Low maintenance plant for my Pre-K classroom

[Anonymous]

I'm looking to add another plant to my classroom. It would live in a deep window sill which faces north, but still gets plenty of light for most of the day. That's really the only place it will fit. Also needs to be non-toxic and not need constant watering. I already have a spider plant. Thought I'd ask the green thumbs on DCUM what their recommendations were.

TIA!

[Anonymous]

Succulents would do really well, and some have really great names that K classes love, like:

Burro's Tail
Hens and Chicks
Ponytail Palm
snake Plant (aka mother-in-law plant, but the kids won't get that )
Rat's Tail cactus

And there is a really cool one that looks like a rock called Lithops (American Plant has a great variety of succulents and cacti).

and some great botanical names:

graptopetalum superbum (my son's K class LOVED that one)

On safety of succulents: http://www.cssaustralia.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84:poisonous&catid=19:content&Itemid=133

Also consider the air plants (tillandsias) - great for your plant biology unit surviving on air as they do, as are succulents, since they store their own water to survive in desert habitats.

http://www.airplant.com/bromeliadtips.html

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/projects/top-10-succulents-for-home/

I do like to talk about common and botanical names with young students and let them create their own names for plants based on what they think the plant looks like or should be named. The plants become a class pet when the kids name them. At K you just say, scientists give it a serious name so they all know they are talking about the same plant, but regular folks like to name plants based on what they look like, where they found it, how they use it, or what it reminds them of. Different communities have different names for the same plant (good for you community unit); what should our classroom community name this plant?

More than you asked for, I know! Ha ha! Have fun!

[Anonymous]

Get an air plant or two! So easy, the kids could "water" them by just running them under a faucet or dipping them in a bowl of water (less spillage). You only need to water them about once a week.

[Anonymous]

Aspidistra. It's not called "cast-iron plant" for nothing. Also it's fun to say "aspidistra".

[Anonymous]

Sansevieria (snake plant or mother in laws tongue). It is pretty much bulletproof.

[Anonymous]

I have a cactus on my desk at work. I water it like, once a month, barely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a cactus on my desk at work. I water it like, once a month, barely.

If it's a spiky cactus, that might not be a good idea in a Pre-K classroom.