Ten Best Houseplants for Your Dorm
SaveNeed some dorm decor inspo? Consider getting a plant or two.
By Patricia Roy
Need some dorm decor inspo? Consider getting a plant or two. Not only do houseplants make your room look great, but NASA found that several common houseplants remove pollutants from the air. Dorms can get stale and stinky, so adding some houseplants can freshen the space. Taking care of plants may even relieve depression.
All of the plants on this list will tolerate typical dorm conditions (dry air, indirect light, and infrequent watering).
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) — also called Devil's Ivy
This plant is everywhere for a reason: it is easy to grow, can take a beating, and always looks good with minimal care. Plus, it's really easy to take cuttings to make more plants.
The most common species of Epipremnum is the aureum, Latin for “golden.” T he more light you give your pothos, the more variegation it will display. Golden pothos sports iconic vines of green leaves with irregular gold splotches. 'Marble Queen,' 'Pearls 'n Jade,' ‘Neon,' and 'N Joy’ are some common variations of this same species. All Pothos plants look great, tumbling over the sides of a basket or planter.
Caring for Your Pothos:
This plant can tolerate any light situation, including full sun, although most people get this plant for lower light situations. If you notice your vines are coming in with long spaces in between leaves or if the leaves are coming in smaller and smaller, give it a bit more light. When it comes to watering, this plant tolerates dryness well. When it needs water, the leaves will appear to droop.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum):
The quintessential 70s houseplant, chlorophytum comosum, or spider plant, is so named for its resemblance to a spider with long, thin, arching leaves emerging from a central rosette. Get yourself a macrame hanger and a spider plant, and you'll be one step closer to the bohemian dorm of your dreams.
This plant reproduces by off-shoots, sending flowers on long stems that mature into baby plantlets. You can clip off and pot up the babies to make more plants or let them hang off the main plant — another great plant for sharing.
Caring for Your Spider Plant:
Spider plants prefer medium light — too much will scorch their thin leaves, but too little will inhibit growth. However, they are adaptable, so they will grow as long as you put them right in a window. I've noticed this plant will turn pale if it gets too dry.
Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa):
With its large heart-shaped leaves and climbing vines, the Swiss cheese plant is the most Instagrammable plant there is. It gets its name from holes in the leaves, called fenestrations, that make it look like a piece of Swiss cheese. Follow #monsteramonday to see lots of examples. Some variations feature white variegation, but those tend to be quite expensive.
Caring for your Swiss Cheese Plant:
This plant is as easy to care for as a pothos, but it will get BIG, so make sure you have the space for it. An option is the Monstera adansonii, also named after Swiss cheese, which has spade-shaped leaves with oval fenestrations but is much smaller than the deliciosa. Like the deliciosa, the adansonii is a fast grower and is very easy to care for. Both versions are perfect for medium light, will tolerate low light, but need to be acclimated to a higher light. If you put either species of monstera in a south-facing window, pull it back a bit, or use a curtain to shade it slightly as it will burn if the sun is too hot.
Jade Plant (Crassula ovata):
Crassula is a large genus of succulents that come in many shapes. The ovata is the most common. The thick and upright stems of the jade plant produce succulent, teardrop-shaped leaves that will redden slightly on the edges if it gets good light.
Caring for Your Jade Plant:
Many people treat jade plant like a bonsai, pruning the stems to make them branch like a mini tree. All succulents can take a south-facing window or very bright light—even some direct light. Crassula will stretch if it’s too far from a window. All succulents can go a long time without water, but when you do water jade, make sure it gets a good drink.
Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis):
This is the same orchid you find in your local supermarket. It is one of the only plants on this list with significant flowers, and they come in many different colors.
Caring for Your Moth Orchid:
People think orchids are difficult plants, but the phalaenopsis is really as easy as any other on this list. As epiphytes in the wild, orchid roots grow over the tops of rocks or tree bark. As a result, orchids are often potted up in a very fast- draining, chunky substrate or sphagnum moss, which holds water but is also airy and light. Make sure your orchid dries out between waterings. You may notice some air roots popping out of the pot. These are normal, so don't try to push them back into the pot. However, it's best not to repot your orchid — even though they are epiphytic, they like to be undisturbed in their pots.
Cebu Blue Pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum):
This plant hails from Indonesia, which is also known as Cebu. This pothos gets its name from its bluish-green spade-shaped leaves. The leaves of the cebu blue are smaller and narrower than the golden pothos, but every bit as hardy and easy to care for.
Caring for Your Cebu Blue:
No different from the golden pothos.
Chinese Evergreen (Agleonema):
Don't sleep on this plant if you are looking to add color to your green collection. One of the easiest of the easy, the Chinese evergreen grows blade-like upright leaves and produces flowers called a spadix. Agleonema may have speckles of different shades of green, silver, white, pink, or red along the midrib.
Caring for Your Chinese Evergreen:
These plants do not like the cold, so protect from drafty windows in cold seasons. They are also better for lower light situations, so pull them back a bit from very sunny windows. To prolong the life of the plant, remove the inflorescences (flowers).
ZZ plant (Zamioculcus zamifolia):
One of the best low-light plants. Native to parts of Eastern Africa, Kenya, and South Africa, the ZZ combines ease of care with effortless modern styling. Pairs of pinnate leaflets grow along a thick succulent stem from a potato-like rhizome root system. New leaves come in light green and harden off to dark green. The ZZ “raven” is a popular rare variety that comes in green and hardens off to a totally black leaf.
Caring for your ZZ Plant:
The stem and rhizome store water, allowing the ZZ to survive drought. This plant can go a long time without water. The ZZ plant is healthy when its leaves are dark, firm, and very shiny.
Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum):
Many people confuse this plant with Epipremnum aureum or golden pothos because they both grow long vines of heart-shaped leaves. However, the philodendron leaf has a deeper dimple at the base, giving it a more pronounced heart shape. The leaves also tend to point down the vines, while t he pothos leaves are more pert.
Like the pothos, the heart-leaf philodendron comes in lots of variegation, most notably the Brasil, which is a dark-green leaf with lime-green and golden splashing down the middle.
Caring for Heartleaf Philodendron:
This plant is identical in care to the pothos.
Snake plant (Draceana trifasciata, formerly Sanseveria trifasciata):
This unusual genus of plants grows from rhizomes sprouting rosettes of stiff blades, often with patterns of green and gold striping. Snake plants will tolerate low light and grow in north-facing windows. Because the leaves shoot straight up from the soil, snake plants have a modern architectural appearance that contrasts nicely against a blank wall or corner. It's perfect for those boring spots in your room.
Caring for Your Snake Plant:
Just remember that low light doesn’t mean no light, and be sure not to overwater this plant — especially if it sits away from a window.
General Care Tips:
While all of these plants can survive dorm life, make these plants thrive with the following:
- Sun: Ensure the plant gets at least 4-6 hours of bright indirect light. This means that some light actually touches the leaves. Put them near the window, not in a corner.
- Water: Only water if the top inch or two is dry and when watering, make sure all the soil gets moistened. Do NOT allow a potted plant to sit in water, either in its pot or saucer. Remove excess water immediately or water in the sink.
- Bugs: Check your plant frequently for bugs or signs of problems.
- Maintenance: Dust the leaves occasionally with a clean, damp cloth.
Now that you have a plant wish list and never-fail care tips, talk with your roommate about your fall planting plans!
Patricia Roy
Patricia Roy is a writer and professor who has helped students succeed for over 25 years. She started her career as a high school English teacher and then moved into higher education at Tuition Rewards member school, Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts. Her practical guidance and enthusiasm motivate and inspire students to fearlessly explore their own passions. Professor Roy is also a freelance writer and published poet.Articles & Advice
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