We’re believers that there should be something growing in every room in a house, bedrooms included. But when bedrooms are occupied by the teen set, sometimes just keeping a path cleared from door to bed is challenge enough. Encouraging your teenager to grow something beyond mold on forgotten sandwich crusts? It’s not as daunting as it sounds. With a little coaxing and some savvy plant selection, we think it’s possible to fill a teenager’s bedroom with easy-to-care-for plants that might just encourage a lifetime of green thumb-ery.
Photographs by Katie Newburn for Gardenista.
Above: Bits of green plunked into a vase is as simple as houseplants get. Take a clipping from a tree in your backyard (we snagged these from the pear trees at Michelle’s house). Leafy clippings have impressive staying power and some will even grow. A branch of ivy can survive in water for years. In the market for the world’s most beautiful hydroponic vase? Look no further.
Above: Staghorn ferns like moist climates and generally require a lot of maneuvering to keep them properly watered. But instead of fussing over yours, give it a permanent home in your teenager’s shower. We found a Staghorn at local Mill Valley, CA shop Green Jeans Garden Supply. The fern ($49.95) is growing in a coconut shell planter and suspended from a wire hook. (Stay tuned for a DIY.) Hanging from the shower head, it gets water and adds a cheery burst of green.
Above: Tiny potted succulents are cute and easy to care for: they like to be ignored. These specimens were plucked from larger plants and repotted in smaller vessels. Like the aged look of these terra cotta pots? Make your own instant antiques. Need a refresher on keeping indoor succulents alive? Head here.
Above: Tillandsia need only the occasional water bath to stay alive. Keeping them next to a bathroom sink makes giving them a quick dip easy to remember and might discourage the accumulation of too much else. Air Plant Bulbosa Tillandsia are $5.99 each at Twisted Acres.
Above: Any style conscious teenager will want to hop on the fiddle leaf fig train. See The Fig and I: Tips for Caring for a Fiddle Leaf Fig to get started.
Above: For a different kind of bedside look, a maidenhair fern will thrive in a spot that doesn’t get much light. A Maidenhair Fern in a 4-inch pot is $12 from Pernell Gerver.
Need more ideas for stylish houseplants? We identified a whole bunch right here.
Finally, get more ideas on how to plant, grow, and care for various houseplants with our Houseplants: A Field Guide.
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