Having houseplants in your dorm room provides many benefits. But college life can be busy and stressful, giving you little time to take care of yourself, let alone plants! When my roommate and I chose the plants for our room, we started with the low-maintenance ones that require not much effort to take care of.

After three years of being plant parents, here is our list of best plants for college students:

List of best plants for college students:

1. Succulents and Cacti: The Must-Have for College Students
2. Flowers: The Splash of Color
3. Lucky Charms: The Ones That Bring Good Luck
4. The “Basic” Plants Every Home Has
5. Want Something New? The Novel Plants

The Classics for College Students

1. Succulents and Cacti:

Almost all plant parents start with succulents and cacti (us too!). Why? They are super easy to take care of. Definitely will be on the top of any “Best indoor plant” or “Best plants for dorm rooms”.

 

They come in a variety of different sizes and appearances to fit any dorm aesthetically.

 

My roommate and I personally love placing them on our bookshelf. They blend perfectly with the textbooks! The windowsill is another prime spot to consider.

Sunlight: Bright, direct sunlight

Water: Water sparingly

Easy: ★★★★★

Flowers: The Splash of Color

Flowers are one of the best plants for your dorm room because of their color and fragrance. Like succulents, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, making them a great plant for dorms. Here we chose Peace Lily and Orchids to be on the list for their low-maintenance. 

2. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum):

An elegant white flower that fits anywhere and any color theme, the Peace Lily is also an air-purifying plant that can keep your room fresh away from toxins and pollutants.

 

We bought a large Peace Lily and we placed her on the ground next to our bed. She would also be fit in the corners of your room.

Sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight

Water: They prefer moist but not soggy soil

Easy: ★★★☆☆

Top Tip: To get the perfect soil moisture for your plants, we highly recommend using a moisture meter! 

 

3. Orchids:

A flower of love and beauty, Orchids will be a good fit for your study desk or near the window.

 

They are a bit of work, so be prepared. But totally worth the effort!

 

I love the basic pinkish-purple color the most! 

Sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight

Water: Infrequently. A tip is to let the orchids dry slightly between waterings and not to leave them in standing water in order to avoid root rot. 

Easy: ★★☆☆☆

 

Lucky Charms: The Ones That Bring Good Luck

Being in college means powering through many exams that give you stress. Sometimes you will have to rely on the power of “manifestation” to pass through them : ) . That’s why we chose Lucky Bamboo and Money Tree to be one of the best plants for your dorm room - They are truly lucky charms!

4. Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena Sanderiana):

 

One of the most famous indoor plants, Lucky Bamboo is believed to bring good luck and positive energy to the space.

 

It is super easy to take care of and will be a good fit on your study desk (and bring good luck to your exams!).

Sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight

Water: Keep its roots submerged in water, or water the soil immediately when it becomes dry.

Easy: ★★★★★

5. Money Tree (Pachira Aquatica):

Another lucky plant that is believed to bring good luck and prosperity, the Money Tree is one of the most popular gifts and a common fixture in homes and offices. 

Sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight. They can live in low-light conditions but their growth will slow down.

Water: Only water when the top inch of the soil is dry because the Money Tree is sensitive to waterlogging.

(P/S: A tip for you to manage the right amount of water in Money Tree is using moisture indicators. Money Trees are so picky, and we use PlantDoc, a biodegradable moisture meter. 

Easy: ★★☆☆☆

 

The “Basic” Plants Every Home Has

You can’t go wrong with these plants in your dorm room. Snake Plants and Monstera would easily be the most basic–but still the best indoor plants– that you will see in every store and house. We’re super familiar with them! And they are also cute to be in your dorm room!

6. Snake Plants:

The sharp and thin-leaf plants that you often see in most houses, a Snake Plants Unique appearance and air-purifying ability make it popular among college plant parents.

 

A Snake Plant will be a good fit in the corners of your room. 

Sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight. They can live in low-light conditions, but their growth will slow down. 

Water: Snake plants are drought-tolerant. Water them sparingly.

Easy: ★★★★★

 

7. Monstera:

The trendy tropical plant on your stickers!

The Monstera is famous for its heart-shaped leaves that develop natural splits and holes as they mature.

 

There are many varieties of colors and sizes of Monstera plants (and some are more expensive 💸 than others!)

 

A Monstera would also be a good fit in the corners of your room. 

 

Sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight. 

Water: Prefer moist but not waterlogged soil. 

Easy: ★★★☆☆

(P/S: A tip for you to manage the right amount of water in Monstera is using moisture indicators. We would recommend PlantDoc, a biodegradable one, since Monstera’s soil sometimes is sensitive) 

 

Want Something New? The Novel Plants

The best indoor plants don’t just come with the basic ones. If you are looking for something new and fun, Hoya, Devil’s Ivy, and Venus Trap are the chosen ones. From the name to the shape, they will amaze you.

 

8. Hoya:

With thick and waxy leaves, Hoya is a star of tropical plants.

 

Some species also produce a sweet fragrance during the evening.

 

They are cute, small, and low-maintenance. If you are looking for a new type of plant to have in the dorm room, a Hoya is a good choice. 

Sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight. Hoya can live in low-light conditions but their growth will slow down.

Water: Only water when the top inch of the soil is dry. Hoya is also sensitive to waterlogging which can lead to root rot so do not leave them in water standing.

Easy: ★★★☆☆

(P/S: We were using PlantDoc a lot to avoid overwatering our Hoya).

9. Devil’s Ivy:

Another star of the tropical plants from Southeast Asia.

 

It’s one of the most low-maintenance and easiest plants to take care of.

 

Devil’s Ivy has heart-shaped leaves that will look beautiful on your windowsill or dangling from the ceiling (if your college allows you to hang stuff :D). 

 

Sunlight: Devil's Ivy is adaptable to various light conditions, from low to bright indirect light. However, it thrives best in moderate to bright indirect light.

Water: Devil's Ivy prefers well-draining soil and should be watered when the top inch or two of the soil feels dry.

Easy: ★★★★★

10. Venus Fly Trap:

Sunlight: At least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily to maintain their health and vibrant coloration.

Water: Venus Traps require a consistently moist but well-draining growing medium. Use distilled water, rainwater, or water low in mineral content to prevent mineral buildup in the soil.

Easy: ★☆☆☆☆

 

Honorable mentions

• Spider Plant
• Bromeliad
• Herbs (basil, onion, spring onion, cilantro)
• Fern
• ZZ Plant
• Chinese Evergreen
• Jade Plant

In Conclusion…

So these are the plants that my roommate and I bought over time. And no cap, we truly believe they would be the best plants for college students and for your dorm room since they are easy to take care of, and really match the trend. I also included the links to buy our favorite moisture meter - PlantDoc - and you really need to check it out!!! 

Anyways, good luck on the plant journey : )