Fittonia albivenis 'White Tiger' (Nerve Plant)

Fittonia albivenis 'White Tiger' is one of the most visually arresting small houseplants you can own, with deeply green oval leaves traced edge to edge in brilliant white veins that create an almost graphic, high-contrast pattern. Compact and low-growing, it spreads gently outward and stays under six inches tall, making it ideal for terrariums, dish gardens, window boxes, or as a ground-level accent plant.

Nerve plants come from the floor of South American rainforests, so they crave warmth, consistent moisture, and humidity. They will wilt dramatically, sometimes alarmingly, at the first sign of drought, but bounce back quickly with a good watering. The wilt is a feature, not a flaw: this plant tells you exactly when it needs water.

Bright indirect light keeps the white veining vivid. Too much direct sun bleaches the leaves. Too little light causes the pattern to fade into a muddy green.