Be Inspired Blog - Arizona
Add Beautiful and Beneficial Houseplants to Your Dorm Room
Dorm life leaves a lot of students feeling like Harry Potter sleeping in the closet under the stairs. Stuffy, cramped quarters and uninspiring decor doesn't make the college grind any easier! However, that can all change by strategically adding indoor plants to your room. You'd be amazed how much lush, live greenery can transform your tiny living space, and even help improve the air quality of your dorm room!
Here Are the Best Indoor Plants for Students to Grow in Dorm Rooms
Trust us—even the tiniest dorm rooms can accommodate a few indoor plants, and those leafy green beauties have a huge impact, no matter their size. Here are some ways to spruce up your dorm room and make college life a little more enjoyable with indoor plants.
Low Light Indoor Plants
Is the sunlight situation in your dorm room looking a bit pitiful? Don't worry! There are loads of houseplants that thrive in low light, so even a tiny little window will do the trick. Here are some of our favorite indoor plants for dorms rooms that can live off the bare minimum of sunlight while you're living off of Mac ‘n Cheese and Starbucks:
- Cast iron plant
- Chinese evergreen
- Pothos
- Snake plants
- ZZ plants
Remember: "low light" doesn't mean no light! If your room is completely devoid of sunlight, purchasing a small grow light will help your plants photosynthesize properly.
Study Better with Focus Plants for the Dorm Room
Anyone who's gone through high school is likely familiar with all-nighter cram sessions and study marathons! It's challenging to stay focused at a desk for hours on end without slamming back cup after cup of coffee. Luckily, there are other ways to stay sharp and on-task in the wee hours of the night. As it turns out, houseplants are proven to boost focus and clarity and reduce mental fatigue!
Colorful succulents and other small plants are perfect for decorating the desk in your dorm room. They brighten the space without taking up precious real estate and never fail to bring a smile to our faces. Here are some great dorm desk plants that are small in size but big in color:
- African violet
- Echeveria
- Haworthia
- Kalanchoe
- Moon cacti
- Nerve plants
- Peperomia
- Tillandsia (air plants)
Grow Herbs Indoors
A flavorful, hearty meal can feel like a miracle when you're living on a student budget. Elevating the quality of even the most basic dishes is easy when you have your own dorm room herb garden! Hang some herb planters in the window if you get lots of sunlight, or purchase a small indoor herb growing kit with a built-in grow light. This way, you can have a steady supply of delicious, fresh herbs to enjoy all year in your favorite beverages or foods.
These are our favorite culinary herbs for growing in dorm rooms:
- Basil and oregano for pizza and pasta
- Cilantro for taco night
- Dill and chives for hashbrowns and chip dip
- Mint for mocktails and water infusions
An Investment in Your Mental Health
It might seem far-fetched, but science has proven it: caring for indoor plants is fantastic for your mental health! Every new leaf is a victory, and it feels so good to cultivate something so beautiful. The calming practice of plant care is especially valuable when life feels chaotic, assignments are piling up, and deadlines are looming.
Flowering houseplants, like the peace lily, are perfect for bringing a sense of serenity to your dorm room. We also love trailing houseplants in hanging baskets, so when you take a study break, you can stare at pretty greenery instead of boring beige tiles on the ceiling.
While you're stocking up on school supplies and textbooks for another semester, make some time to pick up a couple of newhouseplants for your dorm room! We promise you won't regret it, and we'll be happy to provide easy care instructions so you can get an A+ in plant care without hitting the books—like how to use a light and water meter to make sure your plants are getting the sun and water they need. Plus, we can help you water your plants when you're away
Visit any of our SummerWinds Nursery locations to explore a wide variety of plants that are easy to care for and perfect for dorm living!
