Many college students have experienced the struggle of trying to keep their plants alive and have failed miserably. There are however, some plants that are easier to keep inside dorms or apartments that work with a college student’s busy schedule.
The Scoop talked to Dr. Ioana Popescu, an Associate Professor of Biology at Drury Universtiy. Dr. Popescu teaches multiple courses on botany and raises a variety of plants that she sells every year around Valentine’s Day.
Dr. Popescu says poor light and forgetting to water plants make it difficult for some students to keep plants although depending on the variety of plant, low light isn’t always detrimental.
“Not enough light is not as bad of a problem simply because most indoor ornamental are under-story, tropical weeds. Which means that [these plants] are usually underneath shade. The best examples of that would be Begonias or Philodendron also known as Pothos.”
Ficus plants are also a good choice for college students according to Dr. Popescu.
“Ficus plants are big genus of tree or shrub-like plants. They tolerate big shifts in all kinds of care and they can tolerate more or less light. One thing they don’t like is to be moved.”
Another plant that is good for college students to keep are Cacti.
“Cacti are a good choice because of forgetfulness but they need a lot more light than most…some plants can take very well to artificial light. There are many kinds of good grow-light bulbs that would be beneficial for you as well. Some are called happy lights…they contain all the wavelengths of natural light. So, it keeps your cactus happy but it also keeps you happy.”
Aloe is another good choice for college students.
“I would definitely go for an Aloe. Easy care, it can tolerate a lot of watering but it can also tolerate some drought. It does do better in well lit situations but it can tolerate less sunny windows. The best part about it is that you can do two things with it: you can prevent scarring, that’s why its called burn plant, and you can drink it.”
Dr. Popescu mentioned a surprising type of plant for college students as well: Orchids.
“Orchids are not as difficult as people think. They do need a lot of light. Most people are afraid of them…all you need to do is just add a few cubes of ice two to several times a week, which turns out its amazing…when you water it normally the water will just go straight through, but if you put the ice in, not on, but next to the plant the melting of the water takes a few hours so it can absorb more water.”
“Plants definitely improve your mood. They can reduce anxiety, so having a few green buddies can help distract you from the stresses of daily college life.”
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