Northeastern’s dorms are notoriously stale and devoid of life. Decor like posters, colorful lights, and tapestries will definitely elevate your space, but plants have a unique power to completely reinvent your dorm. I can speak to this, as I have over 50 plants in my room. They not only add to your decor, but they have many health benefits. From stress relief to cleaner air and increased productivity, indoor plants can help you do higher quality work and finish assignments faster, all while being easy to maintain. While you do not need to have nearly as many plants as I do, here is a small list of the best indoor plants to improve your dorm’s style.
Snake Plant
Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: When the soil is nearly dry
Snake Plants are long spindle-like plants, and can grow to be a little under two feet tall. They come in a variety of sizes and are super easy to grow. They grow at a snail’s pace when inside, but they are very difficult to kill. They’re definitely perfect for a beginner indoor plant grower.
ZZ Plant
Light: Bright, indirect to low light
Water: When the soil is dry
Similar in stature to the snake plant, the ZZ plant is a thin and tall plant with circular and bright green leaves. Indoors, it usually reaches 2-3 feet, but you can get it in a variety of sizes to start its life in your dorm. This plant also grows very slowly, which makes it so you won’t have to repot it anytime soon!
Pothos
Light: Bright, indirect to low light
Water: When the soil is nearly dry
One of my personal favorites, the pothos plant has many different varieties that produce different sizes, colors, and textures of leaves. Since this is a vining plant, it is perfect for a hanging pot. You can also choose to grow it on a table, and attach the stems to the wall, which can be achieved using light strip holders.
Monstera
Light: Bright indirect sunlight, partial shade
Water: Every 1-2 weeks, until soil is saturated, not soaked
Have you seen those tropical plants with the slits in the leaves? Well, those are actually monsteras, and believe it or not, the tropical plant can actually thrive indoors. Classified as a climbing plant, this plant does best if you can buy a small central stake for its pot. While it is a bit of an extra expense, it is totally worth it for its elegance and fast growing nature. The leaves can grow to be almost a foot long, and if you want a tropical plant, this is your best option. It doesn’t even need direct sunlight! Perfect for those dingy Northeastern dorms!
All of these plants can serve as low maintenance decor. Keep an eye out for on campus events because many give away free plants. You can stop here and just have a few, or it can grow into a fulfilling hobby. Think of starting your plant collection the next time you need to spruce up your dorm room decor!