The Best Resilient Classroom Plants to Liven Up Your Classroom 

Classroom plants are a wonderful low-cost way to liven up your classroom decor. They can also be low maintenance so you can keep your main attention on your students!

This post will share with you a short and sweet list of amazing indoor plants you can sprinkle around your classroom to enhance your classroom decor! 

What is the Best Plant For a Classroom? 

1. Snake plant

Starting off strong with in my opinion the most resilient indoor plant on this list, the snake plant. 

I feel like I’ve gone months without watering this plant (don’t do that!) and it is still alive. Not only did it survive that but it also had a little sprout that I transferred to another pot and I now have two snake plants when I only bought one! 

2. Succulent

There has been a recent boom in the popularity of succulents and for good reason. They are so cute and easy to care for. 

They love the sun so sitting them in a sunny spot in your classroom will keep them happy! 

Best of all they come in a variety of different types so finding one that fits your classroom theme should be easy! 

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3. Herbs 

So these aren’t your traditional houseplant but I think they work great for the classroom to introduce your students to the healing power and culinary aspects of plants! 

Rosemary, lavender, mint, and basil are great herbs to start with in your classroom. 

Make sure to have them labeled so your students can start to identify plant names as well.

 Even inviting students to smell the herbs is a great way to strengthen their connection to nature further (Just be mindful of allergies). 

4. Peace Lily 

Don’t let the Peace Lily fool you. On hot and humid days its leaves will start to droop so much that they almost touch the floor. Just turn on an air conditioner or fan, give it some water, or wait until the next day and it will spring back up! 

There have been many times I thought my Peace Lily was gone for good and then it rebounded. 

It will also be incredibly exciting for your students when the white flowers appear!

Peace lilies love low-light classrooms so pop it in a corner and remember to water it once per week.

5. Pothos 

Pothos are another great low-maintenance plant that is fine with low light and can be watered once per week or every other week. Really whenever the soil feels dry. 

They are great for hanging as the leaves will cascade down. Just don’t have it low enough to tempt students that may want to grab at it-it is enticing as the leaves are generally bright green and sometimes varying shades.

6. Fresh flowers 

These are not a houseplant nor super practical but I wanted to add them to the list because why not?! 

Maybe fresh flowers won’t be an every week occurrence for your classroom but now and then purchasing a little bouquet for you and your students to enjoy is wonderful! You deserve it! 

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7. Spider plant

Spider plants have fun wispy leaves that are perfect for an eclectic classroom!

These are light lovers so be sure to place your spider plant in direct sunlight near a window. These house plants thrive in hot and humid climates so if you live in a warmer area, the spider plant will adore joining your class!

8. Bonus! Venus fly trap

This one is a bonus and only for those with a self-proclaimed green thumb as they can be tricky to care for. 

But!

If you want to see pure joy spread across the faces of your students, the Venus fly trap is the perfect addition to your classroom. Transport yourself back into your shoes from when you first heard of the Venus fly trap. How fun was it to learn that these plants snapped up pesky flies bridging the gap between animal and plant? 

I can pretty much guarantee your students will be captivated by it and you never know what little future scientist you may inspire. 

What are the benefits of plants in a classroom setting? 

• Air purification to help with indoor air quality 
• may strengthen students’ connection to the natural world 
• makes the classroom environment more aesthetically pleasing 
• May turn into a classroom garden once you feel comfortable with house plants. This could also lead to a school club surrounding gardening. The possibilities are endless! 

Here are a few other easy plants to add to your classroom space that didn’t make our top recommendations but are still wonderful options!

• Jade Plant
• Friendship Plant
• Christmas Cactus
• ZZ Plant
• Chinese Evergreens
• Boston Ferns
• Golden Pothos
• Lucky Bamboo 
• Heartleaf Philodendron
• Money Plant
• Aloe Vera
• Air Plants
• And of course fake plants (; 

Where are good places to buy indoor houseplants for your classroom?

• local garden centers 
• cuttings from your friends that you can replant and grow your own plant!
• Local plant swaps 

Do you have any questions about indoor plants in your classroom? Feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll try to answer your question!

Be sure to sign up for the newsletter if you would like sustainability and wellness tips sent directly to your inbox! 

Stay well, 

Maggie 

This post was all about the best classroom plants for your space.

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