Last Updated on September 23, 2020
Aldi is king when it comes to offering a range of affordable house plants throughout the year. I’m constantly adding to my collection, which includes a fiddle leaf fig, croton, boston fern, aloe, Christmas cactus, pothos, umbrella plant, neanthe bella palm, and more.
I’ve also purchased several succulents from Aldi, but I haven’t had as much success keeping them alive compared to traditional tropical house plants. It’s hard for me to find the right balance between over watering them and not watering them enough.
Still, as inexpensive as succulents are at Aldi, I’ve kept buying them and trying, and I’m starting to keep some of them alive longer than I previously had, so that’s progress.
My most recent succulent purchase at the discount grocer was fancier, consisting of multiple live succulents planted in a small glass terrarium.
The Geometric Terrarium at Aldi cost $12.99.
It is an Aldi Find (Special Buy), which means it’s only in stores for a short time. It seems to show up at least once a year, so if you miss it this time around, keep an eye on the weekly ad.
Each terrarium could have slightly different plantings. Mine included an air plant, which I’ve never grown before, along with a zebra plant and what appears to possibly be two Mexican rose or Mexican snowball plants (Succulent experts, feel free to confirm or correctly identify.). That’s a total of four separate plants in the terrarium.
There’s also a mixture of some planting medium, rocks, and moss. In addition, everything is planted in a thin inner plastic liner to prevent water leaking out of the terrarium. I also noticed that some type of glue holds everything in place. I can’t jiggle any of the plants, and even the rocks don’t move.
A closer look at the plants inside. (Click to enlarge.)
The terrarium itself is a pyramid shape, with a flat base, glass or plastic walls, and metal supports at the seams. One side is open so you can water the plants and care for them. The entire terrarium measures about 8 inches tall and 5 inches across.
After owning the terrarium for a few weeks, I discovered by accident that the front lower panel is hinged and magnetic. It opens and closes to allow easier care of plants, which is pretty nifty, and it especially would make it easier to slide out the thin plastic liner that everything is planted in.
It comes with a care sticker, which states these are indoor/outdoor plants (you’re going to need to keep them indoors if you live in an area where the winters are cold, though), and that they are “easy to maintain” and require bright light and an average room temperature. Allow the soil to dry between waterings, and apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly during active growth.
The sticker also states the plants will grow about 30% within the current container. If you want larger plants, you would naturally need to move them to a bigger container.
The care and information sticker. (Click to enlarge.)
The sticker peeled off without much trouble, and I used a damp dishcloth to easily wipe off the few sticky residue spots left on the terrarium.
I placed the terrarium in my sun room for now, and I’ll move it into the house when the weather turns cool this fall. I like the look of it, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the plants do over time. Fingers crossed I can keep them alive.
The Verdict:
The Geometric Terrarium from Aldi is shaped like a pyramid and measures about 8 inches tall by 5 inches wide. Mine came with four small plants nestled in some potting medium, small rocks, and moss. It’s a striking decoration for any location in your house.
