Student life is as hectic as it gets – you have an extensive workload, countless essays, and exams, all while trying to maintain a rich social life and still leave some time for your interests and hobbies. More often than not, that means having to sacrifice some aspect of your personal life.
Fortunately for those of you with a green thumb, that doesn’t necessarily mean leaving your leafy pets back home, in the hands of your family or friends. There are plenty of plants out there that are so low maintenance, you most certainly won’t be able to resist bringing them along to your dorm room, even if you are so busy with the rest of your student obligations.
And if you don’t have a single spare minute to care even for not very demanding plants, you could ease your college load by searching for the best math homework help online! Studyfy offers 24/7 math homework help - with timely delivery and pocket-friendly rates. Make sure to check them out, and save both your time and your buck.
Now - here are four easiest to look after plants perfect to bring to your dorm room.
1. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a succulent, which means it has adapted to living in a dry environment. Succulents hold water in their leaves and can manage without it for prolonged periods, meaning you don’t have to rigorously follow a watering schedule and can easily focus on other things in your life. Even so, the aloe actually thrives on neglect – you can essentially just forget about it and it will still go on strong, maybe even better than if you’d obsessed over it.
If you’ve got a sunny window in your dorm room, an aloe might be just perfect for you as it prefers a lot of sunlight. You could even keep it outside, on the windowsill for example, in temperatures over 50°F (this is around the lowest temperature they’ll manage at night or in winter). Just make sure to gradually acclimate it to full sun, if it had been inside before being put outside.
Not only is it extremely easy to take care of this leafy buddy, but it’s also beautiful to look at! And don’t forget that the gel contained in its leaves has healing properties for skin, hair, and body. Even the ancient Egyptians used aloe to heal skin injuries, wounds, and burns. It also sprouts pups (little aloe babies) as it grows, which you can easily repot to grow more aloe buds or gift them to your friends!
image © Laurin Scheuber
2. Jade Plant
Another great example of an easy-to-look-after plant is the Jade. It’s a succulent, just like the aloe, so you should keep yours in bright light and water it only when the soil has dried. A good method for watering is the so-called finger method – stick your finger in the pot (just make sure not to disturb the roots) and if the soil is dry about an inch to inch-and-half deep, you should water your jade. This method works with various plants that don’t require a lot of moisture, as overwatering is usually the main cause of problems. You could also keep it outside, in temperatures between 50°F (at night) and 75°F (during the day).
The Jade is also bound to make your dorm room pop; it’s got a tree-like look, with a woody stem and many branches which you can prune to shape your miniature tree as you desire. Who knows, if you properly take care of it, your little jade might just become a big, full-on tree!
image © Susan Wilkinson
3. Sansevieria
Moving on from succulents, next up is sansevieria or snake plant. Even though it’s not a succulent, it originated in Africa and southern Asia, so it doesn’t mind dry periods. You only need to water it every couple of weeks, when the soil dries out – the finger method is very much applicable here. Sansevieria also thrives on neglect and enjoys indirect light. It would be best if you provide your snake friend with medium sunlight, but it will even make do with low light conditions, making it a perfect match with that corner in your dorm room that you’ve been wanting to fill. If you’d perhaps like to keep it outside, make sure the temperatures are between 55 and 90°F.
Just like many others, the snake plant cleans the air in your room. What’s special about sansevieria, in particular, is that it’s actually one of the best air-purifying houseplants! Not only will it bring some beautiful green with a hint of yellow into your room, but it will also make living in it much healthier and comfortable.
image © Severin Candrian
4. Photos (Devil’s ivy)
If you’re looking for something more “classic”, then a devil’s ivy – a literal vine with leaves, might be your top pick. It thrives in most light conditions, apart from direct sunlight, and is possibly the easiest to look after plant on this list. You might want to keep it inside because it prefers temperatures between 60 and 85ºF. For watering your ivy, you can use the finger method or just water it weekly, just make sure the soil is not retaining too much moisture, as it can cause root rot.
What’s amazing about devil’s ivy is that it can even grow in water. Just stick it in a container with water and watch the roots and your plant grow. This is why it’s such a low-maintenance plant – you don’t even have to worry about watering, but do make sure to change the water from time to time in order to prevent mold. Feel free to put your ivy on your top shelf because it’s a climbing and hanging plant that can grow up to almost 10 feet long. If you decide to prune, feel free to put those cuttings in some soil or water to propagate them. You can then have more beautiful vines in your dorm room or even gift them to your friends.
image © Zinah Insignia
Final Thoughts
Being a student, your life might get a tad too busy, making it hard to find time to care for your plants. That’s why it’s best to get a succulent, such as an aloe or a jade, or if you’re more inclined to the “classic” type, a snake plant or devil’s ivy.
All these types of plants don’t rely on a strict watering schedule and just need a window to make your dorm room feel more alive, greener, and healthier. They’re even easy to propagate, allowing you to expand your plant family or make for some beautiful and thoughtful gifts. No matter your experience with plant care, these are so easy to look after, you won’t regret bringing them into your dorm room!
