Simple Mini Landscape with Ginseng Ficus, Saxifraga, and Moss

Materials

• One bag of 3–9 mm lava rock (small gravel)

• Some sphagnum moss or dried moss

• Several pieces of larger lava rock (no need for uniform size—mixed sizes work well)

Plants:

• Cushion moss (Leucobryum)

• Ginseng ficus (Ficus microcarpa)

• Dwarf Saxifraga

Step-by-Step Setup

1) Base Layer

Add a layer of 3–9 mm lava rock at the bottom.Then add a layer of pre-moistened sphagnum or dried moss.

2) Place the Rocks

Add the larger lava rocks in any arrangement you like.The key point: place a large drilled lava rock in the center.

It’s ideal if the rocks interlock naturally, but it’s not required.

3) Plant the Ficus

Place the ginseng ficus into the hole in the central lava rock.

This ficus already comes with soil (a clay-based soil), and there is a layer of moss on top—this is Racomitrium moss.

That’s why the moss around the roots looks different from the rest.

4) Fill Gaps with Moss

Insert sphagnum moss into the gaps between rocks—anywhere you plan to grow moss.

5) Fill with Small Lava Rock

Add more 3–9 mm lava rock to fill the remaining gaps between the large stones.Use enough to stabilize everything so the rocks don’t shift.

Growth Notes

This container is relatively tall and has ventilation holes,so it is suitable for slightly taller plants.

The ginseng ficus grows quickly and will soon produce new shoots.That’s not a problem—just trim them as needed.You can even stick the cuttings directly into the terrarium to propagate them.

The Saxifraga here was divided from a larger plant.Once it grows into a full clump again, you can divide it further.

In this setup, plants tend to grow very quickly.

One More Note

The ventilation holes do not reduce humidity significantly—the container still retains moisture very well.

updates on early May, 2026.

the moss status.

Besides cushion moss, I also used several other types of moss.

Most of them came from the original pot of the ginseng ficus. They are mainly Bryum, Racomitrium. I transplanted the ginseng ficus together with the soil and moss from the top of its original pot.

The moss has been growing very well. It quickly became much taller—several times its original height. The good thing about this is that it becomes much easier to identify each type.

They are no longer staying only in their original area, either. They have started spreading toward the exposed lava rock.

On the lava rock, you can see tiny patches of different mosses scattered here and there. If you look even closer at the surface of the lava rock, you’ll find even more tiny green growth covering it densely.

There are also traces of Plagiomnium cuspidatum and Hypnum sheet moss in this terrarium.