Houseplants can add a vitality to your student apartment that will make your home feel welcoming and even improve your mental health. The problem is plants can be difficult to keep alive, particularly if you’ll occasionally be away for a weekend or longer. The good news is some houseplants are easy to care for — and still look impressive. If you’ve never had plants before and know you’ll find it difficult to stick to a strict watering schedule, these are the ones you need to consider for your apartment.
1. Spider Plant
There’s nothing easier to grow than a spider plant. Better still, you can start with a small one and it will quickly grow into a large plant if you water it just once a week. As it becomes bigger, it will produce spiderettes, which you can leave hanging from the plant or cut off — either to have more plants for your apartment or to give to friends.
2. Paddle Plant
Succulents are great because they require a minimal amount of care. However, they can look boring when they all have the same fleshy green leaves. Paddle plants will bring some colour to your apartment — their leaves range from red tipped to almost entirely red with just green at the base.
3. Inchplant
Another choice that has stunning colours is the inchplant. It has striped leaves in shades of green and purple. It requires a little more watering than some of the lower-maintenance plants — at least every three days. If the leaves begin to turn yellow, though, you may be watering it too much. The plant also needs plenty of sunlight. All this may sound like quite a bit of effort, but it’s definitely a plant worth having because it’s sure to impress.
4. Laceleaf Anthurium
For a plant with flowers, you may like to opt for a laceleaf anthurium. Both its bright red flowers and dark glossy leaves are heart shaped, which results in an eye-catching plant. You can keep it in top condition by watering it just once a week.
5. Peace Lily
Another option for a flowering plant is a peace lily. It’s quite similar in appearance to the laceleaf anthurium, with the difference that the flowers are white and narrow. You only need to water your peace lily when you notice the top soil is dry. Make sure it stays inside to avoid it being exposed to dramatic changes in temperature.
6. Parlour Palm
With a parlour palm, you’ll feel like you’re living in a sunny, coastal town: this small plant has leaves just like a palm tree. To help yours thrive, keep it in direct sunlight and spray it with water every other week.
7. Barrel Cactus
If you want a plant you can just leave to grow on its own, choose a barrel cactus. It needs watering every two weeks at most — if the soil is not completely dry, leave it for longer. Barrel cacti look great on their own as well as in small groups made up of several different species.
8. Swiss Cheese Plant
Native to tropical forests, Swiss cheese plants have holes in their leaves, which gives them a unique appearance. Quite large plants, they’re ideal for a living room. The best way to help yours flourish is to leave it in water for two or three weeks before transferring it to a soil pot. You then just need to water it once a week.
It’s difficult to have plants in a dorm room because you lack the space for more than a couple small pots at most. To be able to decorate your home however you want — with plenty of greenery — you should search for an apartment for rent. North Oshawa has the ideal suites for students at Foundry Simcoe. You can keep plants in your private bedroom, your en suite bathroom (for some feng shui vibes), or the spacious living room you’ll be sharing with just two or four other students. Apply now to secure a lease at the lowest rates of the year.
