Easy house-plants to liven up your home

Graphic by Claire Revier

When first moving onto campus, housing can feel a bit like a dungeon with a slightly dark energy. This can make decorating intimidating but house plants are a perfect way to bring some life back to on-campus living.

Not only do plants make the perfect touch in terms of decorations by looking great on a coffee table or by the window sill, but there are also studies showing house plants reduce stress and improve air quality. 

Don't be intimidated by plants!

There are so many different kinds with all types of maintenance levels, even if your space only has one window. There's a plant out there perfect for any living space.

Here are some of my personal favorites:

Bamboo:

The first option is Bamboo, a stick plant that is said to represent good luck and happiness. Its small size makes for the perfect housewarming gift and a house plant that can be grown in soil or water.

Growing in soil is better for Bamboo, but make sure that it is kept damp.  When growing it in water, make sure to replace the water weekly and be sure that the roots are always submerged. 

Bamboo requires indirect sunlight as too much sun will torch the leaves, so it can be placed in most places within a home. Not needing a lot of water or sunlight to survive, Bamboo makes for a great small and low-maintenance house plant.

Pothos:

Another low-maintenance care plant is Pothos. This fast-growing plant can live up to ten years when taken care of properly. They work great as hanging plants, and can live indoors or outdoors. Be careful as they can be toxic to pets. 

Like Bamboo, too much sun can ruin the leaves so indirect sunlight is ideal. Pothos don't require much water, but make sure they are watered every one to two weeks. Trim any leaves that get too long, and use the clippings to grow a new plant. 

Spider Plants:

Spider plants have long leaves that hang over the edge of the plant. They are a vibrant green with yellow streaks in the center of the leaves. This attractive plant is non-toxic to pets and is easy to take care of, making it the perfect house plant.

In terms of sunlight, they can handle pretty much anything but will flourish more in brighter areas. They don’t need too much water, just make sure the soil is damp about once a week. 

Window Plants:

Two plants that require brighter sunlight, and would be perfect next to a window, are Aloe Vera and Echeveria, a type of succulent with a pink rimming around the leaves. They normally don't require too much water and in the winter they need even less. Both of these plants are smaller and known for being easy to take care of. 

Incorporating plants into your space will not only brighten it up, but also provide benefits such as improved air quality as well as reduced stress and anxiety, which is crucial for college students.

When first experimenting with plants in your home, it can be hard to know where to start. Don’t worry though, there are so many good low maintenance options that can work for anyone!