Plants for classrooms? You might be saying, “I already have so much to worry about as a teacher. Why on Earth would I want to add another inconvenient thing to my list. I already have an entire class to take care of.”
I get it, plants can be expensive, and hard to take care or, and messy, and… I’m going to stop right there. It really doesn’t have to be that way. Plants can be pretty low-maintenance, beautiful, and they can actually be pretty beneficial to your space.
Plants bring life to a classroom and naturally brighten the mood. Plus, plants will make decorating your classroom so much easier!
Your students can even help take care of them. It teaches them how to take care of a living thing, just like a class pet!
The best part is that a plant is a loooot less maintenance than a class pet, so you can kill two birds with one stone! Or I guess, do your best not to to kill anything in this case.
While no perfect plant exists, I think the ones on this list come pretty close.
*Disclaimer: I’m no plant expert, so make sure, when caring for these plants, you do more research on how to properly care for them. These are just some of my favorites.
Snake Plant
The snake plant is probably the easiest to care for on this list. You only have to water it about once a month! Virtually the only thing you have to worry about with this plant is caring for it too much! Overwatering is a real thing, so with this plant, veer on the side of watering less.
I love snake plants because they are super versatile and look good in any space (but what plant doesn’t look good in any space?)
Spider Plant
The name of this plant might make your skin crawl a little bit, but I promise, the spider plant is not creepy or crawly. It’s an adorable fast-growing plant that will fill your classroom with life. Just be aware, that this plant produces shoots just as quickly as it grows, so by the end of the year, you might end up with more plants in your classroom than you bargained for.
The spider plant needs to be water just about once a week, so don’t forget about it. Luckily, watering the plant can be a weekly task that you assign to your students.
Keep in bright, indirect sunlight for best results.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a great plant for classroom use, and I’ll tell you why. It thrives in bright light, so keep this plant near a window. But overall, this plant is super easy to care for; it basically thrives on neglect. and it comes with all kinds of health benefits. Sunburn relief, anyone?
Pothos
If you have a classroom that doesn’t get a ton of light throughout the day, this one is for you.
Pothos are incredible little plants that grow beautifully even in dark conditions.
These trailing vines only need to be watered when the soil is completely dry, so again, be care not to overwater these things.
I love the vibrant green (and sometimes yellow) on the leaves. This little guy works wonders for adding a pop of color to your room!
My favorite place to keep these plants is up on high shelves to let the vine elegantly drape over the planter and down toward the floor.
Monstera
Monsteras are beautiful plants with big leaves that make quite the statement. I absolutely love the idea of bringing a little piece of the rainforest indoors.
They can be a little finnicky to start out with, but they are really low-maintenance once you get the hang of it. Once you get the rhythm down, this gorgeous tropical plant will thrive in your classroom.
These plants can get pretty big with proper care and the right sized planter, so keep that in mind when choosing the right plant.
Bonus: Fake Plants
Now, if you decide that a plant is still just too much upkeep, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with fake plants. In fact, they make the same psychological impact as real plants!
They can be a little pricey, but by choosing some of these, you can have practically any plant you want in your classroom with absolutely no maintenance at all! Plus, you’re not limited to keeping them in a specific spot in your classroom based on lighting.
