently asked questions

Which plants are best for a bioactive terrarium?

For most tropical builds, start with hardy pothos or philodendron, fittonia, peperomia, a Lemon Button fern and a few mini bromeliads mounted on cork. Desert builds suit Haworthia, Gasteria, small aloes and edible plants for grazers.

Can plants grow on cork bark?

Yes. Bromeliads, orchids, epiphytic ferns, trailing peperomia, shingling vines and many hoyas grow directly on cork bark. Each plant page explains how to mount it. See also our guide to mounting plants on cork and wood.

Are terrarium plants safe for reptiles?

It depends on whether your animal eats plants. Read our reptile-safe plants guide. The planner filters plants automatically by diet. It is general guidance, not veterinary advice.